[MilCom] OPSEC & Hobby Monitoring

[Ken]

Here's my opinion (for whatever 20+ years of milcom monitoring is worth).

There's really four types of milcom transmissions that are normally 
monitored & each has an OPSEC implication:

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL  ---  This is pretty much public domain information (at 
least VHF ATC freqs) (UHF also now for the present time) and since most 
Towers/Ground Controls, Approach/Departure Controls, ARTCC's also simulcast 
UHF transmissions on VHF, so it is possible if close enough to the base 
transmitter to still have an idea what is going on in the airspace of 
interest.   What's very significant is that when AIR FORCE ONE is 
landing/taking off they use the normal VHF aero freqs rather than UHF (which 
could be a discreet freq not simucasted).   Surely there's always the 
potential that a terrorist could monitor & be aware of aircraft  taking off 
or approaching for landing.   The military has the capability to encrypted 
ATC freqs if necessary so this could thwart any monitoring for offensive 
action.  There's also defensive systems on military aircraft.  Furthermore, 
there's certain operational methods that can be employed to somewhat limit 
the exposure envelope when landing/taking off.   Most milcom hobbyists 
monitor these frequencies on a regular basis since high flying aircraft can 
be heard for 200+ miles & many report their loggings to this list.

COMMAND POST/BASE OPS/GLOBAL HF PHONE PATCHES---  This also is pretty much 
in the public domain (at least at this time).  Frankly inbound OPSEC 
ignoring reporting methods have never changed for many years.  Aircraft will 
normally report about 30 minutes out with information concerning: 
passengers,cargo, hazmat cargo, fuel required, maintenance writeups, etc. 
sometimes reporting is done of HF SSB via phone patch evern 2 to 3 hours 
out.   IMHO TOO MUCH information is given.  When an aircraft departs a base, 
the pax count, type caro, etc. custom/ag inspection requirements are already 
known, so why not just email the info to the inbound base??  Granted 
maintenance & refueling requirements would be about the only variable 
information.   Again the military does has the capability to encrypt these 
transmissions if necessary & some command posts do encrypted at times.  Most 
milcom hobbyists monitor these frequencies on a regular basis & again these 
freqs can be monitored over long distances.  There's many postings of this 
information to this list.

AIR/AIR TACTICAL ---  This information is normally not published in the 
public domain.  HOWEVER, sometimes at airshows comm cards are left exposed 
and just one or two pictures with a digital camera & it becomes public 
domain information.  Additionally, some "hard core" monitors are very 
successful in ferreting out these frequencies & posting the information to 
this (and/or other) lists as well as websites.  Also Grove Enterprise's 
"Monitoring The Military 2nd Edition" has many air/air tacs ID'd)    Many 
milcom hobbyists monitor these freqs, the major obstacle is having the 
capability to monitor AM mode in the 138-150.8 mhz band BUT there's also 
plenty of air/air on aero UHF as well as low band NFM that can be monitored.

INTRA BASE NON TACTICAL SUPPORT RADIO SYSTEMS NETS  --  This is NOT public 
domain information, and official radio system frequency documents will at 
least carry "OFFICIAL USE ONLY" designation & a large consolidated frequency 
list is most likely classified "CONFIDENTIAL or SECRET" -- NO ONE in the 
military is going to give this to the hobbyists.  HOWEVER, there really 
isn't any "hidden" base support frequencies, and searching the various 
fed/mil bands will usually disclose many of the freqs in use in a very short 
time.  Again there's various lists, website and publications (notably Grove 
Enterprise's "Monitoring The Military, 2nd Edition" & "Monitoring Times" 
magazine "milcom column), that discloses this information.    This is by far 
the most problematic in the entire OPSEC program.   If a hobbyist is close 
enough to a military base and monitors all NFM/P25/Trunking System, there 
ALWAYS going to be significant information being passed about current 
operations.  In Bamford's book "The Puzzle Palace" much of the B52 Arc Light 
bombing raids were compromised by the enemy monitoring the base support 
radio system and obtaining knowledge about when a mission launch was 
scheduled.  Surely IMHO THIS IS AN AREA THAT WARRANTS CURENT OPS REPORTING 
RESTRAINT BY HOBBYISTS.  Actually on this list (milcom) there's very little 
posting of information regarding the base support radio systems or current 
problems (e.g.  perimeter security camera problem(s)).  Additionally, at 
least the security & command nets are very much aware of hobbyists 
monitoring & will usually use a hardwire alert line and/or digital cellular 
to pass what they deem as "sensitive" information.  Now there's some folks 
that are going to say well talking about the monitoring of these systems 
will result in encryption of these nets.   Well historically (Titan missile 
accident in AR) & in current planning, one can expect that at the very least 
security & fire nets will eventually be encrypted US wide.   Furthermore, 
the military does have the capability to encrypt ALL support radio nets.  I 
would hope that in Iraq & Afghanistan that this would be the normal 
practice.

So I guess the entire discussion points above boils down to this "IF THE 
MILITARY DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MONITOR THEIR TRANSMISSIONS, YOU WON'T!!!  & 
IMHO hobbyists should use restraint in immediately posting/reporting 
"current operational problems" monitored on the various military bases' 
intra base radio systems.

Ken
Springfield MA Monitoring Area