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(S//SI) Collection Survey Closes Intelligence Gaps in Pakistan
FROM: Data Acquisition (S3)
Unknown
Run Date: 06/15/2006
(TS//SI) MUSKETEER LECTER was a joint survey carried out by CES and Special Collection
Services (SCS) in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan, targeting signals (HF/VHF/UHF) emanating from
Afghanistan and Pakistan. The team's primary mission was to determine whether hearability
from the Lahore/Karachi sites would allow collection to be transferred to them from SCS sites in
Islamabad and Peshawar. The Islamabad/Peshawar sites had experienced a loss of reliable HF
collection, creating intelligence gaps.
(S//SI) The team successfully compared the NM5 (commercially available system) environment
of Lahore and Karachi to those in Islamabad and Peshawar, and found them all similar. Either
site would be an excellent alternative location for sustained collection.
(U//FOUO) US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan.
(S//SI) Survey members were most surprised by the fact that the sites' automated collection
systems were collecting no NM5 phone patching at all. It is currently undetermined whether this
is due to a localized method of transmission such as directional antennas and near-vertical
incidence sky wave, or due to the hit-or-miss nature of the collection systems paired with the
sparse transmissions.
(S//SI) Through manual recognition, the team found the underlying NM5 protocol in this region
had changed from what was originally understood: call signs and phone numbers are being sent
in varied order.
(S//SI) The team provided local support for the sites, as well. This included scanning the
VHF/UHF spectrum for police frequencies during the Lahore marathon, recovering a previously
unknown Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system and pointing out Pakistan Navy
communications and frequencies.
(S//SI) The MUSKETEER LECTER team also verified the extensive use of Third Generation (3G)
Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. The team noted 38
frequencies carrying 3G ALE, some with heavy usage. Follow-on activity indicated that the users
were Pakistani and Chinese. It is expected that more targets will migrate to this technology due
to the many advantages it offers over existing NM1-based radios, such as faster linking time,
better security, and better link quality assessment.
(U) All concerned were very pleased with the results of the survey.
(U//FOUO) US Consulate in Karachi.
"(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
