But on the horizon, massive white golf ball-like domes protrude from the earth, protected behind a perimeter fence that is topped with piercing razor wire. Is climate change killing Australian wine? The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has applied for an extensive overhaul of the entrance to RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate. 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. - Assisting in establishing utility services The 100th Force Support Squadron (100 FSS) is responsible for providing the best quality of life programs for the military personnel and their family members assigned to RAF Mildenhall. Most of the protests targeted the missile defense strategies. Spy base 'golf ball' radar shelters approved, Spy base plans for extra radar antenna shelters, Watch the moment train travels across miniature version of Knaresborough Viaduct, York and Chester council officers to meet to discuss Blue Badge access, Plans to reopen Victorian quarry in Yorkshire mired by concerns over lorries, Malton crew called to fire in garden in early hours, Yorkshire coast route from Robin Hoods Bay to Whitby named one of the best coastal walks in the UK by experts, Vehicle fire on major road through North Yorkshire - road reopens, AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, France May Day protests leave dozens of police injured, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. The MHO will assist you every step of the way to help you find your new home in the local community. The base went through a series of updates in order to fulfill its new mission. 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. Housing in the Local Community RAF Menwith Hill: Spy base radar antenna shelters approved Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 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. The NSA referred a request for comment to the Director of National Intelligences office. 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. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, United States Air Force in the United Kingdom, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6916262.stm, "Lifting the Lid on Menwith Hill: The Strategic Roles & Economic Impact of the US Spy Base in Yorkshire", http://www.natowatch.org/sites/default/files/liftingthelid.pdf, "Menwith Hill eavesdropping base undergoes massive expansion", http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/01/menwith-hill-eavesdropping-base-expansion, "Occupy 'spy base': UK activists cry espionage over US surveillance center", http://rt.com/news/protesters-occupy-menwith-base-429/, "GCHQ intercepted foreign politicians' communications at G20 summit", http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/16/gchq-intercepted-communications-g20-summits, http://www.duncancampbell.org/menu/journalism/newstatesman/newstatesman-1988/They%27ve%20got%20it%20taped.pdf.+Retrieved, "Report on the existence of a global system for the interception of private and commercial communications (ECHELON interception system)", http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A5-2001-0264+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN, http://www.cyber-rights.org/interception/stoa/interception_capabilities_2000.htm.+Retrieved, http://www.nickyhager.info/secret-power-new-zealands-role-in-the-international-spy-network/, "Menwith Hill - The Campaign of Opposition", "From Greenham to Menwith: The women's peace campaign at Menwith Hill", http://www.thefword.org.uk/features/2003/09/from_greenham_to_menwith_the_womens_peace_campaign_at_menwith_hill, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1422426.stm, "Menwith Hill protests continue for second day", http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/jul/04/3, "Why has the US base at Menwith Hill created such a political storm? [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. Get in Touch. As of 2009, Menwith Hills foreign satellite surveillance mission, code-named MOONPENNY, was monitoring 163 different satellite data links. [16], A detachment of the US Army 704th Military Intelligence (MI) Brigade was established at Menwith Hill in 1985. When you arrive at RAF Menwith Hill you must visit the MHO within 48 hours. The squadron is part of the 423rd Air Base Group which in turn is part of the 501st Combat Support Wing, both of which have their headquarters at RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire. [8] Over two-hundred Collins R-390A HF communications receivers were used to collect a vast range of signal in the HF band, including carrier waves, voice signals, and burst transmissions. 2023 BBC. Therefore, on 1 August 1966, with the agreement of the British Government, control of Menwith Hill Station was handed from the US Army to the NSA when it became a field element of the agency. Among operations buildings in which analysts listen in on monitored conversations, there is a bowling alley, a small pool hall, a bar, a fast food restaurant, and a general store. Menwith Hill eavesdropping base undergoes massive expansion The narrow roads are quiet and winding, surrounded by rolling green fields and few visible signs of life beyond the occasional herd of sheep. