The Military Housing Office (MHO) is ready to support you in the transition to your new home and community. The domes, which protect radar antennas from the elements, are often known as the "golf balls". Rome2rio makes travelling from Brixton (Station) to RAF Menwith Hill easy. 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. - Negotiating lease contracts 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. The site lies between Harrogate and Skipton near a stretch of the A59. [47], One particular local activist, Lindis Percy, was prosecuted, over a protracted period, under a number of different laws. This debate however, never happened outside of the fringe elements of society."[54]. The MHO partners with landlords, realtors and property managers to make sure you receive the most current information about the local housing market. 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. The government housing team will provide you the latest information on the local housing situation as well as local laws governing off-base housing. 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. Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Closed U.S. and U.K. holidays, Family Days and Goal Days. Menwith Hill has many of the services offered on larger military bases. Find BAH, PCS, TLA, & ETS Military Housing near Hill AFB. The application comes after the councilapproved construction of a single additional radome in November 2018, due to be built in August 2021. - Assisting in establishing utility services It was alleged the link allowed mass interception of civilian telephone and telex communications between the United States, UK and Europe. 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. The United States Army Security Agency established a high frequency radio monitoring capability, monitoring communications emanating from the Soviet Union, operating from 1958. The 421st Air Base Group provides the majority of support services but the base is commanded by an officer of the RAF. Such links are provided consistent with the purpose of the Web site. Personal Property Insurance Over the past decade, the documents show, the NSA has pioneered groundbreaking new spying programs at Menwith Hill to pinpoint the locations of suspected terrorists accessing the internet in remote parts of the world. In a single 12-hour period in May 2011, for instance, its surveillance systems logged more than 335 million metadata records, which reveal information such as the sender and recipient of an email, or the phone numbers someone called and at what time. Get in Touch. 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. [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." "[37] During the early 1970s, the first of what became more than eight large satellite communications dishes were installed at Menwith Hill. Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. The application, approved by Harrogate Borough Council, would take the number of domes at the base to 37. The MHO provides up-to-date listings of available economy units, translation services, and landlord/tenant mediation. Moving to a new country can often be confusing and stressful; however, it can also be exciting. [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]. Map of the Area [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. Security regulation for US and UK military operations have "tightened considerably," the MoD says. 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. Thats all it takes to support the journalism you rely on. [10], In the 1960s, as a result of developments in digital technology and the increased use of satellites for signals intelligence, the specialist skills of engineers and technicians within the National Security Agency (NSA) and their contractors became increasingly important. 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. It is located in the central part of the kingdom, in North Yorkshire. It now appears that this was far from the truth.. An aerial image captured by a U.S. satellite in support of a covert GHOSTHUNTER operation. Once you complete your 3-step registration process, you may begin searching for available housing at . Transfer to the National Security Agency (1966 1996), US Army Intelligence and Security Command, Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, Temporary Committee on the ECHELON Interception System, United States Air Force in the United Kingdom, "Unknown territory: America's secret archipelago of UK bases", "Technology led to decision to cut Menwith Hill personnel", "Interception Of Communications - Hansard", "Menwith Hill Station (Hansard, 12 July 1995)", "RAF Menwith Hill (Hansard, 13 May 1996)", "BT condemned for listing cables to US sigint station", "Spanning the GlobeMisawa to Menwith Hill: Part 1", "Lifting the Lid on Menwith Hill: The Strategic Roles & Economic Impact of the US Spy Base in Yorkshire", "Menwith Hill eavesdropping base undergoes massive expansion", "GCHQ intercepted foreign politicians' communications at G20 summit", "Spy base 'golf ball' radar shelters approved", "Report on Planning Application 19/02389/FUL", "Spy base plans for extra radar antenna shelters", "RAF Menwith Hill:Written question - 112002", "The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Designated Sites) Order 2005", "Report on the existence of a global system for the interception of private and commercial communications (ECHELON interception system)", "Menwith Hill - The Campaign of Opposition", "From Greenham to Menwith: The women's peace campaign at Menwith Hill", "Menwith Hill protests continue for second day", "Why has the US base at Menwith Hill created such a political storm? At the same time, the base is part of a comprehensive ECHELON system. Only a few specific examples are given, but those cases give a remarkable insight into the extraordinary power of the technology. 