Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–5, Part 1, Documents on Sub-Saharan Africa, 1969–1972

276. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Packard) to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler), The Secretaries of the Military Departments, and the Director of the Defense Communications Agency¹ ²

Washington, July 17, 1969

SUBJECT:

• Study Group Report—Kagnew Station

The Study Group Report on Kagnew Station, forwarded by JCSM 122–69, dated 5 March 1969, has been reviewed.

The paramount objective of consolidating communications at Kagnew Station, Asmara, is to achieve the maximum reduction of our presence at Kagnew and the amount of real estate required for communications without sacrificing operational effectiveness.

It is noted that the consolidation recommendations set forth in the Study are predicated upon the retention at Kagnew of the U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command Facility to handle DCS communications and the Naval Communication Station for Naval broadcast and ship/shore communications. This dual Service operation is not consistent with the consolidation objective stated above. In view of the fact that the Navy has sufficient unique tactical requirements to require their continued communications operations at Asmara and the Army has no communications requirements other than the DCS, I consider that our objective can best be realized by the assumption by Navy of the DCS responsibility and the phase-out of the Army Strategic Communications Command Facility.

Through this single Service communications responsibility, it is estimated that we will be able to return to the Government of Ethiopia an additional 90 acres of land and reduce our presence by at least an additional 85 manpower spaces over that which would appear to be possible through the dual Service collocated operation recommended in the Study.

Relative to the consolidation of facilities, I concur in that portion of the Study which recommends deactivation of those high frequency (HF) trunks no longer justifiable, the replacement of HF trunks by satellite communications to the maximum extent feasible and the consolidation of all remaining HF transmitting facilities at the present Navy transmitter site and HF receiving facilities at the receiver site presently being operated by the Army Strategic Communications Command Facility.

As an initial measure, it is requested that the Defense Communications Agency review all the Asmara HF trunks, and on a continuing basis de-activate those no longer required in order that the minimum number of HF trunks will have to be accommodated at the consolidated sites. In this regard, it was noted by an on-site survey that the DCS satellite trunk from Asmara to Landstuhl, Germany, recently upgraded from five to eleven channels, is operating at sub-standard effectiveness due in large part to the lack of a reliable power source meeting DCA requirements. Raising the efficiency of the satellite trunk to Landstuhl will alleviate HF circuitry by enabling deactivating or placing in a standby status the present HF trunk to Landstuhl. Accordingly, it is requested that the Army accomplish during FY 1970 their improvement project for the provision of permanent primary power to the Strategic Communications Command Facilityʼs satellite communications site by a cable from the adjacent Navy transmitter site. This minor installation improvement meets the requirements set forth in Deputy Secretary of Defense memorandum of 6 September 1968.

To accomplish our overall communications objective at Kagnew Station, Asmara, it is requested that the Navy, in coordination with the DCA, the Army and the State Department (relative to DTS facilities), develop an engineering plan for the consolidation of communications functions and facilities based on the following guidelines:

a. The Naval Communication Station, Asmara to assume responsibility for the DCS function with the subsequent phase-out of the Army Strategic Communications Command Facility.

b. All HF radio transmitting functions be consolidated at the Navy transmitter site; all HF radio receiving functions be consolidated at the present Army receiver site.

c. Consolidation to be based on the maximum feasible use of satellite circuitry and retention of only those HF trunks absolutely required.

d. Relocation/reconfiguration of sites to be held to a minimum.

e. Navy manpower space increases occasioned by assumption of the DCS function to be held to absolute minimum.

f. Maximum use to be made of transportable facilities.

g. Provision be made for the orderly transition of DCS responsibility, with Navy programming for one-time costs in FY 72 and assuming complete operation and maintenance responsibility for communications by the last quarter of FY 72.

h. Reduction of acreage required for communications use, operating costs and manpower savings which would be realized are to be identified.

It is further requested that the consolidation plan be forwarded to OSD for review within ninety days.

The recommendation of the Study that the Joint Chiefs of Staff be assigned the responsibility for the annual review of the telecommunications portion of the Contingency Relocation Plans for the Kagnew Station Complex is approved.

David Packer

Tab A

Memorandum From the the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Installations and Logistics (Shillito) to the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Packard)

By a Deputy Secretary of Defense memorandum of 6 September 1968 (higher classification), the Joint Chiefs of Staff were requested to prepare a study toward consolidating communications functions at Kagnew Station, Asmara, Ethiopia in order to reduce our presence at Kagnew and the amount of real estate required for communications. The study was also to address the feasibility of transferring responsibility for Defense Communications System (DCS) facilities to the Navy.

By TAB A, the Joint Chiefs of Staff forwarded the subject Study Group Report on Kagnew. This Study recommends consolidation of communications facilities with all HF transmitters to be consolidated at the Navy transmitter site and all HF receivers to be at the Army Strategic Communications Command Facility (USASTRATCOMFAC) receiver site. The Study, however, recommends that both Services continue their communications operation, but on a collocated basis. No supporting rationale for this dual Service operation is offered.

The consolidation of facilities as proposed in the Study is concurred in. All sites were visited in May by the Director for Telecommunications Policy, OASD(I&L), and a member of his staff. However, this visit showed clearly that there is no justification for the continuation of USASTRATCOMFACʼs operation. Their DCS function, which is their sole responsibility, can be absorbed by the Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMMSTA) in addition to its tactical commitments at a significant savings in costs, personnel and acreage required. Expected reductions in acreage and personnel are contrasted as follows:

Dual Service (Collocated) Single Service (Navy)

(a) Reduction in Acreage

Exclusive use—28 acres 69 acres

Nonexclusive use—952 acres 1001 acres

Total—980 acres 1070 acres

(b) Reduction in Manpower Spaces—75 160

As shown, the Single Service operation is expected to result in a savings of an additional 90 acres and 85 manpower spaces.

The attached proposed memorandum is forwarded for your approval. It accomplishes the following:

a. Advises that the consolidation of communications sites is concurred in as recommended, but that Dual Service operation is not approved.

b. Tasks the DCA to deactivate as many Asmara HF trunks as feasible.

c. Tasks the Army to accomplish a power improvement program in FY 70 for provision of reliable power to its satellite terminal. Estimated cost is $150,000. This should enable replacement of one HF trunk by satellite circuitry and, in addition, provide an estimated $125,000 savings in O&M annually.

d. Tasks the Navy to prepare, within 90 days, in coordination with DCA, Army and State Department, an engineering plan for single Service consolidation of communications at Kagnew with maximum emphasis on satellite communications. Navyʼs assumption of complete O&M responsibility is set at FY 72 to coincide with the installation of Phase II DSCS satellite terminals.

e. Approves the recommendation that the JCS be assigned responsibility for the annual review of the telecommunications portion of the Contingency Relocation Plans for the Kagnew Station Complex. These contingency plans were prepared within OSD at the request of the State Department in 1968.

It is recommended that you sign the attached memorandum. It has been coordinated with the Principal Deputies of OASD(A), OASD(SA), OASD(C), and OASD(ISA).

Barry J. Shillito

1. Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files:FRC 330–75–089, Ethiopia 1969. Secret; Special Handling Required; Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals.
2. Packard reviewed the Study Group Report on Kagnew Station, which recommended that the Navy assume responsibility for all communications and the Army phase out by the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 72. In a memorandum at Tab A, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Installations and Logistics reported that this would reduce manpower by 160 positions out of 1,800 and permit return of 1,070 acres to the Ethiopian government from a total of 3,400 acres.