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(S//SI) Team Re-establishes Crucial Collection in Iraq
FROM:
Unknown
Run Date: 01/24/2005
and Chris Green (F6)
Collection of GSM links regained just prior to start of military operations in Fallujah (TS//SI)
(TS//SI) The volume of collection normally seen on GSM links from Fallujah and Northern
Baghdad took a dramatic drop in late October due to changes in the cellular network. With the
impending Operation Phantom Fury (the US military's efforts against Fallujah) the lack of
collection from these links was a severe gap in intelligence for the forces on the ground. Action
had to be quick and decisive.
(TS//SI) In response to this loss, a multi-organizational team was formed consisting of
personnel from SCS, CIA, and Office of Target Reconnaissance and Survey (OTRS)/MUSKETEER
with the requirement to locate, identify, and exploit the lost GSM infrastructure links. A QRC
microwave survey and collection system was deployed to Camp Victory (Baghdad) to reacquire
the lost links, and determine a suitable position to relay the links of interest to the SCS Annex
(Koala House) for processing and dissemination. Within a two-week period, the team
successfully surveyed, relayed, and restored collection of the lost GSM links.
(S//SI) The team staged, tested, and successfully deployed
with
equipment for
collection within seven days of notification.
(S//SI) From 28 Oct - 19 Nov, the team surveyed a number of positions
.
The primary area of focus was along the northern perimeter wall, the closest proximity to
links for Fallujah. The
team quickly identified all signals
and determined
potential
access
for
collection.
(TS//SI)
Because Operation
Phantom Fury was looming on the horizon, a temporary collection strategy to collect and process
the
link was employed
(annotated "PANDA" on the graphic). A relay path to Koala House,
, was quickly identified and established. This enabled
collected Fallujah GSM communications to be relayed
for transcription and
reporting.
(TS//SI) With the temporary solution in place and Phantom Fury in full swing, the team set
about constructing the collection and relay point for the entire MSC link. However, the team
found that unforeseen atmospherics caused significant signal degradation making it impossible
to collect the desired MSC links from one location. Thus a new location (annotated "GRIZZLY" on
the graphic) was found for part of the collection. The collection from GRIZZLY coupled with the
collection from PANDA covered the majority of the MSC links. The exceptional crossorganizational teaming allowed SIGINT to be a major contributor to Operation Phantom Fury.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108