The Cold War lasted forty plus years, a time of tensions between two super-powers with the capacity to destroy each other and the world. If war is hell, the Cold War was purgatory. Not peace, not war, something in-between. The best of times, the worst of times.
Proxy wars were fought on many fronts. One front was invisible, a secret war. Reliable and timely gathering of electronic intelligence (ELINT) was vital, a first line of defense. The Secret Cold War series reveals the silent conflict waged in the shadows: The Signals Intelligence War.
The National Security Agency (NSA), an intelligence agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, is responsible for monitoring, collection, and processing of signals intelligence (SIGINT) for the United States.
The United States Army Security Agency (ASA) was the United States Army's signals intelligence branch. Established in 1930 as the Signal Intelligence Service, it was renamed the Signal Security Service in 1943, and reorganized as the Army Security Agency (ASA) in 1945. In 1977, the ASA was merged with the US Army's Military Intelligence component to create the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM). The ASA was active in West Germany during the cold war.
Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the security services manned the front line of the Cold War. Assigned to isolated foreign outposts, naval vessels, or flying along the Iron Curtain, they collected signals intelligence and gave an extra layer of early warning. All too many died by accident or enemy action. The National Vigilance Park, at Ft. Meade, Maryland, stands to honor those "silent warriors" who risked, and often lost, their lives performing airborne signals intelligence missions during the Cold War. The National Cryptologic Memorial list the names of 176 Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, and civilian cryptologists who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The first American combat death in Vietnam was a soldier of the Army Security Agency. The Secret Cold War series is dedicated to their memory.
The Secret Cold War Series tells the story of Cold War Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) long hidden behind a curtain of secrecy. ELINT is intelligence derived from collecting, processing, and analyzing radar and guidance control systems.
The Secret Cold War Series follows the adventures of ELINT analyst Ross Brannan and the Raven-One team of the Special Signals Research Project, a joint venture combining NSA analytical capabilities with CIA and military assets. The unit's mission deals with situations where conventional ELINT collection methods are neither effective nor practical.
The Latakia Intercept, the prequel to the series, takes place during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
The Ethiopian Intercept follows the exploits of Ross Brannan in East Africa during the Ogaden War between Somalia and Ethiopia.
The Iranian Intercept ranges from the shadow of Mount Everest to the wilds of revolutionary Iran and Afghanistan.
The Caspian Intercept is a follow-up to the Iranian Intercept that takes place during the Iranian Revolution.
The Sahara Intercept covers the team's adventures in Italy, France, the Sahara, Central Africa, and Israel.
