Intelligence records of the headquarters of the US Central Command

The files published in the television program ’60 Minutes’ (60 Minutes) revealed the secrets of the headquarters of the US Central Command (USCentcom) located in Tampa (state of Florida – USA), where there are very special types of military equipment used by the commander when he has access to the virtual reality computing environment used by US intelligence services.
Preliminary equipment at USCentcom

USCentcom was established in 1983 and is one of the 11 armed forces’ command posts. USCentcom’s Area of ​​Responsibility (AOR) includes the Middle East, Egypt, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia. The USCentcom headquarters is not in its operational area, but within the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa (Florida), a new and 26,217 square meter building completed in the year. 2012. The new building will include key spaces for specialized tasks such as the Joint Command Operations Center, the General Planning and Operations Division, the Network Operations Center, and the Operations Center. operation safety information command. The new headquarters building also includes a 10,126 square meter (SCIF) Sensitive Zone Information Facility (SCIF), as well as sound transmission layered (STC) 45 and 50 spaces to support safe operations. . Relevant anti-terrorism standards include advanced collapse mitigation by force-bound means, which are also integrated into the new headquarters. Military communications equipment currently in use at USCentcom headquarters can also be seen in the 60 Minutes program, which shows footage taken in two large-scale operations rooms. small and large. In the large operation room there are sizable TV screens hung on the walls and several rows of work stations, each with 2 sets of communication devices, 1 for access to classified telephones, and computer networks, and other sets of equipment for networks that have not been classified. According to the US grading system color codes, the phone and smart card reader will have a green label for the unsorted Systems, and a red label for the Crypto Systems. Major operations / operations center at USCentcom headquarters. photo taken January 2021. Photo source: 60 Minutes. Some computers display a bright red lock screen with the words “Confidential” meaning only applicable for authorized purposes, and that means they are part of SIPRNet: the primary classified secure network of The US military is used for tactical and operational information. The US military’s unsecured unsecured computer network is also known as NIPRNet. Identification of users authorized to mine NIPRNet will be done through a Common Access Card (CAC), which is the standard of identification for active US defense personnel. Accessing the SIPRNET requires a SIPRNet token, which is also a smart tag but does not have a clear identification information. In addition to the NIPRNet and SIPRNet networks, USCentcom also has other separate computer networks for coordination with overseas partners. For members of bilateral and multinational alliances, the US has provided a network architecture called Integrated Enterprise Area Information Interchange Systems (Centrixs), which operates at a decentralized level. Type Confidential / Notified for (national identifier). The first Centrixs networks were established in late 2001 by USCentcom to support coalition activities within the framework of the Campaign for Sustainable Freedom (OEF). This has resulted in a new alliance called Centrixs-Isaf for operations in Afghanistan, and Centrixs-Gctf (Global Counterterrorism Forces). Meanwhile, both systems are integrated in the USCentcom Partner Network (CPN). General McKenzie’s communication device in his command room. Photo source: 60 Minutes. The Centrixs network consists of servers and provides users with at least the applications that will give them the same basic capabilities as US systems users, such as: Microsoft Office; Command and control personal computer (C2PC); Integrated imaging and intelligence (I3). These applications allow access to real-time warfare (NRT) commands from MIDB databases and image databases to display data on a map basis. They can also access other browser-based products, or send emails with attachments and conduct collaborative sessions. For US military users, the system is part of the Global Command and Control System (GCCS), which includes more than 200 tools and applications to combine data from multiple sensors. and intelligence sources intended to create a kind of graphic representation of battle spaces. There is also mention of the telephone systems used at USCentcom. The major operations / operations center at USCentcom headquarters also has a range of Cisco IP phones, the 7975, or more recently, 8841. The Cisco 8841 IP phone generation looks like a commercial phone, but in fact it is a modified version of the small-scale telecom security firm CIS Secure Computing Inc. These modified phones are authorized for use in SCIF (Sensitive Subdivision Information Base) and SAPF (Special Access Program Facilities) environments, and provide security features. plugin that can perform “hold” and “mute” operations while on a phone call. Personal control and command computer interface (C2PC). Communication equipment of the USCentcom commander The reporter met with General Frank McKenzie in a small room outside his main operations center at USCentcom headquarters. In this small room, Commander McKenzie had additional communications equipment that did not appear to be available to personnel at the large operations center. For example, the Cisco DX 70 video monitor with video camera is probably the Secure Video Remote Conferencing System (SVTS) which is part of the Crisis Management System (CMS) to enable the high level video meeting. There is also a Cisco IP 8841 phone with a special yellow border for highly secure operating networks through a secure IP, which is also part of the Crisis Management System (CMS) and connection to General system, National Security Council, Cabinet members, Joint Chiefs of Staff, various intelligence agency surveillance centers, headquarters, and Continuity of Operations (COOPs). ); Touch screen operator phone (TXP) with 2 units of Touch Screen Line Extension consisting of 50 buttons (TLE), this device is manufactured by small-scale telecom security firm Telecore, Inc. It also invented Integrated Service Phone (IST-2), which used to be on the Oval Office desk during the two generations of President Bush and Obama. These devices are specifically designed for the Defense Red Switch Network (DRSN), as well as provide conference, command, and control capabilities for top-secret / SCI military commanders. It was revealed in the 60 Minute Program that in that small room during the attack on the Al Asad base, Commander McKenzie spoke directly to the Secretary of Defense and the President. There are also two computer screens in General McKenzie’s small room. Right at the top of the desktop background is a yellow bar signifying JWICS. Unlike NIPRNet and SIPRNet networks, access to JWICS does not require a smart card, but a software certificate is required: military users must confirm themselves with the Department of Defense PKI certificate, but Others require IC PKI certificate. General McKenzie’s touchscreen phone. Photo source: 60 Minutes. A very interesting device in the USCentcom command room is the IC Desktop Environment. The phrase “Community Intelligence Community Desktop Environment” (IC DTE) was founded in 2012 as a single and identical platform for the US Intelligence Community. In fact, this is the focus of a giant modernization project called the Information Community Intelligence Technology Enterprise (IC ITE), whereby the data will be stored in a Commercial Cloud Service ( C2S) is managed by the CIA, and handled at IC GovCloud managed by the NSA. DTE deployments are managed by the Office of Joint Program Management (JPMO) led by DIA and NGA, while the software system is built by BAE Systems under a five-year contract worth $ 300 million. . With DTE, analysts at DIA, NGA, and other US intelligence agencies can go anywhere within these organizations, sit at any top secret workstation, log in, authenticate, and track. access to e-mail, work folders, shared files … In addition to virtual desktops, DTE has desktop applications and access to popular services including Unified Service Communication. The NSA is responsible for the so-called App Marketplaces, which are the app stores of various intelligence agencies. As early as 2014, there were 4,000 DTE users at DIA and NGA. By 2018, Mr. John Sherman, Chief Information Officer of the US Intelligence Community wants to take the DTE even further by creating the Collaborative Reference Architecture (CRA). Now US intelligence agencies can create applications that match their needs as long as they comply with the standards set by the CRA to ensure compatibility across different systems.