Lourdes SIGINT Station
Encyclopedia
The Lourdes SIGINT facility, located near Havana
, Cuba
, was the largest facility of its kind operated by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service
or FIS, outside of Russia. Located less than 100 miles (160.9 km) from Key West
, the facility covered 28 square miles (72.5 km²). Construction began in July 1962. From October 2001, all station facilities were shut down, the buildings were abandoned and later reconstructed to become what is now the University of Information Science
.
At its peak during the Cold War
, the facility was staffed by over 1,500 KGB
, GRU
, Cuban DGI, and Eastern Bloc
technicians, engineers and intelligence operatives. In 2000, it was reported that China
signed an agreement with the Cuban government to share use of the facility for its own intelligence agency.
In July 2003, the Voice of America
condemned Cuba for allegedly jamming US international broadcasts to Iran that coincided with the annual student protests associated with the 18th of Tir.
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, was the largest facility of its kind operated by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service
Foreign Intelligence Service (Russia)
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service is Russia's primary external intelligence agency. The SVR is the successor of the First Chief Directorate of the KGB since December 1991...
or FIS, outside of Russia. Located less than 100 miles (160.9 km) from Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, the facility covered 28 square miles (72.5 km²). Construction began in July 1962. From October 2001, all station facilities were shut down, the buildings were abandoned and later reconstructed to become what is now the University of Information Science
University of Information Science
The University of Information Science is a university research center based in Havana, Cuba, in the municipality of Boyeros. Born as a project of the Cuban Revolution called the "Future Project" which has two objectives: to computerize the country and develop the software industry to contribute to...
.
At its peak during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the facility was staffed by over 1,500 KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, GRU
GRU
GRU or Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye is the foreign military intelligence directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation...
, Cuban DGI, and Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
technicians, engineers and intelligence operatives. In 2000, it was reported that China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
signed an agreement with the Cuban government to share use of the facility for its own intelligence agency.
In July 2003, the Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
condemned Cuba for allegedly jamming US international broadcasts to Iran that coincided with the annual student protests associated with the 18th of Tir.