raf menwith hill underground
Homes in the UK are generally smaller than homes in the US and staircases are usually much narrower. Since then, the base has been used extensively to tap into communications in otherwise hard-to-reach areas where Islamic extremist groups such as al Qaeda and al Shabaab have been known to operate for example, in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region, Somalia, and Yemen. [25], The 451st Intelligence Squadron, was inactivated on 24 June 2015. [31], In November 2017, the British Government advised that 1,205 personnel worked at the station, comprising 33 staff from the US military, 344 US contractors, 250 US civilians, 7 UK military (5 Royal Navy and 2 RAF), 85 UK contractors and 486 UK civilians (including those employed by GCHQ). The British governments Ministry of Defence, which handles media inquires related to Menwith Hill, declined to comment for this story. Royal Air Force (RAF) Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, England. On 16 October 2009, the battalion was re-designated as the 709th Military Intelligence Battalion. What housing allowances am I eligible for? Read about our approach to external linking. The documents obtained by The Intercept reveal that spy satellites operated at Menwith Hill today can target communications in China and Latin America, and also provide continuous coverage of the majority of the Eurasian landmass, where they intercept tactical military, scientific, political, and economic communications signals. But perhaps the most significant role the base has played in recent years has been in the Middle East and North Africa. Use the resources provided to become familiar with the housing options and support services available to you. [1] Sun. Targeted Killing, Elegant Chaos: collect it all, exploit it all, Elegant Chaos: collect it all, exploit it all (plus notes), UK special forces Reaper drone (Jan-Feb-2012), Afghanistan 30 enemy killed (Jan-Feb 2012), Project Sandstorm wifi geolocation (Jan 2011), Yemen backhaul comms collected (Jan 2011), New ops building at Menwith completed, fit up begins, New technique geolocates targets active at Yemeni cafes, Work is progressing on Menwith Hill Stations new operations building, Ghosthunter and the geolocating of internet cafes, Traffic series: is your collection surveyed or sustained, APPARITION becomes a reality new corporate VSAT geolocation capability sees its first deployment, Menwith continues successful counterterrorism survey along Af-Pak border, SIGINT target package leads to USMC capture of al Qaeda weapons procurer, Menwith initiatives maximizing our access, GSM tower mapping made easier and more accurate with new tool, New tool combines multi agency databases for complete target snapshot. The site lies between Harrogate and Skipton near a stretch of the A59. Thats the basis of our Parliament, its the basis of our whole democratic system. [48][49][50][51][52], In April 2012 activists affiliated with the global Occupy Movement held a four-day campsite at Menwith Hill. To request government reimbursement for realtor services in OCONUS, you must submit a request for authorization through the MHO before signing a lease or contract. For this reason, according to the NSAs documents, in the mid-1990s the U.S. intelligence community was convinced that satellite communications would soon become obsolete, to be fully replaced by fiber-optic cable networks. It is located in the central part of the kingdom, in North Yorkshire. DSN: 262-7759/7758. [18], On 19 July 2002, US Army INSCOM transferred responsibility for administrative and logistical support for Menwith Hill to the US Air Force, to bring the site in-line with other facilities in the UK made available to the US. It seems likely that its name is in fact ECHELON." - Negotiating lease contracts Many agents will insist you have insurance to an agreed amount to cover any serious damage to a rental property. The first service on site included a high frequency monitoring system, dealing with intercepting the signals throughout the Soviet Union. [32], Site security is provided by the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP). At the same time, the base is part of a comprehensive ECHELON system. After you move into your home, the MHO is available for on-going assistance with translation services should you need to communicate with your landlord. Plenty of demonstrations took place around the United Kingdom and around the entire Europe. [28], RAF Menwith Hill is owned by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD). [16], Objections to the Strategic Defense Initiative have led to demonstrators storming the perimeter fence. Over the last years, the hate towards the Americans reached new limits, as many demonstrators stormed the fence around the military bases. Menwith Hill Menwith Hill. