Circularly disposed antenna array: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:24, 29 March 2007

Latest revision as of 12:28, 26 August 2025

(251 intermediate revisions by 98 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Circular antenna for radio direction finding}}

[[Image:Flugplatz Gablingen - Funkanlage.jpg|thumb|A military Wullenweber antenna array near Augsburg, Germany]]

{{redirect|Wullenweber|the Lübeck burgomaster|Jürgen Wullenwever}}

The '''Wullenweber''' is a type of Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA) sometimes referred to as a Circularly Disposed Dipole Array (CDDA). It is a large circular antenna array used by the military to [[Triangulation|triangulate]] radio signals for intelligence gathering and the occasional maritime rescue. The antenna is colloquially known as the ''elephant cage''. "Wullenweber" was a [[cover]] term the used to identify the German World War II development program, its name no relationship a person involved in the program.

{{More citations needed|article|date=October 2016}}

[[File:NSGA Galeta Island Site.jpg|thumb|Direction-finding system [[Galeta Island (Panama)|Galeta Island]], [[Panama]] ]]

A '''circularly disposed antenna array''' ('''CDAA'''), sometimes referred to as a '''circularly disposed dipole array''' ('''CDDA''') or a '''''wullenweber''''',<ref>the original name introduced by Dr. Hans Rindfleisch was Wullenwe'''v'''er</ref> is a large circular [[antenna (radio)|antenna]] array used for [[radio direction finding]]. They are used by military and government agencies to [[Triangulation|triangulate]] radio signals for radio navigation, intelligence gathering, search and rescue, and enforcement of broadcasting laws. Because their huge circular reflecting screens look like circular fences, some antennas have been colloquially referred to as "''elephant cages''". The term "''wullenweber''" was the World War II German [[Code name|cover term]] used to identify their secret CDAA research and development program; its name is unrelated to any person involved in the program.

Many such CDAA systems are used by many nations, such as the former [[Soviet Union]] and modern-day [[Russia]], [[Germany]], the [[United Kingdom]], and the [[United States]].

CDAA technology was developed by the German navy signal intelligence research and development center (Nachrichtenversuchsanstalt der Marine NVA) during the early years of [[World War II]]. The inventor was NVA group leader Dr. Hans Rindfleisch, who worked after the war as a Technical Director for the northern Germany official broadcast (Norddeutscher Rundfunk - NDR). Technical team leaders were Dr. Pietzner, Dr. Schelhorse, and Dr. Wächtler. The latter was a co-founder of Plath Co and later a consultant to Plath and [[Telefunken]] (electronic companies). Although the three men retired in West Germany, some of their second-echelon technicians were taken to the [[USSR]] after the war. At least 30 Krug arrays -- their codename in the USSR -- were installed all over the Soviet Union and allied countries before the U.S. military became interested and developed their own versions of the technology. Curiously, several Krug arrays were installed as pairs within less than 10 km kilometers of each other. At least three Krug arrays were installed near Moscow just to the north, east and south of the city.

==History==

The first Wullenweber array was built during the war at Joring, Denmark; however, it was destroyed following the war in accordance with the Geneva Convention. Dr. Wachtler arranged to have a second array built, at Telefunken expense, at Langenargen/Bodensee, for further experiments after the war. In the years following the war, the U.S. disassembled the Langenargen/Bodensee array and brought it back to the U.S.

===Origin in World War II Germany===

CDAA technology was developed by the German navy communication research command, Nachrichtenmittelversuchskommando (NVK) and [[Telefunken]], working on the ''Wullenweber'' during the early years of [[World War II]]. The inventor was NVK group leader Dr. Hans Rindfleisch, who worked after the war as a Technical Director for the northern Germany official broadcast ([[Norddeutscher Rundfunk]] (NDR)). Technical team leaders were Dr. Joachim Pietzner, Dr. Hans Schellhoss, and Dr. Maximilian Wächtler. The last was a founder of [[Plath GmbH]] in 1954 and later a consultant to both Plath and Telefunken.

