A Most Unusual Collection Agency

As NSA outstations were closed or remoted, new and relatively smaller intercept facilities— such as the "gateway" facility in Bahrain, reportedly used for retransmit signals intercepted in Baghdad last year to the U.S.— sprang up around the world. In addition to providing NSA operators with fresh and exotic duty stations, the new stations reflected an enhanced mission for NSA economic intelligence gathering. Scrapping its old Cold War A and B Group SIGINT organization, NSA expanded the functions of its W Group to include SIGINT operations against a multitude of targets. Another unit, M Group, would handle intercepts from new technologies like the Internet.

Many people who follow the exploits of SIGINT and NSA are eager to peruse lists of secret listening posts operated by the agency and its partners around the world. While a master list probably exists somewhere in the impenetrable lair that is the NSA's Fort Meade, Maryland, headquarters, it is assuredly stamped with one of the highest security classifications in the U.S. intelligence community. — W.M. & J.V.

Mark Phares

Related Content

• Benghazi, Immigration, Syria: Rightbloggers Smear NSA (and Obama) on Everything
  June 16, 2013
• Rightbloggers Find NSA Spying on Americans--And This Time They're Against It!
  June 9, 2013
• The Many Sacrifices of Captain Van Thach
  May 8, 2013
• Rightbloggers Not Having a Great "Happy 10th Anniversary Iraq War" Party
  March 24, 2013
• The Guaranteed Way To Win Acting Awards These Days
  January 17, 2013

More About

• United Nations
• National Security Agency
• Baghdad
• Government and Politics
• Espionage and Intelligence

The United States SIGINT System (USSS)

The following list is the best unclassified shot at describing the locations of the ground-based "ears" of the Puzzle Palace. It is culled from press accounts, informed experts, and books written about the NSA and its intelligence partners. It does not include the numerous listening units on naval vessels and aircraft nor those operating from U.S. and foreign embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions.

United States

NSA Headquarters, Fort Meade, Maryland
Buckley Air National Guard Ground Base, Colorado
Fort Gordon, Georgia (RSOC)
Imperial Beach, California
Kunia, Hawaii (RSOC)
Northwest, Virginia
Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico
San Antonio, Texas (RSOC)
Shemya, Alaska ^-3
Sugar Grove, West Virginia
Winter Harbor, Maine
Yakima, Washington

Albania

Durrës ^-6
Shkodër ^-6
Tirana ^-6

Ascension Island

Two Boats ^-1

Australia

Bamaga ^{-6 -7}
Cabarlah ^-7
Canberra (Defense Signals Directorate Headquarters) ^-5
Harman ^-7
Kojarena, Geraldton ^-1
Nurunggar ^-1
Pearce ^-1
Pine Gap, Alice Springs ^-1
Riverina ^-7
Shoal Bay, Darwin ^-1
Watsonia ^-1

Austria

Konigswarte ^-7
Neulengbach ^-7

Bahrain

Al-Muharraq Airport ^-3

Tuzla

Botswana

Mapharangwane Air Base

British Indian Ocean Territory

Diego Garcia ^-1

Brunei

Bandar Seri Begawan ^-7

Canada

Alert ^-7
Gander ^-7
Leitrim ^-1
Masset ^{-6 -7}
Ottawa [Communications Security Establishment (CSE) Headquarters] ^-5

China

Korla ^{-1 -6}
Qitai ^{-1 -6}

Croatia

Brac Island, Croatia ^-6
Zagreb-Lucko Airport ^-7

Cuba

Guantanamo Bay

Cyprus

Ayios Nikolaos ^-1

Denmark

Aflandshage ^-7
Almindingen, Bornholm ^-7
Dueodde, Bornholm ^-7
Gedser ^-7
Hjørring ^-7
Løgumkløster ^-7

Eritrea

Dahlak Island ^-1 (NSA/Israel "8200" site)

Estonia

Tallinn ^-7

Ethiopia

Addis Ababa ^-1

Finland

Santahamina ^-7

French Guiana

Kourou ^-7 (German Federal Intelligence Service station)

Germany

Achern ^-7
Ahrweiler ^-7
Bad Aibling ^-2
Bad Münstereifel ^-7
Braunschweig ^-7
Darmstadt ^-7
Frankfurt ^-7
Hof ^-7
Husum ^-7
Mainz ^-7
Monschau ^-7
Pullach (German Federal Intelligence Service Headquarters) ^-5
Rheinhausen ^-7
Stockdorf ^-7
Strassburg ^-7
Vogelweh, Germany

