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(S//SI) The End of Germany's Prime Satellite-Telemetry Collection
Site
FROM: (S//SI)
SUSLAG (Special US Liaison Activity Germany)
Run Date: 03/02/2006
(S//SI) A German collection operation ceases operations.
(S//SI) Since 1976, Germany's Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND -- the Federal Intelligence
Service) has been a key partner in NSA's worldwide satellite telemetry collection and analysis
efforts. NSA has relied on the German PACKHOUSE site for important collection against Russian,
Chinese, and Indian satellite telemetry.
(S//SI) In the late 1990s, it was mutually decided not to upgrade the site with new modern
equipment, but given the continued usefulness of the collection, to keep the site working as long
as the relatively old computers and antennas could manage.
(S//SI) In early 2005, the BND informed us that
the last telemetry analyst at site,
would be retiring at the end of the year, and that operations would cease at that time. As it
turns out, equipment failure in the September time frame caused operations to cease a few
months earlier than anticipated. Overall, the Office of Weapons and Space (S2J) has stated to
site personnel that: "Their dedication to mission and hard work allowed us to gain valuable
intelligence on the capabilities and operational status of many target satellites. We are truly
grateful for their service." In its heyday, information from PACKHOUSE helped shape US
strategic planning against the Soviet target, providing key information on the capabilities of
Soviet satellites.
(S//SI) On 30 November,
Chief SUSLAG, and two SUSLAG staff members,
and
, were invited to the BND collection site in southwest Germany for briefings
and a farewell dinner for their retiring analyst,
. During site briefings and at the
dinner, there were toasts of farewell to an era of cooperation on the satellite telemetry target
and discussions on continuing the US/German cooperation in new areas.
(S//SI) There was obviously great pride as the BND analyst recapped his years of dedication and
hard work, even showing some 1980s era satellite telemetry channel breakouts from some longgone Soviet satellites. He was rightfully proud of his life's work and as we discussed the
importance of satellite reconnaissance and anti-satellite targets in the 1970s and 1980s, one
could see the fulfillment and pride in his eyes.
(U//FOUO) This article is reprinted from the Foreign Affairs Digest , January edition.
"(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