The first ''Wullenwever'' was built during the war at Skibsby, north-east of the city of [[Hjørring]] (in German: Hjörring), Denmark ({{coord|57|29|10|N|10|00|38|E}}). It used 40&nbsp;vertical radiator elements, placed on the arc of a circle with a diameter of {{convert|120|m}}. In an inner circle, 40&nbsp;reflecting elements were placed behind the radiator elements, suspended from a structure of circular wooden support poles with a diameter of 112.5&nbsp;meters. To more easily obtain true geographic bearings, the north and south elements were placed exactly on the north–south meridian.

Professor Edgar Hayden, then a young engineer in the [[University of Illinois]] Radio Direction Finding Research Group, led the reassembly of the Wullenweber and studied the array and researched the physics of [[HF/DF]] under contract to the U.S. Navy from 1947 through 1960. Records of his research are in the university archives. Hayden led the design and development of a large Wullenweber array at the university's Bondville Road Field Station, a few miles southwest of Bondville, IL. The array consisted of 120 vertical monopoles covering 2-20 MHz. Tall wooden poles supported a 1000 foot diameter circular screen of vertical wires located within the ring of monopoles. Due to their immense size, the locations of the Bondville array (88.37983W, 40.04982N) and all other post-war Wullenweber arrays are clearly visible in high resolution aerial photography posted on the internet.

===Post-war development===

In the early 1960s, the U.S. Navy deployed a worldwide network of fourteen AN/FRD-10 arrays based on lessons learned from the Bondville experimental array. Two additional arrays were installed at Sugar Grove, WV for naval HF communications (not direction finding), and two additional arrays were installed in 1970-71 by the Canadian Forces in Gander, Newfoundland and Masset, British Columbia. As of 2007, fourteen of the arrays have been decommissioned, only the Canadian arrays remain in service.

Although Pietzner, Schellhoss, and Wächtler retired in West Germany, some of their second-echelon technicians were taken to the [[USSR]] after the war. At least 30 Krug (Russian for circle) arrays were installed all over the Soviet Union and allied countries in the 1950s, well before the U.S. military became interested and developed their CDAAs. Several Krugs were installed in pairs less than 10&nbsp;kilometers from each other, apparently for radio navigation purposes. At least four Krugs were installed near Moscow; just to the north, east and south ({{coord|55.46408|N|37.3698|E|scale:10000}}) of the city. The Krugs were used to track the early Sputnik satellites, using their 10 and 20&nbsp;MHz beacons, and were instrumental in locating re-entry vehicles. The Soviet Krug arrays also use the 40-element CDAA configuration. [https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP81T00618R000101110001-5.pdf]

The firstarray Wullenweberin arraySkibsby was builtextensively duringstudied by the warBritish atand Joring, Denmark; however, it wasthen destroyed following the war in accordance with the Geneva Convention. Dr. Wachtler&nbsp;Wächtler arranged to have a second array built, at Telefunken expense, at Langenargen/Bodensee, for further experimentsexperimentation after the war. In the years following the war, the U.S. disassembled the Langenargen / Bodensee array and brought it back to the U.S., where it became known as the "''Wullenweber''" array.

In 1959 the first contract to build the next generation Wullenweber array -- the AN/FLR-9 antenna receiving system -- was awarded by the U.S. Air Force to GT&E Sylvania Electronics Systems in Mountain View, CA (now General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems). The contract called for the completion of two AN/FLR-9 systems at [[San Vito dei Normanni Air Station]], Italy and [[RAF Chicksands]], United Kingdom. Installation of the first two systems was completed in 1962. The San Vito array was dismantled following base closure in 1993 and the Chicksands array was dismantled following base closure in 1996.

One of the German antenna researchers, Dr.&nbsp;Rolf Wundt, was one of hundreds of German scientists taken to the U.S. by the Army after the war under [[Operation Paperclip]]. He arrived in New York in March&nbsp;1947 on the same ship as [[Wernher von Braun]] and his wife and parents. He was first employed by the U.S.&nbsp;Air Force and then GT&E&nbsp;Sylvania Electronics Systems on CDAA and other antenna projects.

A second contract was awarded to Sylvania to build AN/FLR-9 systems at [[Misawa AB]], Japan; [[Clark AB]], Philippine Islands; Pakistan (never built); [[Elmendorf AFB]], Alaska; and Karamursel AS, Turkey. The last two were completed in 1966. The Karamursel array was dismantled in 1977 following a conflict over foreign aid to Greece. The Clark AB array was decommissioned immediately after the Mt. Pinatubo volcano eruption in 1991. As of 2007, only the Elmendorf and Misawa arrays remain in service, but both are likely to be decommissioned soon due to their age and unavailability of repair parts.

