29:
320:) from the fishing fleet equipped with more sophisticated sensors and communication equipment. Very capable crews were assigned to these trawlers of unremarkable appearance. They were assigned to patrol stations off United States naval bases to photograph and report arrival and departure of United States warships and auxiliaries. Other trawlers of similar appearance would patrol weapons firing ranges used by the United States Navy to observe practice firings of modern weapons and record the acoustic and/or electromagnetic signature of the sonar, search radar, fire-control radar, guidance, and/or command electronics of each weapons system. The United States Navy officially designated these trawlers as Auxiliary, General Intelligence or AGI, and they were informally known as "tattletales".
47:
225:
367:
with steel nets, and focus high power electromagnetic transmitters to burn out the amplifying circuitry of their electronic sensors. The AGI crews then revealed their ship-handling skills using superior maneuverability to evade the destroyers' intentions. This jousting in international waters
165:
with cargo and passengers during the 1920s and 1930s. Starting in 1933 as a station ship she was assigned to monitor internal
Japanese Fleet frequencies and direction finder azimuths. She had three intercept operators and one chief radioman supervised by an officer.
379:, it garnered attention from many Soviet spy trawlers. A year later, the radar station was shut down due to interference. The source of the interference was never confirmed and some theories still hold Soviet countermeasures responsible.
300:
also have some of the capabilities of spy ships, and as they are controlled by their national governments, they are also intermittently used for similar purposes, such as tracking enemy missile tests.
197:. During that era, the United States fielded about 80 vessels, usually classified as "environmental research" craft, while the Soviet Union had around 60 ships, often converted trawlers or
323:
An AGI might be assigned to a single patrol station for as long as six months. These ships were not fast enough to keep up with most warships, but they sometimes congregated around
1039:
1008:
835:
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equipment, thus functioning as auxiliary spy ships tracking western naval vessels and electronic communications (though their main function remained commercial fishing).
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316:
missile and the locations of the submarines capable of launching them. While the Soviet Navy requested more sophisticated ships, they were allocated trawlers (called
888:
1182:
567:
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177:, and they are in use by all major powers. Their uses, in addition to listening in on communications and spy on enemy fleet movements, were to monitor
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328:
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559:
551:
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193:"signatures" – the patterns of noise that could often identify the specific type of submarine and were thus valuable in
1258:
173:
Spy ships in the modern sense of being specially built and entirely dedicated to intelligence tasks came into being during the early
235:
was not strictly a spy ship, being used for space tracking, there is some overlap between her capabilities and those of a spy ship.
1372:
28:
588:
229:
87:
899:
604:
452:
189:). One of the most important functions for both Cold War spy ship fleets, especially in the 1960s, was the gathering of
1159:
170:
and ground stations provided significant intelligence before the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
1302:
915:
DOCID: 3362395 - Approved for
Release by NSA. on 06-16-2008, FOIA Case #51505 - UNCLASSIFIED See pages 31 & 32.
404:
612:
620:
596:
294:), the monitoring is usually much more efficient and in some respects better than even that of spy satellites.
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271:. Sometimes however, active measures such as radar or sonar may also be used to detect the movement of
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101:, due to the high costs and advanced equipment required. They tend to be parts of the nation's
1300:[Construction of the second electronic reconnaissance ship for the Navy has started].
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in 1960, the Soviet Union attempted to obtain more information about the capabilities of the
94:. In a wider sense, any ship intended to gather information could be considered a spy ship.
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communications. This is mostly done via passive means such as radio receivers or passive
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889:"The Origination and Evolution of Radio Traffic Analysis - The Period between the Wars"
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was known for having equipped many of their thousands of ships with sophisticated
119:, which could be reasonably expected to remain in a certain area for a long time.
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or other vehicles or troops. However, this risks revealing the ship's purpose.
127:
64:
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1298:"Ruszyła budowa 2. okrętu rozpoznania elektronicznego dla Marynarki Wojennej"
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347:, or in suspected patrol areas of ballistic missile submarines. After the
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243:(or at least outside territorial waters), so as to not violate territorial
178:
868:. December 1973. United States Naval Institute Proceedings. pp. 68–69
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68:
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32:
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In 1972, as the U.S. and U.K. partners started operating radar station
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98:
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360:
291:
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677:
272:
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962:"Moscow's South Pacific Fishing Fleet Is Much More Than It Seems"
513:
276:
260:
182:
138:
An early version of what would become known as a spy ship is the
1130:
Gregory, William H. (1984). "Their
Tattletales (Our Problems)".
887:
National
Security Agency - Naval Security Agency Report (1986).
224:
1327:"Russian Ships Near Data Cables Are Too Close for U.S. Comfort"
1284:"Pakistan gets spy ship from China to track ballistic missiles"
244:
209:
91:
1183:"India commissions secretive nuclear missile tracking vessel"
268:
264:
256:
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60:
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to come alongside the AGIs to push against them, foul their
280:
186:
102:
83:
1259:"New spy vessel to keep track with "unpredictable" Russia"
1234:"Spy ship changes name and continues intelligence mission"
1081:
989:"Legislative group says fishermen are spying for Beijing"
123:
1208:"Norge får to spionskip - satser store summer på "Eger""
584:
List of active
Russian Navy ships#Special-purpose ships
247:. From there, it will use its electronic equipment to
1325:Sanger, David E.; Schmitt, Eric (26 October 2015).