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. Menwith Hill has many of the services offered on larger military bases. Located near Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. The outcome of the operation, however, is unclear, as it is not revealed in the document. The Menwith Hill . Normal Hours. Find the travel option that best suits you. RAF intelligence base linked to US drone strike on Iranian general The intercepted communications were funneled into a variety of different repositories storing phone calls, text messages, emails, internet browsing histories, and other data. [34], On 1 April 2006, RAF Menwith Hill was designated as a protected site for the purposes of Section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. Civilian Personnel Office - 100th Force Support Squadron - RAF Mildenhall [8], Investigative journalist, Duncan Campbell, revealed in 1988, 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 and detailed how the eavesdropping operations worked. Read about our approach to external linking. The American idea was to increase its military power during the Cold War. Royal Air Force 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. [42] Protests also occurred at other US military locations in the UK such as Greenham Common. Featured Links In 2007, for instance, analysts at Menwith Hill used GHOSTHUNTER to help track down a suspected al Qaeda facilitator in Lebanon who was described as highly actionable, meaning he had been deemed a legitimate target to kill or capture. How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? MENWITH HILL is ostensibly an RAF base. It is important to know the established cover story for MHS [Menwith Hill Station] and to protect the fact that MHS is an intelligence collection facility, the document stated. [40], On 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. Map of the Area In 1954, the British War Office purchased 246 acres (100 hectares) of land at Nessfield Farm, located approximately 7 kilometres (4.3mi) west of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. In 2014, she advised members of the U.K. Parliament that because the U.S. is not at war with countries such as Yemen or Pakistan, in the context of English and international law, the individuals who are targeted by drones in these countries are not combatants and their killers are not entitled to combatant immunity., If the U.K. government knows that it is transferring data that may be used for drone strikes against non-combatants that transfer is probably unlawful, Stratford told the members of Parliament. Store Email: RAFMenwithHill.commissary@deca.mil. Furnishings Management 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. Who would hold party elites accountable to the values they proclaim to have? 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. At the same time, the garrison hosted here is the 451-st Intelligence Squadron. Yet the British government has steadfastly refused to comment, citing a longstanding policy not to discuss matters related to national security. AHRN.com | Connecting the military community with housing According to Kenneth Bird, who worked at the base in the 1960s during the Cold War, it was focused then on monitoring high frequency radio signals in Eastern Europe. [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. Only a few specific examples are given, but those cases give a remarkable insight into the extraordinary power of the technology. The MHO can assist you by: AHRN.com Currently Deployed Installations. 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. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Use the resources provided to become familiar with the housing options and support services available to you. The main mission on base is to monitor communications and provide intelligence support service to the UK and the US. RAF Menwith Hill to Harrogate - 2 ways to travel via taxi - Rome2rio It was equipped with large high frequency (HF) directional rhombic antennas that could detect signals from around the globe. One such location is RAF Menwith Hill, which is situated on 650-acres of North Yorkshire countryside. Store Hours. Its role was to intercept communications flowing across commercial satellite uplinks, according to NSA documents. But the site also houses a self-contained community, accessible only to those with security clearance. The MHO partners with landlords, realtors and property managers to make sure you receive the most current information about the local housing market. [2], RAF Menwith Hill is owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), but made available to the US Department of Defense (DoD) under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement 1951 and other, undisclosed agreements between the US and British governments. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. RAF Menwith Hill Directory - Phone Numbers & Directions Menwith Hill's primary mission is to provide "intelligence support for UK, US and allied interests". The selection includes modern properties on housing estates, in apartment blocks or old cottages and conversions of older buildings like barns. Its huge and heavily protected acreage sits on rolling moorland in rural North Yorkshire outside the town of Harrogate. 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. 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.. It is now imperative that the prime minister comes clean about U.K. involvement in targeted killing, Craig said, to ensure that British personnel and resources are not implicated in illegal and immoral activities.. 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. Situated right at the hub of Britain's world-beating telecommunications system, Menwith Hill is one of the secret treasures of American heritage. In CONUS, fees for realtor services are not reimbursable. Stratford has previously warned that if British officials have facilitated covert U.S. drone strikes outside of declared war zones, they could even be implicated in murder. Homes in the UK are generally smaller than homes in the US and staircases are usually much narrower. However, if the site was compromised during an invasion, three earth-covered bunkers contained ammunition and thermite charges which could be used to destroy classified equipment and material. The United States Army Security Agency established a high frequency radio monitoring capability, monitoring communications emanating from the Soviet Union, operating from 1958. By 1966, the American ruling was significantly decreased. [19] Actions continue into 2006. They confirmed