Uncovering Cold War Soviet secrets with the USAF and NSA (310)

Sep 22, 2023

Tim, a former USAF and NSA officer, talks about his experiences during the Cold War. He discusses topics such as electronic warfare, surveillance efforts, Chernobyl reactor explosion, Solidarity legalization in Poland, unchanged tactics of the Russians, flight patterns, Cold War liaison with British intelligence, and reflections on the Soviet Union.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

Electronic Warfare and Intercepted Communications

03:06 • 10min

Cold War Surveillance and Collection Capabilities

12:47 • 2min

Data Gathering at Kelly Air Force Base During the Cold War

14:49 • 9min

Solidarity Legalization and Soviet Actions

24:06 • 24min

Recording Cold War Accounts and Incidents

48:15 • 2min

Unchanged Tactics and a Funny Incident at SAC

50:12 • 29min

Flight Patterns and Relocation

01:18:58 • 3min

Cold War Liaison and Operational Control

01:22:07 • 12min

Reflections on the Soviet Union and an Amusing Anecdote

01:33:38 • 5min

Tim served in the USAF and the NSA from 1975 to 1988 during some of the most tense periods of the Cold War.

This included stints at the US Air Force Electronic Warfare Center at Kelly AFB, Texas, and RAF Chicksands, in the UK working on SIGINT collection of USSR/Warsaw Pact/Other targets.

He also served as part of the Cryptologic Support Group, Strategic Air Command HQ, Offutt AFB, Nebraska providing SIGINT briefings to SAC leadership on worldwide events

In 1983 he transferred to the NSA and later GCHQ, Cheltenham, Glos 1984-1988.

We hear about how the first indications that something was amiss the morning Chernobyl reactor exploded in 1986, the day the cleaners answered the secure phone at SAC HQ, and how at GCHQ the US and British intelligence share information as part of the UKUSA Agreement.

0:00 Introduction and Tim's background in the US Air Force

5:12 Understanding electronic warfare and data gathering at Kelly Air Force Base

16:58 Posting at RAF Chicksands in Bedford, UK, and monitoring for changes in regular patterns

25:52 The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian hostage crisis

36:19 Able Archer alerts and other instances of signals intelligence at Strategic Air Command, Nebraska

44:16 Incident of the KAL007 Korean airliner and US Navy exercise incidents

57:08 Misinterpretation during a briefing on a recon flight of TU-95 bear bombers and gathering intel on the Soviet Union

1:01:18 Constant pressure to provide intel on Soviet leadership and missile alerts during Soviet drills

1:05:34 Transition from Air Force to NSA and role at the NSA

1:14:08 Tracking Chinese air defense and transition to GCHQ

1:22:08 U.S. stance during the Falkland conflict and witnessing the Chernobyl reactor explosion

1:30:59 Anecdote about NSA bureaucracy and language proficiency test

1:34:21 Closing and thanks to supporters

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Thanks to listener Phil Curme for introducing me to Tim. You can read his blog here walkingthebattlefields.com

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