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. [29], The US Air Force's 421st Air Base Squadron provides Menwith Hill with base and mission support services. The location of the target who was known by several names, including Abu Sumayah was traced to within a few hundred meters based on intercepts of his communications. This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Menwith Hill is a US base on 545 acres of land in beautiful Nidderdale (one of the Yorkshire Dales) near Harrogate North Yorkshire HG3 2RF UK. [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. [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. Many agents will insist you have insurance to an agreed amount to cover any serious damage to a rental property. Menwith Hill's new principal, Kevin Brewer, came from Heidleberg High School, Germany, which closed in the spring as part of the closure of the military community there. Please note that they do not usually offer a service to transport you to viewings public or private. 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. In 1992, the detachment became A Company of the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade. But the site also houses a self-contained community, accessible only to those with security clearance. 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. You may want to consider leaving very large pieces of furniture behind; e.g. Furnishings Management The site contains an extensive satellite ground station and is a communications intercept and missile warning site. Its huge and heavily protected acreage sits on rolling moorland in rural North Yorkshire outside the town of Harrogate. Richard Kolko, a spokesperson for the DNI, said in a statement: The men and women serving the intelligence community safeguard U.S. national security by collecting information, conducting analysis, and providing intelligence for informed decision making under a strict set of laws, policies and guidelines. Its primary mission is to provide intelligence support for UK, US and allied interests." Store Email: RAFMenwithHill.commissary@deca.mil. The base went through a series of updates in order to fulfill its new mission. Travel within United Kingdom is: Unrestricted . But Menwith Hill is focused on a different kind of surveillance: eavesdropping on communications as they are being transmitted through the air. Find the travel option that best suits you. [9], Construction of the station on behalf of the United States Army Security Agency (USASA) began in April 1956. The outpost was built in the 1950s as part of a deal made by the British and American governments to house U.S. personnel and surveillance equipment. 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. 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. Located near Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. There are only 10 RAF personnel at Menwith Hill but there are around 1,000 US military and civilian personnel. The site contains an extensive satellite ground station and is a communications intercept and missile warning site. Read about our approach to external linking. The British War Office has decided to purchase a little under 550 acres. 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. Retrieved 18 April 2020. 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? The site was then one of the earliest to receive sophisticated early IBM computers, with which NSA automated the labour-intensive watch-list scrutiny of intercepted but unenciphered telex messages. It is a switching operation. What should I do to start planning my move to an overseas location? 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. Featured Links Members should use HEAT when preparing to transfer to their new assignment. There are only 10 RAF personnel at Menwith Hill but there are around 1,000 US military and civilian personnel. Over the history, the ECHELON system was the subject of a huge controversy due to its monitoring power. The Housing Office will pass you a list of local letting agents. How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? AHRN.com Currently Deployed Installations. It seems likely that its name is in fact ECHELON." Consider what the world of media would look like without The Intercept. The first is called FORNSAT, which uses powerful antennae contained within the golf ball-like domes to eavesdrop on communications as they are being beamed between foreign satellites. What should I do to start planning my move to an overseas location? Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? 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 listening base plays a role in US and UK intelligence-gathering. 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. [21][22][23][24][25][26], In April 2012 activists affiliated with the global Occupy Movement held a four-day campsite at Menwith Hill. 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. Serving RAF Alconbury, RAF Croughton, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Menwith Hill, RAF Mildenhall and Stavanger, Norway. But the lethal use of the surveillance data does not appear to have been restricted to conventional war zones such as Afghanistan or Iraq. 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. [7] Security at the station was provided by a US Army military police detachment and the British Air Ministry Constabulary. 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. [7], Operationally, Menwith Hill was assigned to the USASA Headquarters in Frankfurt, West Germany, whereas for logistical support it was attached to the US Air Force's Third Air Force, which at the time had its headquarters in the UK. It is located in the central part of the kingdom, in North Yorkshire. 