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(S//SI) COMINT Collection System Installed on Finnish Aircraft
FROM:
(S//SI) Country Desk Officer - Finland (DP11)
Run Date: 07/21/2005
(S//SI) SNOWFLAKE (SN) is an airborne COMINT collection system featuring a HYPERWIDE
frequency hopper. The SN system is an accommodation buy by the NSA Foreign Affairs
Directorate and Radio Frequency Office (S331). The Finns contracted to purchase this system in
2002 for installation on an existing Finnish airframe, a Finnish Air Force Fokker F-27 SIGINT
aircraft. The initial installation team arrived on site March 2, 2005, and worked continuously
from that date until April 8, 2005.
(S//SI) The team alternately performed DF calibration of the aircraft platform between the
Northrop Grumman system and the British Aerospace Engineering (BAE) system. This calibration
was then followed by verification of the DF by using actual target radios. Twenty-three aircraft
flights were required in order to complete a Full Operational Acceptance Testing.
(S//SI) The SNOWFLAKE system was designated to operate from 20 MHz to 3 GHz. It
successfully operated at a frequency range of 20 MHz to 500 MHz during the site acceptance
test, achieving DF measures and hearability results within the projected ranges. It did not,
however, achieve the desired operational success from 500 MHz to 3 GHz. Finnish Intelligence
Research Establishment (FIRE) will send equipment back to Northrop Grumman in early fall for
correction.
(S//SI) On April 6, 2005, FAD representatives
(CDO Finland),
(Technical Liaison Manager Finland),
(CI Staff Officer), along with
(RFO), and senior representatives from Northrop Grumman and BAE attended the ribbon cutting
for Final Site Acceptance Test for Project SNOWFLAKE at FIRE. The highlight of their visit was to
experience an operational test flight aboard the Finnish aircraft. The flight took approximately 11/2 hours and flew within twelve miles of the Russian Border near Lake Ladoga. The Finns then
hosted a celebratory dinner with NSA, Northrop Grumman, and BAE personnel.
(S//SI) From left:
RFO;
, DP3;
Q22/FAD;
,
Northrop Grumman;
, DP11;
SETA contractor in RFO, shown
prior to their ride in the Finnish Air Force SIGINT aircraft
(S//SI) Finnish Air Force Fokker-27 SIGINT Aircraft
(U//FOUO) This article is reprinted from the Foreign Affairs Digest, June edition. It was originally
titled "SNOWFLAKE and the Finns."
"(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