DCEETA

The Defense Communications Electronics Evaluation and Testing Activity (also known as Area 58, DCEETA, Defense CEETA, and The Mission Ground Site)cite book|last=Richelson|first=Jeffrey|title=The U.S. Intelligence Community: Fourth Edition|year=1999|month= |publisher=Westview Press|location=Boulder, Colorado|isbn=0813368936|pages=171|chapter=7|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=BaeJNdRySPoC&pg=PA171&dq=Defense+Communications+Electronics+Evaluation+and+Testing+Activity&as_brr=3&sig=ACfU3U38z1hzpxXozn4RXTrNWTLSgKOYvQ#PPA171,M1] is a U.S Military installation located in the in the Northeast of Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Located in a large, two-story, concrete building behind a sign labeled "Defense CEETA", intense secrecy protects most of the installation operations. It's at Area 58 where NRO and its sister organization, NGA, manage the daily operations of the imagery network. The visible portion of the facility resembles Menwith Hill Royal Air Force station in Yorkshire, England.

Location

"The first SDS satellites were placed into highly elliptical "Molniya" orbits to send images from KH-11 electro-optical reconnaissance satellites back to the DCEETA/Area 58 ground station at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia (coord|38|44|10|N|-77|9|30|E|display=inline,title). It is possible that some later SDS satellites were placed in geosynchronous orbits and may serve as relays for other NRO satellites, such as Lacrosse." [cite web|title=Encyclopedia > Quasar (satellite)|accessdate=2008-10-07|year=2005|work=NationMaster|url=http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Quasar-(satellite)]

Geography

Defense CEETA has a separate entrance from the main base, accessable from Telegraph Road near its intersection with Beulah Road. The site is wooded, and screened on three sides by hills. [cite web|title=8201 Beulah Road, Alexandria, VA|accessdate=2008-10-07|year=2008|work=Google Maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?q=8201+Beulah+Road+Alexandria,+22060&ie=UTF8&ll=38.744681,-77.166166&spn=0.015934,0.027466&t=p&z=15&output=embed&s=AARTsJoiXeyq-jg_FYPHVftwa_Hm1ge2gA] A satellite view is available showing the large building near two large radomes oriented on a north south axis. [cite web|title=8201 Beulah Road, Alexandria, VA|accessdate=2008-10-07|year=2008|work=Google Maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=8201+Beulah+Road+Alexandria,+22060]

Operations

"For the KH-11 and advanced KH-11 the primary ground station is the Mission Ground Site at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, about 20 miles south of Washington. It is a large, windowless, 2 story concrete building officially know as the Defense Communications Electronics Evaluation and Testing Activity (DCEETA), and also known as Area 58. While the Fort Belvoir was the only downlink for the KH-11 additional sites were added - apparantly in Hawaii and Europe." [cite book|last=Richelson|first=Jeffrey|title=The U.S. Intelligence Community: Fourth Edition|year=1999|publisher=Westview Press|pages=170-171|location=Boulder, Colorado|isbn=0813368936|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=BaeJNdRySPoC&pg=PA171&dq=Defense+Communications+Electronics+Evaluation+and+Testing+Activity&as_brr=3&sig=ACfU3U38z1hzpxXozn4RXTrNWTLSgKOYvQ#PPA171,M1]

"Currently, the N.R.O.'s photo reconnaissance program, code-named Keyhole, consists of three separate satellite systems. The largest and probably most sophisticated is the KH-11, the first of which was launched into orbit on Dec. 19, 1976, after more than five years of development by TRW Inc., the C.I.A. and the N.R.O. Six stories tall, weighing in at 15 tons and equipped with a televisionlike photo- transmission system, the KH-11 is the ultimate in state-of-the-art espionage.

Orbiting the earth every 92 minutes at an altitude of between 170 and 320 miles, the satellite's signals are first transmitted to another satellite. The pictures are then retransmitted down to analysts at the Mission Ground Site, a large, windowless, two- story concrete building at Fort Belvoir, near Washington, with the cover name of Defense Communications Electronics Evaluation and Testing Activity. For the first time, analysts can order up detailed views of target areas virtually instantly. "You can call up the KH-11," says one person familiar with the system, "and when it comes up on its geometry to the target area, you can get a photo and have it back down here, printed out, in an hour, and have it over to the White House." " [Cite journal|last=Bamford|first=James|author-link=James Bamford|publication-date=January 13, 1985|date=January 13, 1985|year=1985|title=America's Supersecret Eyes In Space|periodical=The New York Times|publication-place=New York|publisher=The New York Times|url=http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F30D10F73D5F0C708DDDA80894DD484D81|accessdate =] The installation also receives and analyzes classified satellites' signals to support the Military Intelligence Corps.