Gibraltar

Gibraltar ^-7

Greece

Iráklion, Crete

Guam

Finegayan

Hong Kong

British Consulate, Victoria ("The Alamo") ^-7

Iceland

Keflavik ^-3

India

Charbatia ^-7

Israel

Herzliyya (Unit 8200 Headquarters) ^-5
Mitzpah Ramon ^-7
Mount Hermon, Golan Heights ^-7
Mount Meiron, Golan Heights ^-7

Italy

San Vito ^-6
Sorico

Japan

Futenma, Okinawa
Hanza, Okinawa
Higashi Chitose ^-7
Higashi Nemuro ^-7
Kofunato ^-7
Miho ^-7
Misawa
Nemuro ^-7
Ohi ^-7
Rebunto ^-7
Shiraho ^-7
Tachiarai ^-7
Wakkanai

Korea (South)

Kanghwa-do Island ^-7
Osan ^-1
Pyong-dong Island ^-7
P'yongt'aek ^-1
Taegu ^{-1 -2 -6}
Tongduchon ^-1
Uijongbu ^-1
Yongsan ^-1

Kuwait

Kuwait

Latvia

Ventspils ^-7

Lithuania

Vilnius ^-7

Netherlands

Amsterdam (Technical Intelligence Analysis Center (TIVC) Headquarters)^-5
Emnes ^-7
Terschelling ^-7

New Zealand

Tangimoana ^-7
Waihopai ^-1
Wellington (Government Communications Security Bureau Headquarters ^-5

Norway

Borhaug ^-7
Fauske/Vetan ^-7
Jessheim ^-7
Kirkenes ^-1
Randaberg ^-7
Skage/Namdalen ^-7
Vadsø ^-7
Vardø ^-7
Viksjofellet ^-7

Oman

Abut ^-1
Goat Island, Musandam Peninsula ^-3
Khasab, Musandam Peninsula ^-3
Masirah Island ^-3

Pakistan

Parachinar

Panama

Galeta Island ^-3

Papua New Guinea

Port Moresby ^-7

Portugal

Terceira Island, Azores

Rwanda

Kigali

São Tomé and Príncipe

Pinheiro

Saudi Arabia

Araz ^-7
Khafji ^-7

Singapore

Kranji ^-7

Spain

Pico de las Nieves, Grand Canary Island ^-7
Manzanares ^-7
Playa de Pals ^-3
Rota

Solomon Islands

Honiara ^-7

Sri Lanka

Iranawilla

Sweden

Karlskrona ^-7
Lovön (Swedish FRA Headquarters) ^-7
Muskö ^-7

Switzerland

Merishausen ^-7
Rüthi ^-7

Taiwan:

Quemoy ^-7
Matsu ^-7
Shu Lin Kuo ^-5 (German Federal Intelligence Service/NSA/Taiwan J-3 SIGINT service site)

Turkey

Adana
Agri ^-7
Antalya ^-7
Diyarbakir
Edirne ^-7
Istanbul ^-7
Izmir ^-7
Kars
Sinop ^-7

Thailand

Aranyaprathet ^-7
Khon Kaen ^{-1 -3}
Surin ^-7
Trat ^-7

Uganda

Kabale
Galangala Island, Ssese Islands (Lake Victoria)

United Arab Emirates

Az-Zarqa¯ ^-3
Dalma¯ ^-3
Ras al-Khaimah ^-3
Sir Abu Nuayr Island ^-3

United Kingdom:

Belfast (Victoria Square) ^-7
Brora, Scotland ^-7
Cheltenham (Government Communications Headquarters) ^-5
Chicksands ^-7
Culm Head ^-7
Digby ^-7
Hawklaw, Scotland ^-7
Irton Moor ^-7
Menwith Hill, Harrogate ^-1 (RSOC)
Molesworth ^-1
Morwenstow ^-1
Westminster, London ^-7
(Palmer Street)
Yemen
Socotra Island (planned)

KEY:

-1 Joint facility operated with a SIGINT partner.

-2 Joint facility partially operated with a SIGINT partner.

-3 Contractor-operated facility.

-4 Remoted facility.

-5 NSA liaison is present.

-6 Joint NSA-CIA site.

-7 Foreign-operated "accommodation site" that provides occasional SIGINT product to the USSS.