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. ", http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/why-has-the-us-base-at-menwith-hill-created-such-a-political-storm-13464383.html, "Keighley grandmothers arrested over spy base protest", http://www.daelnet.co.uk/countrynews/country_news_06042006_5.cfm, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/who-are-you-calling-antisocial-491039.html, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4552441.stm, http://www.counterpunch.org/dickinson05192005.html, http://www.harrogateadvertiser.net/harrogatenews/Peace-protest-at-Menwith-Hill.4894981.jp, "Veteran peace protester sent to jail despite prisons crisis", http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/veteran-peace-protester-sent-to-jail-despite-prisons-crisis-434106.html, "Protest camp looks to raise awareness of Menwith Hill", http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2012/04/18/protest-camp-looks-to-raise-awarenss-of-menwith-hill/, http://www.occupymenwith.org.uk/index.php/why/, Lifting the Lid on Menwith Hill: The Strategic Roles & Economic Impact of the US Spy Base in Yorkshire, by Dr Steve Schofield published by Yorkshire CND, March 2012, United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), Pages using infobox military installation with unknown parameters, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Military facilities of the United States in the United Kingdom, Buildings and structures in North Yorkshire, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISR), Bird, Kenneth L., Menwith Hill Station-A Case Study in Signal Intelligence Gathering During the Cold War-. [1] It has been described as the largest electronic monitoring station in the world. You may want to consider leaving very large pieces of furniture behind; e.g. [18], In 1995, the US Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) became the executive agent for Menwith Hill on behalf of the National Security Agency. RAF Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England which provides communications and intelligence support services to the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Hamilton, who represents the Labour Party, has doggedly attempted to find out basic information about the base, asking the government at least 40 parliamentary questions since 2010 about its activities. VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. Now, not only are its spying systems capable of vacuuming up far more communications, but they also have a far broader geographic reach. It hosts a few massive satellite grounds, not to mention about some missile warning services. Visiting Menwith Hill in June that year, Alexander set a challenge for employees at the base. Here, in the heart of the tranquil English countryside, is the National Security Agencys largest overseas spying base. [27] Protesters said they hoped the camp would "reignite the debate locally, nationally and globally about whether the subversive and undemocratic nature of activities at the base are acceptable, or indeed accountable, to the British public. This visit is necessary to obtain housing, verify your eligibility for Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA), and receive counseling and guidance before entering into any written lease or rental/sales contract for housing. Rome2rio makes travelling from Hatton Cross Underground Station to RAF Menwith Hill easy. The NSA National Security Agency decided to take over the base. Especially in remote parts of the world where there are no fiber-optic cable links, it is common for internet connections and phone calls to be routed over satellite. What is clear, however, is that the base has targeted countries such as Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia as part of location-tracking programs like GHOSTHUNTER and GHOSTWOLF which were created to help pinpoint individuals so they could be captured or killed suggesting it has played a part in drone strikes in these countries. According to top-secret documents obtained by The Intercept from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, Menwith Hill has two main spying capabilities. Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) When you arrive at RAF Menwith Hill, you will be staying in temporary accommodations until you move into permanent quarters. The other two sites are located in America and Australia, having similar roles and working together with RAF Menwith Hill to develop knowledge around American, British and Australian interests. , Ryan Gallagher[emailprotected]theintercept.com@rj_gallagher. AHRN.com Currently Deployed Installations. Our programs include activities as diverse and challenging as membership clubs, bowling centers, family care facilities (youth, infant, and child), lodging . TLA is an entitlement to partially . Retrieved 18 April 2020. C-3566-02 . Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. How can we say that Menwith can carry out operations of which there is absolutely no accountability to the public? On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. For years, journalists and researchers have speculated about what really goes on inside Menwith Hill, while human rights groups and some politicians have campaigned for more transparency aboutits activities. The MHO monitors off-base rental listings to ensure that they are safe and adequate. [24], During the 2009 G-20 London Summit NSA intercept specialists based at Menwith Hill attempted to target and decode the encrypted telephone calls of the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. An individual involved in passing that information is likely to be an accessory to murder., How can Menwith carry out operations of