First White House Use

On January 21, 1977, Acting Director of the CIA, Mr. E. Henry Knoche met with and delivered reconnaissance satellite photographs to President Carter, that had been downloaded at DCEETA. It was the beginning of real-time imaging. [cite book|last=Burrows|first=William|author-link William E. Burrows|title=Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security|publisher=Random House|location=New York, New York|year=1986|pages=225-227|url=http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Black-Espionage-National-Security/dp/0394541243|isbn=0394541243]

" "Of course," Jimmy Carter said as he turned to Brzezinski, "this will also be of value in our arms control work." The KH-11 had made its White House debut, and on that hopeful note the meeting in the Map Room came to an end." [cite book|last=Burrows|first=William|author-link William E. Burrows|title=Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security|publisher=Random House|location=New York, New York|year=1986|pages=229|url=http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Black-Espionage-National-Security/dp/0394541243|isbn=0394541243]

Y2K

During Y2K, there were some problems downloading there: "Early on Jan. 1, NRO's Defense Communications Electronics Evaluation Testing Activity (DCEETA) at Ft. Belvoir was capable of capturing, on average, no more than 70 percent of the planned coverage by the imagery satellites. DCEETA, known within intelligence circles as Area 58, is a highly secure facility, and defense officials do not discuss operations at the complex. According to the Washington, DC-based Federation of American Scientists, however, Area 58 is responsible for the tasking and primary processing of national imagery acquired through overhead systems, like the Keyhole and Lacrosse satellites. It's at Area 58 where NRO and its sister organization, NIMA, manage the daily operations of the imagery network." [Cite journal|last=Lardner|first=Richard|publication-date=January 13, 2000|title=Technical woes were not disclosed by DOD. Pre-Y2K problems undercut operations of U.S. satellite imagery network|periodical=Inside Washington Publishers|series=|volume=16|issue=2|pages=|url=http://cryptome.org/sat-woes.htm|issn=|accessdate=2008-10-07] This article is a secondary source to the original articles in "DefenseWatch" that elaborated on the press conference of Deputy Sec Def John Hamre; [cite web|title=DoD News Briefing|accessdate=2008-10-07|author=John Hamre|date=January 4, 2000|work=Federation of American Scientists|pages=|url=http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/2000/01/dody2k2.html] one was suppressed in September 2008, [Cite journal|last=|first=|publication-date=|date=|year=|title=suppressed|periodical=insidedefense.com|series=|volume=|issue=|pages=|url=http://www.insidedefense.com/public/award1new.asp|issn=|accessdate=2008-10-07] one was not. [Cite journal|last=Lardner|first=Richard|publication-date=January 13, 2000|title=Technical woes were not disclosed by DOD. Pre-Y2K problems undercut operation of U.S. satellite imagery network|periodical=insidedefense.com|series=|volume=|issue=|pages=|url=http://www.insidedefense.com/public/pent01132000.asp|issn=|accessdate=2008-10-07] . The Federation of American Scientists reference is to a deleted essay about DCEETA by Mr John E. Pike [>cite web|title=Area 58|accessdate=2003-09-11|author=John E. Pike|date=|work=Federation of American Scientists|pages=|url=http://www.fas.org/irp/Area_58.htm] .

"The problem wasn't with the satellite system - they were under positive control at all times," Hamre said. "The problem was on the ground in the processing station." [cite news |first= Jim |last= Garamone|coauthors= |title=Y2K has little effect on military operations |work= American Forces Press Service|page= |date=January 3, 2000 |accessdate=2008-10-07|quote= |url=http://www.governmentexecutive.com/dailyfed/0100/010300t1.htm]

"Aside from the operational issues, the year-end complications with the imagery network generated a good deal of finger pointing. Lt. Gen. James King, the director of National Imagery and Mapping Agency, was reportedly furious over the imagery dissemination problems, which sources say stemmed from an unstable asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch at Ft. Belvoir, VA. The switch is operated by the Defense Information Systems Agency and has created problems in the past. King is demanding that DISA's leadership explain why the switch has not been repaired properly, these sources say." [cite news |first= Jim |last= Garamone|coauthors= |title=Technical woes were not disclosed by DOD. Pre-Y2K problems undercut operation of U.S. satellite imagery network|work= American Forces Press Service|page= |date=January 13, 2000 |accessdate=2008-10-07|quote= |url=http://www.insidedefense.com/public/pent01132000.asp]

"According to sources, DDS [NIMA's Defense Dissemination System] routes imagery through DISA's ATM switch at Ft. Belvoir. From the ATM switch, the intelligence products are loaded into a "pipe," like the Defense Satellite Communication System," through which they are delivered to the various warfighting commands. However, the ATM switch has a record of poor performance, and the Dec. 27 problems produced outages of 12 hours or more for Pacific Command and Central Command, according to an internal Pentagon e-mail message." [cite news |first= Jim |last= Garamone|coauthors= |title=Technical woes were not disclosed by DOD. Pre-Y2K problems undercut operation of U.S. satellite imagery network|work= American Forces Press Service|page= |date=January 13, 2000 |accessdate=2008-10-07|quote= |url=http://www.insidedefense.com/public/pent01132000.asp]