Professor Edgar Hayden, then a young engineer in the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]] Radio Direction Finding Research Group, led the reassembly of the ''Wullenweber'', studied the design and performance of [[HF/DF]] arrays and researched the physics of HF/DF under contract to the U.S.&nbsp;Navy from 1947 through 1960.

The U.S. Army awarded a contract in 1968 to F&M Systems to build AN/FLR-9 systems for [[USASA Field Station Augsburg]], Germany and [[Udon Thani]], Thailand. Both were installed in 1970. The Army version of the AN/FLR-9 has the same antenna design as the Air Force version, but the design of the delay lines in the Beam Forming Networks inside the Central Building are different. The Army used what is called a "Lamp Cluster" delay line design and the Air Force used a "Coaxial" delay line design. The Udon Thani array was dismantled in 1975 following base closure. The Augsburg array was turned over to the [[Bundesnachrichtendienst]] -- the German Intelligence Service -- in 1998, and it is no longer believed to be in service.

Hayden led the design and development of a large circularly disposed array at the university's Bondville Road Field Station, a few miles southwest of Bondville, IL. The array consisted of a ring of 120&nbsp;vertical monopoles covering 2–20&nbsp;MHz. Tall wood poles supported a {{convert|1000|ft|m|adj=mid|&nbsp;diameter}} circular screen of vertical wires located within the ring of monopoles. His research is still used today to guide the design and site selection of [[HF/DF]] arrays. Records of his research are available in the university's archives. Hayden was later employed by [[Southwest Research Institute]] where he continued to contribute to HF direction finding technology.

In the 1970s, the British developed a smaller, more economical CDAA array codenamed Pusher. At least 20 Pusher arrays were installed in many countries around the world. Several Pusher arrays were installed in U.S. military facilities, where the array is known as the AN/FRD-13.

===The 1960s–1970s construction boom and subsequent demolition===

In 1959, the U.S. Navy contracted with [[ITT Corporation|ITT]] Federal Systems to deploy a worldwide network of [[AN/FRD-10]] HF/DF arrays based on lessons learned from the Bondville experimental array.

[[File:Sobe Communications Site.jpg|thumb|left|CDAA at US Navy Sobe Communications base, [[Yomitan]], [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], Japan]]

The FRD-10 at NSGA Hanza, Okinawa was the first installed, in 1962, followed by eleven additional arrays, with the last completed in 1964 at NRRF Imperial Beach, CA. (Silver Strand) which was demolished in 2014. Due to their immense size, the ___location of the Bondville array ({{coord|40.0494|N|88.3807|W|scale:2000}}) and the other post-war antenna arrays are clearly visible in high-resolution aerial photography now available on the internet.

Also in 1959, a contract to build a larger CDAA — the [[AN/FLR-9]] antenna receiving system — was awarded by the U.S.&nbsp;Air Force to GT&E&nbsp;Sylvania Electronics Systems (now [[General Dynamics]] Mission Systems).

The first FLR-9 was installed at [[RAF Chicksands]] ({{coord|52.0443|N|0.389182|W|scale:5000}}) in the United Kingdom in 1962. The second FLR-9 was installed at [[San Vito dei Normanni Air Station]] ({{coord|40.64700|N|17.83900|E|scale:5000}}), Italy also in 1962. Following base closures, the arrays at Chicksands and San Vito were dismantled in 1996 and 1993, respectively.

[[File:CDAA Elmendorf AFB.PNG|thumb|left|FLR-9 circularly disposed antenna array at [[Elmendorf Air Force Base]], [[Alaska]], USA, completed in 1966.]]