which there is absolutely no accountability to the public?. Store Email: RAFMenwithHill.commissary@deca.mil. Instead of using it for a local base, the land was given to the American through a leasing contract. [53] Protesters said they hoped the camp would "reignite the debate locally, nationally and globally about whether the subversive and undemocratic nature of activities at the base are acceptable, or indeed accountable, to the British public. They confirmed that Menwith Hill was "linked directly to the headquarters of the US National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade in Maryland. The military base deals with intelligence and communication services. Only a few specific examples are given, but those cases give a remarkable insight into the extraordinary power of the technology. It is said to be the widest and most important monitoring site in the world. [21] Notwithstanding, the US Army retained a presence and in place of the 109th Military Intelligence Group, INSCOM formed a provisional battalion designated as the Menwith Hill Battalion (Provisional). In 1966 the National Security Agency (NSA) took on responsibility for the U.S. operation of the site, expanding the capabilities to monitor international leased line communications transiting through Britain. The 70s saw a new round of updates. Successive U.K. governments have publicly stated that all activities at the base are carried out with the full knowledge and consent of British officials. [35], In 1988, investigative journalist Duncan Campbell revealed, in an article entitled "Somebody's listening" and published in New Statesman, the existence of the ECHELON surveillance program, an extension of the UKUSA Agreement on global signals intelligence Sigint. Most notably, they show that there has been significant investment in introducing new and more sophisticated mass surveillance systems at Menwith Hill in recent years. Although nominally an RAF. Many of the actions still continue today. Menwith Hill is eight miles west of Harrogate on the fringes of the Yorkshire Dales, known for its distinctive large white golf ball domes housing radar equipment. Security regulation for US and UK military operations have "tightened considerably," the MoD says. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Of the 1,800 employees in 2012, 400 were British and 1,200 were American employees of the NSA. "[14], Between 1984 and 1995 a number of peace camps were established in close proximity to the station. [15] In response to the article the NSA said "We do radio relays - material comes in from a variety of places and is rerouted. The Committee raised concerns about the incompatibility of the interception of private and commercial communications with the fundamental right to respect for private life (Article 8 of the ECHR). Find the travel option that best suits you. The cheapest way to get from Heathrow Terminal 5 Underground Station to RAF Menwith Hill costs only 72, and the quickest way takes just 3 hours. Of the 1,800 employees in 2012, 400 were British and 1,200 were American employees of the NSA. The site contains an extensive satellite ground station and is a communications intercept and missile warning site. [17], According to an article in a 2003 issue of an internal NSA newsletter, "Menwith is a large site (several hundred NSA civilians)". Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. The NSA developed similar methods at Menwith Hill to track down terror suspects in Yemen, where the U.S. has waged a covert drone war against militants associated with al Qaeda in the Northern Peninsula. No date has been set for it to consider this latest application. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! RAF Menwith Hill Stavanger 423d ABG Helpful Agencies 501st CSW Wing Staff Agency The 501st CSW WSA are comprised of 17 different agencies, located at RAF Alconbury and Croughton, that provide a wide range of mission support from finance to chapel services which facilitate operations and assist Airmen and their families across the wing. The MHO will assist you every step of the way to help you find your new home in the local community. Initially named Field Station 8613, the site was renamed 13th USASA Field Station on 1 January 1957 and again renamed on 1 January 1959, as Menwith Hill Station. Get in Touch. Phone: 01638-543540 | 238-3540 Check us out on Facebook! Regular protests are held at the station by groups against activities on the base and the presence of international military personnel, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Between 2009 and 2012, Menwith Hill spent more than $40 million ona massive new 95,000-square-foot operations building nearly twice the size of an average American football field. [10] The operations building was located inside a secure compound, within a large antenna field, approximately 1.6 kilometres (0.99mi) from the main site. And millions of phone calls are still beamed between satellites today, alongside troves of internet data, which the NSA has readily exploited at Menwith Hill. They confirmed that Menwith Hill was "linked directly to the headquarters of the US National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade in Maryland. Intercepted conversations were recorded on Ampex tape