Construction

In 2004, a fuel farm was built there. [cite web|title=DCEETA Fort Belvoir Fueling Facility|accessdate=2008-10-07|author=|last=|first=|coauthors=|date=|year=2004|month=|work=Shirley Contracting Co. website|pages=|url=http://www.shirleycontracting.com/p-dceeta1.htm] In 2004, a 1.5 million gallon water tank was built there. [http://www.shirleycontracting.com/p-dceeta2.htm] Currently, a Remote Delivery Facility is under construction [www.deq.state.va.us/export/sites/default/permitap/documents/VWPGP-Sep2008.xls] . A parking garage is planned: "The project would increase the parking at DCEETA from 200 to 500 vehicles." [http://www.ncpc.gov/UserFiles/File/NCPC%20Commission%20Actions%20and%20EDRs/2007%20NCPC%20Commission%20Actions%20and%20EDRs/October%202007/10.07/10.4.07%20-%206770%20EDR%20(consent)%20Fort%20Belvoir%20West%20Parking%20Garage_.pdf] Maintenance Manuals have been posted online, addressed to: Facility Engineer, DCEETA, Attn: Greg Hopfer. [www.wbdg.org/ccb/ARMYCOE/COETM/tm_5_692_2.pdf] DCEETA has registered as a company on the Cotera website, using the address 8201 Beulah St.Fort Belvoir, VA 22060. [>cite web|title=DCEETA Fort Belvoir Fueling Facility|accessdate=2008-10-09|author=|last=|first=|coauthors=|date=|year=2004|month=|work= website|pages=|url=http://start.cortera.com/company/research/k2l0lro2q/dceetadefense-ceeta/]

U.S. Government Position on Area 58

The NRO has reaffirmed the classification of Area 58: "The term 'Area 58' [may be released] when limited to the context of a very general association with the NRO, intelligence activities, imagery intelligence, or satellite reconnaissance but not revealing any geographic location information." [http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/secrecy/2007/06/060707.html]

"The irony is that the Soviet security and intelligence organization K.G.B. probably knows more about America's spy-satellite operations than all but the few most highly cleared people in the United States. The reason for this is an abominable track record in security on the part of the C.I.A. and the satellite intelligence community as a whole." ["America's Supersecret Eyes In Space", "New York Times", James Bamford, January 13, 1985]

For example, refer to the Russian language journal that discusses the satellite intelligence capability: "In May, June, and December 2000, at the request from the USA, Great Britain, and Australia in accordance with resolution 58 (WRC-2000) of the ITU, entered the demands for the coordination of frequency ranges for the ground receiving stations, of the fixed communication service, provided by satellites on GSO. As for the ground stations proposed to register that are already known to the reader, Menwith Hill, Buckley (both under their own designations), and Pine Gap (under the conditional designation JDFPG, that obviously indicates Joint Defense Facility Pine Gap), and also a certain station under the conditional designation DCEETA in the territory of the USA. It is possible that by the name DCEETA is hidden the secret base NRO (Ft. Belvoir), known in reconnaissance circles as Area 58. On this base, according to data of the Federation of American Scientists, is performed processing of the specific reconnaissance information, obtained from the satellites KH and Lacrosse. The abbreviation DCEETA is deciphered as Defense Communications Electronics Evaluation Testing Activity, and serves as the designation of the subdivision NRO, where is employed the method and information processing from the reconnaissance satellites." [http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/content/numbers/250/17.shtml]

Anthrax Detection

"At 1:50 p.m. Tuesday, [date unknown] , the Fort Belvoir Provost Marshal Office received notification from the Defense Communications-Electronics Evaluation and Testing Activity here of an apparent positive anthrax detection in a temporary mail handling facility within the agency’s compound." [cite web |url=http://www.belvoir.army.mil/news.asp?id=mailroom |title=mailroom |accessdate=2006-06-04 |work= |publisher= |date= ]

References

External References

*Cite journal|last=Bamford|first=James|author-link=James Bamford|publication-date=January 13, 1985|date=January 13, 1985|year=1985|title=America's Supersecret Eyes In Space|periodical=The New York Times|publication-place=New York|publisher=The New York Times|url=http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F30D10F73D5F0C708DDDA80894DD484D81|accessdate =
*cite book|last=Richelson|first=Jeffrey|title=The U.S. Intelligence Community: Fourth Edition|year=1999|month= |publisher=Westview Press|location=Boulder, Colorado|isbn=0813368936|pages=|chapter=|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=BaeJNdRySPoC&pg=PA171&dq=Defense+Communications+Electronics+Evaluation+and+Testing+Activity&as_brr=3&sig=ACfU3U38z1hzpxXozn4RXTrNWTLSgKOYvQ#PPA171,M1
*cite book|last=Burrows|first=William|author-link William E. Burrows|title=Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security|publisher=Random House|location=New York, New York|year=1986|pages=|url=http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Black-Espionage-National-Security/dp/0394541243|isbn=0394541243