INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS OF THE UK

A
AIRBORNE RAFTER - MI5
Long term programme to locate KGB illegal spies using airborne surveillance platforms with short-range Direction-Finding. See also RAFTER.
B
BADGERS LAIR - 23 SAS/R.A.F.
The annual Autumn exercise held in Soltau, Germany, 8 23 SAS (TERRITORIAL) patrols establish patrol hides and British Army Signals teams acting as KGB OPFER (Opposing Forces) try to intercept the teams by DF - Direction Finding. During the exercise R.A.F. reconnaissance flights overfly the area using thermal-imaging and monochrome photography. Ground searches with tracker dogs are also employed.
Results vary, but on one exercise out of 39 established hides 37 were found within the first 6 hours and Burst Transmission signals were intercepted. Using simulated data it was estimated Soviet Direction Finding had a range of 12km with an accurate triangulation range of 5km.

C
CHOIR - MI5 - 1950's
Operation to bug the Soviet consulate, Bayswater Road, London.
CLAN - GCHQ/MI5
Clandestine operations against cipher targets globally. Due to increased workload two separate units were formed - see also COUNTER CLAN.
CLARET - SIS
An underwater reconnaissance of the Soviet cruiser Ordjoninkidze
COUNTER CLAN - GCHQ M-DIVISION
Counterespionage operations including RAFTER. See also CLAN.

COVERPOINT - MI5 
Revised Watcher tactics. 
D
DAMAGE
A series of 8 Comet reconnaissance sorties from RAF Akrotiri - cancelled.
DEBENTURE - SIS (?) - 1954
A covert radio station set up to encourage defections from China to Hong Kong.
DEFIANT
Communications Security testing of radio transmissions from HMS Totem (Submarine). Serious weaknesses in security were identified.
DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM - 1990/1991 
Known as the Gulf War, the Operation to build up forces and protect Saudi Arabia (SHIELD) and then attack the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein (STORM). UK Intelligence support for these Operations was multi-agency and co-ordinated with Allied Agencies.
DEW WORM/PIG ROOT - MI5/RCMP - 1950's
Bugging operations against the Soviet embassy in Canada.

DOLVEN
A series of 5 Comet reconnaissance sorties of the Egyptian and Syrian coast - cancelled.
DUSTER
SIGINT Comet sorties from RAF Akrotiri over the Egyptian and Syrian coasts combined with Canberra sorties from Malta over the Libyan coast. Approximately 12 sorties a month.
E
ENGULF - MI5
Operation to record the emissions from HAGELIN cipher machines and then break the ciphers.
F

G
GRUFF - MI5
Codename for the first Soviet HF morse signals detected from Moscow to the London Embassy.
H
HALT - MI5
Operation to read diplomatic ciphers from waste cipher tape.
HEM
Marathon SIGINT sorties flown from RAF Wyton to Luqa Airbase (Malta) over Libya, refuelling at Akrotiri then along the Egyptian coast to refuel at Tehran (Iran) before overflying the Russian and Iraqi borders before returning.  
HORNBEAM - GCHQ - 1950-LATE 1970'S
Aberdeen and Hull fishermen were recruited to help monitor the Soviet North Atlantic fleet. Recruits trained in ship recognition and photography. After 1964 ocassionally accompanied by Signals specialists from GCHQ Irton Moor. 
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L
LOVEBIRD - MI5
Refit of selected Watcher radios with new radio crystals to enable undetected surveillance of a suspected spy.
M
MUSKETEER - 1956
The airborne assault to retake the Suez canal .

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P
PARTY PIECE - MI5
A2 burglary operation at Mayfair residence of leading Communist Party of Great Britain member. CPGB secret membership list removed, copied and returned.
PAT
A series of 12 Comet reconnaissance sorties over the Baltic and Polish coast.
PIG ROOT - SEE DEW WORM

Q

R
RAFTER - MI5
Long-term operation to detect Soviet receivers tuned to MI5 Watcher frequencies. This was to determine the extent and the state of Soviet awareness of MI5 surveillance. See also AIRBORNE RAFTER.
S
SANJAK - July 1955
An ELINT mission. HMS TURPIN (Submarine) was depth charged during the operation.
SCRUM HALF - GCHQ - EARLY 1950'SJoint UK/USA operation to monitor Commercial Traffic to help deny Warsaw Pact aluminium, copper, diamonds and electrical consumer goods.
SILVER - SIS - 1949 - 1955
Phonetapping operation against Soviet Army HQ, Vienna. Compromised by George Blake in Oct 1953.
STOCKADE - MI5/GCHQ 
ENGULF operation against French Embassy telex ciphers. 

T
TARTAN - MARCH 1955
A SIGINT mission at the Arctic circle monitoring Radar 'X' and 'S' Bands. During the mission, HMS TURPIN (Submarine) was attacked by the Soviets who tried to ram her.

TIBET
A series of 7 Comet reconnaissance sorties over the Baltic and Polish coast.
TIEPIN - MI5
MI5 operation to bug the HQ of the Communist Party of Great Britain, King Street, London. 

TRAIL HAMMER - 2006
The first attempt at seamless battlefield SIGINT sharing, the Sigint Electronic Warfare Operation Centre co-ordinated intelligence from GCHQ/51 Squadron Nimrods/The Royal Navy and 'other forward SIGINT collectors'. This support was prioritised to units such as the SAS.
U

V
VISITATION - 1960-1965 
Codename for the United Kingdom's planned nuclear retaliation against a Soviet strike.

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