recorders, Bird noted in his published 1997 account, with some transcribed by analysts in real-time using typewriters. Menwith Hill is ostensibly an RAF base. [13], In 1976, 21 years after the initial tenure arrangements were agreed with the US, the British Government renewed assurances that the site would continue to be available for a further 21 years. By 2008, the apparent popularity of GHOSTHUNTER within the intelligence community meant that it was rolled out at other surveillance bases where NSA has a presence, including in Ayios Nikolaos, Cyprus, and Misawa, Japan. In March 2012 researcher Dr. Steve Schofield produced a 65-page report called "Lifting the Lid on Menwith Hill",[5] funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and commissioned and published by the Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disaarmament (CND). [4], The site acts as a ground station for a number of satellites operated by the US National Reconnaissance Office,[5] on behalf of the NSA, with antennas contained in numerous distinctive white radomes, locally referred to as "the golf balls", and is alleged to be an element of the ECHELON system.[6]. He said: "The UKs providing a facility here thats involved in drone attacks that we know, from independent assessments, are killing and injuring thousands of civilians, and because of the covert nature of that warfare, its very difficult to provide information and accountability through the UK parliament. It is said to be the widest and most important monitoring site in the world. Hundreds of personnel from a number of international intelligence bodies, including staff from the UK's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and America's National Security Agency (NSA), operate from the site. [17], The US Air Force's 6951st Electronic Security Squadron was formed at Menwith HIll on 1 May 1991. Menwith Hills unique ability to track down satellite devices across the world at times placed it on the front line of conflicts thousands of miles away. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Store Hours. RAF MENWITH HILL POSITIONS ONLY Must be over 18 and be able to read, write and speak English fluently and must meet qualification standards. The whole system started working after 1958 only. In early 2010, the agency revealed in an internal report that it had launched a new technique at the British base to identify many targets at almost 40 different geolocated internet cafs in Yemens Shabwah province and in the countrys capital, Sanaa. This mission protects our nation and others around the world.. Menwith Hill's primary mission is to provide "intelligence support for UK, US and allied interests". The area purchased soon increased to 562 acres (227 hectares) and were made available by the British Government to the United States Department of Defense. [7] The site was considered by the US as suitable for gathering signals intelligence from the northern parts of Western Europe and Eastern Europe, specifically the Soviet Union and its associated Warsaw Pact countries. Plans submitted to Harrogate Borough Council would see major changes to the entrance, The listening base plays a role in US and UK intelligence gathering. HQ Air Force Housing has successfully implemented HEAT across the AF Enterprise so members can reach out to installations when preparing for transition. What housing allowances am I eligible for? Harrogate Borough Council approved the erection of three new radar shelters at the site earlier this month. The Australian site is known as the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap. Were kept entirely in the dark about them. It is located in the central part of the kingdom, in North Yorkshire. [14] At the time, eight radomes were now present at Menwith Hill, connecting it with other sites in the NSA's satellite communications network and alleged to allow the surveillance of communications in foreign countries. You need to obtain legal liability and personal property insurance for your possessions and should choose the options and amounts that best fit your needs and lifestyle. It was equipped with large high frequency (HF) directional rhombic antennas that could detect signals from around the globe. S-1702-02/03/04* School Age Program Assistant: RAF MENWITH HILL POSITIONS ONLY Must be over 18 and be able to read, write and speak English fluently and must meet qualification standards. At the same time, RAF Menwith Hill also hosts some employed civilians. The total number of people working there is due to increase from 1,800 last year (of . As of 2009, Menwith Hills foreign satellite surveillance mission, code-named MOONPENNY, was monitoring 163 different satellite data links. The site contains an extensive satellite ground station and is a communications intercept and missile warning site and has been described as the largest electronic monitoring station in the . [22] In March 2012 researcher Dr. Steve Schofield of BASIC produced a 65-page report called "Lifting the Lid on Menwith Hill",[23] funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and commissioned and published by the Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). [13], In 3 November 1999 the BBC reported that they had confirmation from the Australian Government of the existence of a powerful "global spying network" codenamed Echelon, that can eavesdrop on every single phone call, fax or e-mail, anywhere on the planet" with Britain and the United States as the chief protagonists. This information was passed to U.S. military commanders based in Fallujah to be included as part of a targeting plan.. The site acts as a ground station for a number of satellites operated by the US National Reconnaissance Office, on behalf of the US National Security Agency, with antennae contained in a large number of highly distinctive white radomes, and is alleged to be an element of the ECHELON system. