“Frenchelon: The Unofficial History and Operations of France’s Signal Intelligence System”
Abstract: This article delves into the history, operations, and implications of Frenchelon, an alleged signal intelligence system operated by France. With its existence never officially acknowledged by the French authorities, Frenchelon has been the subject of numerous journalistic investigations, which have unveiled the system’s potential role in counter-terrorism efforts. This comprehensive overview offers a detailed analysis of the various operational stations and their interception capabilities, as well as the system’s possible connection to the French Army’s official listening system, Emeraude.
Introduction
“Frenchelon” is the unofficial nickname given to the signal intelligence system believed to be operated by France. The term itself is derived from the more widely known Anglo-American counterpart, ECHELON, a global surveillance system that has been in operation for several decades. Although French authorities have never publicly acknowledged the existence of Frenchelon, numerous journalists and investigators have pieced together information regarding the system, primarily based on military sources and European Parliament investigations into ECHELON.
History of Frenchelon
The term “Frenchelon” was coined by Kenneth Cukier, an American journalist living in Paris, in a paper presented at the Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference in 1999. Cukier later wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal Europe edition, further discussing the topic. The existence of Frenchelon has been a subject of interest since the European Parliament began investigating ECHELON and its implications on counter-terrorism efforts. Despite its unofficial status, Frenchelon has been mentioned by various journalists over the years, providing more information on its potential operations and objectives.
Operations of Frenchelon
Frenchelon is believed to be operated by the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (DGSE), France’s external intelligence agency. The Technical Direction (Direction Technique) within DGSE is responsible for signal intelligence, which is likely the department overseeing the operations of Frenchelon. The largest known station associated with the system is located in Domme, near Sarlat in Périgord. Other stations in France include:
- Alluets-Feucherolles (Alluets-le-Roi)
- Mutzig (Alsace)
- Mont Valérien
- Plateau d’Albion
- Agde
- Solenzara (South Corsica)
- Filley Barracks in Nice
Additionally, Frenchelon is believed to have stations in overseas territories and former colonies, such as:
- Saint-Barthélemy
- Bouar, Central African Republic
- Djibouti (Camp Lemonnier, now occupied by Combined Joint Task Force — Horn of Africa)
- Mayotte (Closed in 1998)
- Réunion
- Kourou, French Guiana
- Base aeronavale La Tontouta in New Caledonia
These stations, together with the DGSE headquarters on Boulevard Mortier in Paris, are thought to intercept and decipher electronic communications from various sources, including diplomatic, military, and industrial communications. The intercepted information is analyzed using specially coded software designed to decrypt secure communications.
Recent reports in French newspapers have indicated that the DGSE may have an interception program targeting submarine cables, similar to those used by the NSA. However, no official data is available to confirm whether this program is part of Frenchelon.
Relation to the French Army’s Emeraude System
It is essential to differentiate Frenchelon from the French Army’s official listening system, Emeraude (Ensemble mobile écoute et recherche automatique des émissions). Emeraude is a separate entity and has been mistakenly confused with Frenchelon in the past.
Conclusion
The existence of Frenchelon, though not officially acknowledged by French authorities, has been the subject of numerous investigations by journalists and researchers. As a signal intelligence system, Frenchelon is believed to play a vital role in France’s counter-terrorism and intelligence efforts. Its various operational stations, both within France and its overseas territories, are equipped to intercept and decipher electronic communications from various sources, providing valuable insights into global activities