that Menwith Hill was "linked directly to the headquarters of the US National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade in Maryland. [19], During a 1997 court case, British Telecom revealed that in 1975, its predecessor, the Post Office, installed two cables between Menwith Hill and a coaxial cable that connected to the microwave radio station at Hunters Stones, which was part of the long-distance telephone network. On 18 October 2008 the unit, under the command of a Lieutenant Colonel, was re-designated as the 307th Military Intelligence Battalion, subordinate to the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade headquartered at Wiesbaden, Germany. Mon. The agency also had a 200-seat-capacity auditorium constructed to host classified operations meetings and other events. The site is a field station of the US National Security Agency (NSA), with personnel from other parts of the DOD also present. Installations are accessible through the HEAT tool across CONUS and most OCONUS installations. The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Air Force or the Department of Defense of the external Web Site, or the information, products, or services contained therein. Planning application documents say it does not meet the security standards required by the US and UK armed forces. 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). Referral and Relocation Assistance Menwith Hill's primary mission is to provide "intelligence support for UK, US and allied interests". Rome2rio makes travelling from Brixton (Station) to RAF Menwith Hill easy. [17], The US Air Force's 6951st Electronic Security Squadron was formed at Menwith HIll on 1 May 1991. Both units operate in a very tight collaboration to fulfill the mission of the base. The World's Most Secret Places: RAF Menwith Hill, England Some of the extensive expansion work was visible from the road outside the secure complex, which triggered protests from a local activist group called the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases. A 2009 document added that GHOSTHUNTERs focus was at that time on geolocation of internet cafs in the Middle East/North Africa region in support of U.S. military operations and said that it had to date successfully geolocated over 5,000 VSAT terminals in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran. VSAT, or Very Small Aperture Terminal, is a satellite system commonly used by internet cafs and foreign governments in the Middle East to send and receive communications and data. The British War Office has decided to purchase a little under 550 acres. The NSAs surveillance systems spotted Sayf logging into Yahoo email or messenger accounts at an internet cafe near a mosque in Anah, a town on the Euphrates River that is about 200 miles northwest of Baghdad. Menwith Hill Station was opened on 545 acres (2.21km2) of land acquired by the British War Office in 1954 and leased to the United States. Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) When you arrive at RAF Menwith Hill, you will be staying in temporary accommodations until you move into permanent quarters. See Furnishings Management for a list of the Duration of Tour Items available. At spy outposts across the world, the NSA and its partners tap into these cables to monitor the data flowing throughthem. And normally when we have war, parliament should normally inform people that were involved in those. We were palmed off with platitudes and reassured that any U.S. activities on or involving British bases were fully compliant with domestic and international legal provisions. What should I do to start planning my move to an overseas location? [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. Read about our approach to external linking. [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). 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. [17][18] and to demands in 2007 from Labour MPs for a full debate about missile defence and Menwith Hill. [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. [26][27], Extension of the site means that it now covers 605 acres (245ha). [10], On 5 July 2000, the European Union set up the European Parliament's Temporary Committee on the ECHELON Interception System stated that the global system for the interception of private and commercial communications was operating by means of "cooperation proportionate to their capabilities" among the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand under the UKUSA." 5 - 9. Living locallyprovides members and families the chance to experience a new culture and make friends with their host country neighbors. 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. Analysts at Menwith Hill used GHOSTHUNTER to track down his location and spy satellites operated from the British base captured aerial images. Menwith Hill: spying and killing for the US? | Morning Star The Australian site is known as the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap. Although nominally an RAF. Were kept entirely in the dark about them. 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. Also aboard the base is the Shoppette, where you will find the Class Six store, movie Central Michigan University (CMU) Online Education, Delta Dental TRICARE Retiree Dental Program. 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. Before purchasing your insurance, please consult the MHO for more information about coverage. Instead of monitoring the Soviet Union only, the system was improved in order to intercept all the signals going throughout the British territories. Community Housing Units On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. 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: But his efforts have been repeatedly stonewalled, with British government officials refusing to provide any details on the grounds of national security.

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