A second contract was awarded to Sylvania to buildinstall AN/FLR-9 systems at [[Misawa AB]], Japan; [[Clark AB]], Philippine Islands; Pakistan (never built); [[Elmendorf AFB]], Alaska; and KaramurselKaramürsel AS, Turkey. The last two were completed in 1966. The KaramurselKaramürsel AS was closed and array was dismantled in 1977 followingin aretribution conflictfor overthe foreignsuspension of U.S. military aid to GreeceTurkey. The Clark AB array was decommissioned immediately after the Mt. &nbsp;Pinatubo volcano eruption in 1991. AsIt ofwas 2007,later onlyconverted theinto Elmendorfan andoutdoor Misawaamphitheater arrayswhich remainis inpart service,of butthe both[[Nayong arePilipino likelyClark]] totheme bepark. decommissionedDemolition soonof duethe toMisawa theirFLR-9 agebegan andin unavailability of repair partsOctober&nbsp;2014.

A pair of FRD-10s not equipped for HF/DF were installed in 1969 at NAVRADSTA(R) Sugar Grove, WV ({{coord|38.5129|N|79.2790|W|scale:5000}}), for naval HF communications, replacing the NSS receiver site at the Naval Communications Station in Cheltenham, Maryland.

[[File:Elmendorf AFB Alaska - 10sep2002.jpg|thumb|An overhead view of [[Elmendorf Air Force Base|Elmendorf AFB]], [[Alaska]], in late 2002. The antenna array is the large circle in the forested area, in the upper left, comparable in size to the adjacent [[airstrip]].]]

The Elmendorf array was decommissioned in May 2016<ref>[http://www.25af.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/6217/Article/779267/silencing-the-arctic-mammoth.aspx Silencing the Arctic Mammoth] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018233223/http://www.25af.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/6217/Article/779267/silencing-the-arctic-mammoth.aspx |date=2016-10-18 }}", ''25th Air Force website'', 23&nbsp;May 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ktva.com/inside-a-classified-cold-war-era-antenna-site-now-shut-down-625/|title= A look inside a classified Cold War-era antenna site, now shut down|website=KTVA|date=25 May 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501061010/http://www.ktva.com/inside-a-classified-cold-war-era-antenna-site-now-shut-down-625/|archive-date=May 1, 2017}}</ref> due to its age and unavailable repair parts.

The U.S. &nbsp;Army awarded a contract in 1968 to F&M &nbsp;Systems to build AN/FLR-9 systems for [[USASA Field Station Augsburg]], Germany, and Ramasun Station in [[Mueang Udon Thani District#Ramasun Station|Udon Thani]], Thailand ({{coord|17.2919|N|102.8682|E|scale:2000}}). Both were installed in 1970. <ref>The Army version of the AN/FLR-9 has the same antenna design as the Air Force version, but the design of the delay lines in the Beam Forming Networks inside the Central Building are different. The Army used what is called a "LampLumped ClusterConstant" delay line design and the Air Force used a "Coaxial" delay line design. </ref> The UdonRamasun ThaniStation array was dismantled in 1975 following base closure. The Augsburg array was turned over to the [[Bundesnachrichtendienst]] -- the German Intelligence Service -- in 1998, and it is no longer believed to be in service.

During the 1970s, the Japanese government installed two large antenna arrays, similar to the FRD-10, at [[Chitose, Hokkaidō|Chitose]] and [[Miho, Ibaraki|Miho]].

===Surviving arrays and replacements===

The last two FRD-10 HF/DF arrays were installed in 1971 for the Canadian Forces in [[CFB Gander|Gander, Newfoundland]] ({{coord|48.9511|N|54.5252|W|scale:5000}}) and [[Masset, British Columbia]] ({{coord|54.0288|N|132.0654|W|scale:5000}}). After the Hanza array was decommissioned in 2006, the Canadian Armed Forces became the operators of one of the last two existing FRD-10 arrays.

InLater in the 1970s, [[Plessey]] (now [[Roke Manor Research Limited]]) of the BritishUnited Kingdom developed athe smaller, more economical Pusher CDAA array codenamed Pusher. At least 20 25&nbsp;Pusher arraysCDAAs were installed in many countries around the world. Several Pusher arrays were installed in U.S. military facilities, where the array is known as the AN/FRD-13.