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. At spy outposts across the world, the NSA and its partners tap into these cables to monitor the data flowing throughthem. [3] In 2014, the number of American personnel was reduced as part of a streamlining of operations due to improvements in technology. The agency also had a 200-seat-capacity auditorium constructed to host classified operations meetings and other events. The cheapest way to get from Queensway Underground Station to RAF Menwith Hill costs only 70, and the quickest way takes just 3 hours. To find your next home, click on the installation you want to search for housing in and register as a user. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? The selection includes modern properties on housing estates, in apartment blocks or old cottages and conversions of older buildings like barns. Most of the worlds international phone calls, internet traffic, emails, and other communications are sent over a network of undersea cables that connect countries like giant arteries. Local Weather Then a spy satellite took an aerial photograph of the neighborhood in Sidon, south Lebanon, in which he was believed to be living, mapping out the surrounding streets and houses. The plan for three. Read about our approach to external linking. Community Housing Units [39], In 1996 author and investigative journalist, Nicky Hager in his book entitled Secret Power: New Zealand's Role in the International Spy Network, provided a detailed account of ECHELON, the worldwide electronic surveillance system used by an intelligence alliance of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Where will my children go to school at my new location? The overhauled main entrance would include a new visitor centre, registration office and gatehouse, as well as new security barriers, roads and car parks, the Local Democracy Reporting Service says. Any reference to satellites being operated or any connection to intelligence gathering is strictly prohibited.. A large chunk of this space 10,000 square feet was set aside for a data center that boasted the ability to store huge troves of intercepted communications. Though small in size, the Army/Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) exchange has a fair selection of goods, ranging from clothing to audio visual equipment. Though the Snowden documents analyzed by The Intercept state that Menwith Hill has aided a significant number of capture-kill operations, they do not reveal specific details about all of the incidents that resulted in fatalities. We dont have ads, so we depend on our members 35,000 and counting to help us hold the powerful to account. The base "does not attract the kind of press attention lavished on RAF Menwith Hill to the north and long may that continue," one NSA employee wrote in a March 2005 article for SIDtoday . RAF Menwith Hill: 01638 544138: RAF Mildenhall: 01638 545704 01638 544138 01638 543071 01638 543074: Stavanger: 01638 543074: Support Team : 01638 543540: Allowances: 01638 546101 01638 543065: Local National Direct Hire (LNDH) EMAIL APPLICATIONS TO: 01638 545036 01638 542677 01638 542292 01638 543662 100fss.fsmc3@mildenhall.af.mil: The base's operations and location have frequently attracted controversy, with local and national objectors protesting about the nature of work undertaken at the site, as well as the presenceof international military personnel. The listening base plays a role in US and UK intelligence-gathering A plan for extra radar shelters at Menwith Hill communications and intelligence base have been approved. Crucially, however, Menwith Hill has been used for more than just gathering intelligence on people and governments across countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The military base deals with intelligence and communication services. Below is a list of installations that are supported by the Automated Housing Referral Network. 12 October 2020. We need to know what is being done in our name. The technique, the document revealed, was linked to a broader classified initiative called GHOSTWOLF, described as a project to capture or eliminate key nodes in terrorist networks by focusing primarily on providing actionable geolocation intelligence derived from [surveillance] to customers and their operational components.. The U.S. and U.K. governments have actively misled the public for years through a cover story.. The site is one of three main sites operated by the United States across the globe as a major satellite monitoring station and intelligence gathering location. Realtor Services RAF Menwith Hill is a co-base run by the United States of America and the United Kingdom.