[16], A detachment of the US Army 704th Military Intelligence (MI) Brigade was established at Menwith Hill in 1985. Prince Charles visits RAF Menwith Hill. 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. He also detailed how the eavesdropping operations worked. 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 . Many of the actions still continue today. 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 main mission on base is to monitor communications and provide intelligence support service to the UK and the US. 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.. 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. They confirmed that Menwith Hill was "linked directly to the headquarters of the US National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade in Maryland. Featured Links The site acts as a ground station for a number of satellites operated by the US National Reconnaissance Office,[3] 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.[4]. Find all the transport options for your trip from Hatton Cross Underground Station to RAF Menwith Hill right here. Realtor Services An individual involved in passing that information is likely to be an accessory to murder., GCHQ refused to answer questions for this story, citing a long standing policy that we do not comment on intelligence matters. A spokesperson for the agency issued a generic statement asserting that all of GCHQs work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework, which ensures that our activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight. The spokesperson insisted that U.K.s interception regime is entirely compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.. Alongside NSA employees within the complex, the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office also has a major presence at the site, running its own ground station from which it controls a number of spy satellites. 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. But his efforts have been repeatedly stonewalled, with British government officials refusing to provide any details on the grounds of national security. [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. 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. Michael Cook/RAF/PA Wire. [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. "It seems likely that its name is in fact ECHELON." 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). The Australian site is known as the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap. The kind of reporting we do is essential to democracy, but it is not easy, cheap, or profitable. ", "Keighley grandmothers arrested over spy base protest", "Veteran peace protester sent to jail despite prisons crisis", "Protest camp looks to raise awareness of Menwith Hill", "Menwith Hill Station: A Case Study in Signal Intelligence Gathering During the Cold War", "The Billion Dollar Phone Tap America's Big Ear in the Heart of Yorkshire", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RAF_Menwith_Hill&oldid=1143070985, This page was last edited on 5 March 2023, at 19:52. Royal Air Force (RAF) Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, England. Referral and Relocation Assistance 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. [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. Most of the protests targeted the missile defense strategies. The listening base plays a role in US and UK intelligence-gathering. [8] The UK provided assurances to the US that the site would be available to them for at least 21 years. The cheapest way to get from Queensway Underground Station to RAF Menwith Hill costs only 70, and the quickest way takes just 3 hours. According to top-secret documents obtained by The. 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. 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. Menwith Hill has many of the services offered on larger military bases. It is entirely run by the British Royal Air Force, but most of the services are provided by the Americans the US Air Force. [8], The station initially comprised a headquarters building, barracks, dependent housing and support facilities such as a cinema and social clubs. In CONUS, fees for realtor services are not reimbursable. 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. Consider what the world of media would look like without The Intercept. The MHO monitors off-base rental listings to ensure that they are safe and adequate. The military base deals with intelligence and communication services. 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. [28], RAF Menwith Hill is owned by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD). The operations, Stratford said, could have violated the European Convention on Human Rights, an international treaty that the U.K. still remains bound to despite its recent vote to leave the European Union. To find your next home, click on the installation you want to search for housing in and register as a user. But the British government has publicly asserted as recently as 2014 that operations at the base have always been, and continue to be carried out with its knowledge and consent. Moreover, roughly 600 of the personnel at the facility are from U.K. agencies, including employees of the NSAs British counterpart Government Communications Headquarters, or GCHQ. 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? [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. "[28], Coordinates: 540029N 14124W / 54.00806N 1.69W / 54.00806; -1.69. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. The American idea was to increase its military power during the Cold War. 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. Situated right at the hub of Britain's world-beating telecommunications system, Menwith Hill is one of the secret treasures of American heritage. Here, in the heart of the tranquil English countryside, is the National Security Agencys largest overseas spying base. But Menwith Hill is focused on a different kind of surveillance: eavesdropping on communications as they are being transmitted through the air. The NSA National Security Agency decided to take over the base. But the lethal use of the surveillance data does not appear to have been restricted to conventional war zones such as Afghanistan or Iraq. Later, two additional cables were added over which telephone and other communications could go to and from the base. Originally used to monitor Soviet communications through the Cold War, its focus has since dramatically shifted, and today it is a vital part of the NSAs sprawling global surveillance network. 