Womenwith Hill Women's Peace Camp[aign]
Against Menwith Hill US NSA Star Wars/Spy Base,
Harrogate
HG3 2FE

28th December 2001

Re: Planning Application 6.99.139 CROWND: on behalf of USA National Security Agency at Menwith Hill. Ground Terminal 7 [GT7]: 'golf-ball' radome downlink from Communications' Intelligence [COMINT] spy satellite.

We must confess ourselves somewhat mystified as to the purpose of the planned new 'golf-ball'.

Menwith Hill was developed in the latter half of the C20th as part of a global network of COMINT stations, to intercept telecomunications transmitted by microwave. The latest developments in wavelength division multiplexing [WDM] fibre optic channels mean that Menwith Hill's technology is antique and rapidly becoming obsolescent. Microwave transmissions will continue to be used only in remote areas where it is not feasible to install cables. As many of the commercial communications' satellites are being sold to the TV industry, Menwith Hill could become the largest TV receiving station in the world and lose its status as the biggest spy base in the world. It could put more pornography on the Internet, or it could continue to monitor mobile phone calls: "Hi Honey, I'm on the train..."

We are not aware of any planned COMINT satellite launches. The next generation of NSA spy satellites, a constellationcalled Integrated Overhead Signals Intelligence Architecture-2 [IOSA-2] has experienced repeated delays resulting from the revolution in telecommunications' technology. A SIGINT 'bird' planned for 2004, the date given for the completion of the 'golf-ball' GT7, could be obsolete before it is launched.

Every ground terminal antenna has its associated Operations' building in which are installed the receivers and initial processing computers - the filters. GT7 has been advertised without its Ops Block, thus the plans are incomplete. Nowadays the average lap-top is more powerful than the IBM 'Harvest' compuetr, installed at Menwith Hill in the 60's [and apparently still there] and said to be the biggest in the world, so perhaps GT7 will not require a comparable massive building.

The COMINT systems at Menwith Hill were unable to identify any communications between terrorists and predict the suicide attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. Not only does the NSA have to contend with fibre optic technology, but it also has difficulties decoding strong encryption and is also overwhelmed by the volume of communications.

If GT7 is designed to be a component in the so-called 'War on Terrorism', the people of Harrogate should not have confidence that it will in any way protect the locality from a terrorist attack. It will increase the danger to the public. The US spy base at Menwith Hill is an obvious target. It is impossible to protect it. The Harrogate Borough Council is not mandated to make any decision which could endanger the people it is elected to serve. On public safety grounds we ask you to object to this Planning Application and demand a Public Inquiry.

Yours sincerely,

Anne Lee pp Womenwith Hill Women's Peace Camp[aign]