In 1998 the Augsburg array ({{coord|48.45121|N|10.86275|E|scale:10000}})—located in Gablingen, a town in the north of Augsburg—was turned over to the [[Bundesnachrichtendienst]]. Technology enthusiasts, reporters, and even local politicians are still not admitted to the complex and there are few official statements about its purpose. The area was greyed out in the map layers of Google Maps<ref>Remark: It was clearly visible in Google on 22&nbsp;May 2015.</ref> and Bing Maps. Therefore, it is believed to be still in service being used by BND and NSA as part of a larger complex of combined informational technology.

===Post–Cold War arrays===

[[File:NASA FIRMS 2025-08-17 Chernyakhovsk CDAA 0.8km.png|thumb|Satellite imagery of the 0.8&nbsp;km radius [[Chernyakhovsk CDAA]]]]

{{Asof|November 2020}} the Strategic Reconnaissance Command of the [[Bundeswehr|German Armed Forces]] operates as one of its three stationary [[Sigint]] battalions a {{convert|410|m}} wide circularly disposed array in [[Bramstedtlund]]. It was inaugurated in 1995 with construction started in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|title= Ein Vierteljahrhundert “Kastagnette“ |url= https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/organisation/cyber-und-informationsraum/aktuelles/ein-vierteljahrhundert-kastagnette-4184780 |work= [[Bundeswehr]] |date=2022-11-12 |access-date=2025-08-25 |lang=de |trans-title= A quarter-century Kastagnette“}}</ref>

In August 2025 media reported on [[Chernyakhovsk CDAA]], an almost finished, 1,600&nbsp;m wide circularly disposed array circa 5&nbsp;km southeast of the [[Chernyakhovsk (air base)|Chernyakhovsk airbase]] in the [[Kaliningrad enclave]].<ref>{{cite news|title= Satellite Images Appear To Show Russia Has New Spy Base on NATO's Doorstep |url= https://www.newsweek.com/russia-kaliningrad-spy-base-satellite-images-baltic-sea-nato-2117706 |work= newsweek.com |first1= Jordan |last1= King |first2= John |last2= Feng |date= 2025-08-22|access-date=2025-08-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-08-20 |title=Putin lässt Mega-Abhörstation bauen – direkt an Nato-Grenze! |url=https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland-und-internationales/putin-laesst-mega-abhoerstation-bauen-direkt-an-nato-grenze-68a46c8ece696d388164233a |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=bild.de |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Huge Antenna System is Being Built in Kaliningrad to Monitor NATO |url=https://militarnyi.com/en/news/huge-antenna-system-is-being-built-in-kaliningrad-to-monitor-nato/ |author=Vladislav V. |date=2025-08-21 |access-date=2025-08-23 |website=Militarnyi |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==

Line 23 ⟶ 64:

*[[Radio direction finding]]

*[[Direction finding]]

*[[AN/FLR-9]], a ''Wullenweber''-class antenna array

*[[SIGINT]]

*[[Silver Strand Training Complex]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://www.cdvandt.org/Landsberg-Tagung-18.pdf Description and Photographs of the first Wullenwever array in Skisby, Denmark]

* [http://www.mindspring.com/~cummings7/wullen.html Wullenweber/CDDA Antenna Homepage]

* [http://www.cdvandt.org/NVK.pdf Aspects of the German Naval Communications Research Establishment]

* [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cdaakrug+site%3Abbs.keyhole3Akeyhole.com&btnG=Search Aerial photographs of Krug arrays]

Aerial photos of Krug and Wullenweber arrays]

* [http://mapswww.google.com/mapssearch?hl=en&q=misawa,frd-10+japan&ll=40site%3Akeyhole.717225,141.328839com&spnbtnG=0.042950,0.057648&t=k&hl=enSearch SatelliteAerial viewphotographs of Misawa AFB, JapanFRD-10 antennaarrays]

* [https://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/download.php?Number=113991&t=k&om=1 Aerial photographs of AN/FLR-9 arrays]

* [http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/politik/Die-Abhoeranlage-von-Gablingen-gibt-Raetsel-auf-id16253386.html Newspaper article from "Augsburger Allgemeine" (in German)]

* [[:de:Abhöranlage Gablingen|Wikipedia Germany article about the Gablingen Wullenweber antenna]]

{{Antenna Types}}

[[Category:Radio frequency antenna types]]

[[Category:Antennas (radio)]]

[[de:Wullenweber-Kreisantennenanlage]]