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. For several years, British human rights campaigners and lawmakers have been pressuring the government to provide information about whether it has had any role aiding U.S. targeted killing operations, yet they have been met with silence. UK personnel from the MOD and Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) are integrated into both the operational and administrative elements of the site. According to documents lodged by the MoD the proposed additions are "required to meet the operational output of the station". You may want to consider leaving very large pieces of furniture behind; e.g. [11] The first two radomes, designed to protect satellite receiver and transmission dishes (colloquially known as 'golf balls' and now synonymous with the station) were installed in 1974, at which point around 800 personnel were believed to work there. Menwith Hill Menwith Hill. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has applied for an extensive overhaul of the entrance to RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate. The 421st Air Base Group provides the majority of support services but the base is commanded by an officer of the RAF. Sun. On 16 October 2009, the battalion was re-designated as the 709th Military Intelligence Battalion. C-3566-02 . Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Photo of Princess Charlotte shared as she turns 8, King Charles to wear golden robes for Coronation, Yellen warns US could run out of cash in a month, More than 100 police hurt in French May Day protests, Street piano confiscated as public 'break rules'. 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. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Over the history, the ECHELON system was the subject of a huge controversy due to its monitoring power. RAF Menwith Hill is commanded by a Royal Air Force Officer, supported by an RAF element, whilst the majority of support services were provided by the United States Air Force, 421st Air Base Group until 2014. NSA employees at Menwith Hill have collaborated on a project to help eliminate terrorism targets in Yemen, for example, where the U.S. has waged a controversial drone bombing campaign that has resulted in dozens of civilian deaths. Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) When you arrive at RAF Menwith Hill, you will be staying in temporary accommodations until you move into permanent quarters. Now, not only are its spying systems capable of vacuuming up far more communications, but they also have a far broader geographic reach. Members should use HEAT when preparing to transfer to their new assignment. [1] It has been described as the largest electronic monitoring station in the world. Royal Air Force Menwith Hill or more simply 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. Menwith Hill See Stores Near You. Thats the basis of our Parliament, its the basis of our whole democratic system. DSN: 262-7759/7758. 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. The outcome of the operation, however, is unclear, as it is not revealed in the document. The plan for three. Learn more at the HOMES.mil site. [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." [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. Who would hold party elites accountable to the values they proclaim to have? 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. Housing Allowance Calculator The base's multimillion-pound expansion, Project Phoenix, is "one of the largest and most sophisticated high technology programs carried out anywhere in the UK over the last 10 years". Though the base is officially called RAF Menwith Hill, most of the staff there are US employees of the NSA. How do I begin out-processing from housing? Map of the Area Instead of monitoring the Soviet Union only, the system was improved in order to intercept all the signals going throughout the British territories. The council also approved the demolition of 13 buildings at the site last year. [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. It was later re-designated as the 451st Intelligence Squadron on 1 October 1993. [11], In 1999 he wrote a report on COMINT entitled Interception Capabilities 2000 for the European Parliament. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It is advised to wait until you arrive to secure housing in order to tour available units. Moving to a new country can often be confusing and stressful; however, it can also be exciting. [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. It is not clear precisely how many communications Menwith Hill is capable of tapping into at any one time, but the NSAs documents indicate the number is extremely large. A top-secret document detailing the surveillance indicates that the information was to be passed to a secretive special operations unit known as Task Force 11-9, which would have been equipped to conduct a covert raid to kill or capture Sumayah. , Ryan Gallagher[emailprotected]theintercept.com@rj_gallagher. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. Craig, the legal director at Reprieve, reviewed the Menwith Hill documents and said that they indicated British complicity in covert U.S. drone attacks. [Menwith Hill] still supplies about 99% of the FORNSAT data used in GHOSTHUNTER geolocations, noted a January 2008 document about the program. Once you complete your 3-step registration process, you may begin searching for available housing at . 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. The Yorkshire Dales' low level of background radio noise made it an especially good location for the task. [17], On 19 February 1996, the station was renamed RAF Menwith Hill, an administrative change to align the base with other sites made available to the United States by the United Kingdom. Rome2rio makes travelling from RAF Menwith Hill to Harrogate easy. Investigations found that during the early 1960s, Menwith Hill was integrated into the General Post Office's microwave relay network known as 'Backbone', via a high-capacity underground cable link to the Hunters Stones communications tower, located approximately 3 miles (4.8km) to the south of the station. He has sought clarification on a variety of issues, such as how many U.S. personnel are stationed at the site, whether it is involved in conducting drone strikes, and whether members of a British parliamentary oversight committee have been given full access to review its operations. An environmental screening statement submitted as part of the planning application to Harrogate Borough Council says: "Due to the classified nature of the operations at the base, security is a prominent concern.

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