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Crypto linguist air force9/22/2023 ![]() ![]() Airborne units flew from bases around the world, skirting sensitive areas and collecting data in a variety of aircraft, including C-47s, RB-47s C-130s, EC-121s, and RC-135s. Ground-based units were scattered throughout the globe and collected information from fixed sites with large antenna arrays, such as the AN/FLR-9. The USAFSS had two major areas of operations: ground-based and airborne. The first AN/FLR-9 antenna system, often called "the elephant cage", became operational March, 65, at Misawa AB. In 1962, the first significant intelligence data on Soviet Union involvement in Cuba was provided by the USAFSS. air victory in the Korean War to that date was facilitated by tactical data from a USAFSS detachment, leading to a US air victory when F-86s from Inchon shot down 11 enemy planes. Members of the USAFSS included morse intercept operators, voice intercept and linguists, non-morse intercept operators, direction finding (DF) equipment operators, and analysts. It grew to an authorized strength of 17,143 airmen, officers, and civilians by the end of the Korean war, with more than 28,000 personnel at its peak. The USAFSS began with a staff of 34 officers, 6 enlisted personnel, and 116 civilians. USAFSS intelligence was often analyzed in the field, and the results transmitted to the National Security Agency for further analysis and distribution to other intelligence recipients. ![]() The Soviet Union and their satellite Eastern bloc countries were a primary focus. The USAFSS was tasked with monitoring, collecting and interpreting military voice and electronic signals from countries of interest. Radomes in the front of the "elephant cage" still exist. Some of the many world events in which USAFSS processed and reported special intelligence information include the Korean War, Middle Eastern conflicts, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War, as well as College Eye and COMBAT APPLE History AN/FLR-9 antenna system at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, Japan (photo taken in 1990s). The USAFSS motto, adopted Jul 27, 1963, was "Freedom Through Vigilance". USAFSS was tasked to carry out a cryptologic mission and to provide communications security for the newly-established Air Force. The USAFSS was a secretive branch of the Air Force tasked with monitoring, collecting and interpreting military voice and electronic signals of countries of interest (primarily Soviet and their satellite Eastern bloc countries). ![]() Initially established as the Air Force (USAF) Security Group in June, 1948, the USAF Security Service (USAFSS) was activated as a major command on (For redesignations, see Successor units.) The globe symbolizes worldwide Influence, the lightning bolt symbolizes communications, the wing symbolizes the Air Force itself, and the sword symbolizes protection and security. ![]() For ground defense and police forces, see United States Air Force Security Forces. This article is about intelligence operations. ![]()
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