Work is progressing on Menwith Hill Station’s new operations building

DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U//FOUO) Work is Progressing on Menwith Hill Station's New Operations Building FROM: Menwith Hill Station (F77) Run Date: 01/06/2010 (U//FOUO) As seen in the below photo, quite a lot of steel work has gone up on Project PHOENIX -MHS's new operations building. The 95,000 square foot building1 will be a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility to accommodate the myriad missions on site. Although inconvenienced during building, the MHS workforce recognizes the necessity and benefits of the new structure. (U//FOUO) Since the pilings went in just seven months ago, 90 percent of the steel has already been erected, with the remainder to go up by the end of December. This will provide the skeleton frame for the entire building. (U//FOUO) The new operations building will provide NSA's first Tier III equipment room, meaning that the most critical mission systems will be protected by redundant power and cooling supplies; significantly reducing the risk of mission loss as a result of a power anomaly. In addition, the new operations building will bring to site a 200-seat auditorium with state of the art audio-visual systems capable of supporting the many conferences that are hosted at site each year. Everyone in Operations will benefit from MHS's Education and Training Division new spaces -- 10 new classrooms fitted-up with the latest in teaching-aid technology. (U//FOUO) Many construction milestones have been met to make the facilities listed above a reality. The underground service tunnel was completed in October, which allowed for follow-on works; the plant room slab and mezzanine and roof sheeting are finished. During the last few months, 740 tons of steel and 4,200 cubic meters of concrete were delivered to site, with over 6,000 vehicle movements passing the construction gate. In mid-December, siding was completed on the east elevation and concrete poured for the last 2-story communications closet tower. (U//FOUO) During December 2009 and January 2010, contractors will be continuing concrete and steel works, installing exterior siding, installing prefab chilled water piping modules in the service tunnel and plant room, weatherproofing and breaking through the current roofs of the Bldg. 45 lift (elevator) and stair shafts. While the steel work phase continues, contractors have already started the next major phase of construction: mechanical and electrical installations. In the next couple of months, contractors will begin installing transformers, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems, as well as major plant work. This phase will continue well into the next year. (U//FOUO) While final dates are still being developed, site expects the building works to be completed in early March 2011. Once construction is complete, the fit-up phase (another major, $40M project) will begin. Staff should start to move into the building in mid-2012. (U) We continue to update the Phoenix web page with construction progress photos, fit-up information and associated projects.

(U//FOUO) INterior framing of new operations building (U//FOUO) Workers have already constructed approximately 50% of the interior block walls in the plant room of MHS's new operations building. (U//FOUO) POC: ). (U) Notes: 1. (U//FOUO) Approximately 37,000 square feet is plant room space, with 58,000 square feet for operational use. (U//FOUO) This article is republished from MHS's HORIZON newsletter, December 2009 edition.