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 military base deals with intelligence and communication services. [16], A detachment of the US Army 704th Military Intelligence (MI) Brigade was established at Menwith Hill in 1985. Sun. Over the last years, the hate towards the Americans reached new limits, as many demonstrators stormed the fence around the military bases. Contact the MHO as soon as you know you are moving. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. [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. RAF MENWITH HILL POSITIONS ONLY Must be over 18 and be able to read, write and speak English fluently and must meet qualification standards. 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. Security improvements are needed at a major communications and intelligence base in North Yorkshire. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? 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. 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". AHRN.com Currently Deployed Installations. And for the last 16 years, its members have held a small demonstration every Tuesday outside the bases main entrance, greeting NSA employees with flags and colorful homemade banners bearing slogans critical of U.S. foreign policy and drone strikes. They were also concerned that interception of commercial communications could be used for "competitive intelligence-gathering rather than combating corruption. Those times saw the first truly advanced computers as well. The narrow roads are quiet and winding, surrounded by rolling green fields and few visible signs of life beyond the occasional herd of sheep. The modern Menwith Hill is a very different place. 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. TLA is an entitlement to partially . Royal Air Force (RAF) Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, England. Find the travel option that best suits you. Though the base is officially called RAF Menwith Hill, most of the staff there are US employees of the NSA. The military base deals with intelligence and communication services. The NSAs British Base at the Heart of U.S. 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. Now, however, top-secret documents obtained by The Intercept offer an unprecedented glimpse behind Menwith Hills razor wire fence. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. Installations are accessible through the HEAT tool across CONUS and most OCONUS installations. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has applied for an extensive overhaul of the entrance to RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate. [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. Housing Early Assistance Tool (HEAT)creates an easy on-line experience to connect you, the Service Member, with your future destination and offers an on-line venue to obtain housing assistance prior to a PCS transfer. The files reveal for the first time how the NSA has used the British base to aid a significant number of capture-kill operations across the Middle East and North Africa, fueled by powerful eavesdropping technology that can harvest data frommore than 300 million emails and phone calls a day. Although nominally an RAF. The technology was cheaper than satellites and could transmit data across the world much faster than ever before, at almost the speed of light. Yet the British government has steadfastly refused to comment, citing a longstanding policy not to discuss matters related to national security. ", 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-. 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. The selection includes modern properties on housing estates, in apartment blocks or old cottages and conversions of older buildings like barns. The 70s saw a new round of updates. 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. DSN: 262-7759/7758. [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. RAF Menwith Hill Air Force Housing Welcome to RAF Menwith Hill Housing The Military Housing Office (MHO) is ready to support you in the transition to your new home and community. [9], Menwith Hill came to public attention in 1980 when British magazine the New Statesman published an article which suggested that the station was the world's largest phone tapping facility and highlighted the secrecy afforded to it by the British and US governments. The total number of people working there is due to increase from 1,800 last year (of . Although the American influence in the area was always pretty important, the natives have never agreed with such bases on their territories. But his efforts have been repeatedly stonewalled, with British government officials refusing to provide any details on the grounds of national security. The second is called OVERHEAD, which uses U.S. government satellites orbiting above targeted countries to locate and monitor wireless communications on the ground below such as cellphone calls and even WiFi traffic. 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. 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. Menwith Hill See Stores Near You. The terminal was swiftly located, and within an hour an MQ-9 Reaper drone was dispatched to the area, presumably to launch an airstrike. I dont buy this idea that you say the word security and nobody can know anything. C-3566-02 . The site is a field station of the US National Security Agency (NSA), with personnel from other parts of the DOD also present. [25], The 451st Intelligence Squadron, was inactivated on 24 June 2015. Read about our approach to external linking. The NSA referred a request for comment to the Director of National Intelligences office. ", "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. Housing in the Local Community Royal Air Force (RAF) Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, England. For information about the housing allowances that financially support your move, see Referral and Relocation Assistance.
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