1038:
19:"Spy Ship" redirects here. For the 1942 film, see
1040:"Soviet Spy Ship Waiting to Observe Trident Test"
290:area than a fixed installation (given a close by
1344:
1109:"Cold War Warriors: Spy Ships - Theirs and Ours"
802:(a class of US spy ships of the early Cold War)
97:Spy ships are usually controlled by a nation's
1324:
1160:"The eerie emptiness of 'Britain's Area 51'"
898:. National Security Agency. Archived from
308:As the United States Navy began deploying
259:frequencies and also try to intercept and
1174:
1162:. British Broadcasting Corporation Future
865:USS Gold Star - Flagship of the Guam Navy
223:
45:
27:
1129:
861:
834:French, Howard W. (12 September 2002).
130:are sometimes also called "spy ships".
1345:
1153:
1151:
1102:
1100:
1009:"Spy Ship Off L.I. Awaits Trident Sub"
923:
921:
855:
833:
370:U.S.–Soviet Incidents at Sea agreement
303:
105:, though they may also be operated by
115:masquerade as civilian ships such as
1180:
1057:from the original on 23 October 2012
382:
286:As it is located much closer to the
90:, usually by means of sophisticated
16:Ship intended to gather intelligence
1318:
1157:
1148:
1123:
1097:
959:
918:
122:Ships which are used to infiltrate
13:
1106:
986:
960:Kim, Byung Ki (6 September 1988).
880:
185:launches (especially of potential
14:
1384:
937:. 2 February 1968. Archived from
153:, which made frequent voyages to
1238:The Independent Barents Observer
1290:
1276:
1251:
1226:
1200:
368:continued until signing of the
1069:
1031:
1001:
980:
953:
827:
204:In the late 1980s, the Soviet
1:
1373:Electronic intelligence ships
1306:(in Polish). 15 November 2023
1142:United States Naval Institute
836:"Suspected Spy Ship Salvaged"
820:
426:Yuan Wang-class tracking ship
1181:Puby, Manu (16 March 2021).
987:Lu, Fiona (16 August 2003).
310:ballistic missile submarines
239:A spy ship usually stays in
219:
7:
1077:"Don't Arm Serbs, US Warns"
862:Lademan, J. U. Jr. (1973).
793:
341:United States Seventh Fleet
10:
1389:
966:Asian Studies Backgrounder
133:
18:
1111:. Emmitsburg News-Journal
470:-class fleet service ship
333:United States Sixth Fleet
1303:National Security Bureau
616:-class intelligence ship
608:-class intelligence ship
600:-class intelligence ship
592:-class surveillance ship
92:electronic eavesdropping
970:The Heritage Foundation
800:Technical research ship
40:technical research ship
815:Battle of Amami-Ōshima
760:Private Jose F. Valdez
236:
195:anti-submarine warfare
71:
43:
776:Sgt. Joseph E. Muller
768:LT. James E. Robinson
353:Joint Chiefs of Staff
251:sea and air traffic,
227:
80:reconnaissance vessel
49:
31:
1368:Signals intelligence
1358:Espionage techniques
1051:The Associated Press
1017:The Associated Press
976:on 28 February 2009.
905:on 18 September 2013
509:Royal Norwegian Navy
349:Cuban Missile Crisis
241:international waters
929:"The Ferret Fleets"
357:counter AGI program
304:Soviet AGI trawlers
86:intended to gather
1332:The New York Times
1187:The Economic Times
1046:The New York Times
1013:The New York Times
941:on 24 October 2008
841:The New York Times
688:United States Navy
416:Type 814A spy ship
359:for United States
237:
72:
44:
1363:Espionage devices
421:Type 815 spy ship
411:Type 813 spy ship
383:List of spy ships
325:aircraft carriers
1380:
1337:
1336:
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1316:
1315:
1313:
1311:
1294:
1288:
1287:
1286:. 18 March 2024.
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1053:. 14 June 1981.
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1005:
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977:
972:. Archived from
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442:(Decommissioned)
298:Tracking vessels
201:research ships.
117:fishing trawlers
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1263:Barentsobserver
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1158:Piesing, Mark.
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570:Henryk Zygalski
385:
343:in the western
306:
263:coded radio or
222:
206:fisheries fleet
136:
107:secret services
82:is a dedicated
24:
21:Spy Ship (film)
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1214:(in Norwegian)
1199:
1173:
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1107:Murphy, John.
1096:
1085:. 3 April 1999
1068:
1030:
1019:. 13 June 1981
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390:Argentine Navy
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329:air operations
314:UGM-27 Polaris
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128:special forces
113:Naval trawlers
65:reconnaissance
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532:Pakistan Navy
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439:Kustaanmiekka
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345:Pacific Ocean
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337:Mediterranean
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179:nuclear tests
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151: (AK-12)
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140:United States
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67:ship, of the
66:
62:
59:
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52:
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41:
37:
36:
30:
26:
22:
1330:
1320:
1308:. Retrieved
1301:
1292:
1278:
1266:. Retrieved
1262:
1253:
1241:. Retrieved
1237:
1228:
1216:. Retrieved
1211:
1202:
1190:. Retrieved
1186:
1176:
1164:. Retrieved
1137:
1131:
1125:
1115:14 September
1113:. Retrieved
1087:. Retrieved
1080:
1071:
1059:. Retrieved
1044:
1033:
1021:. Retrieved
1012:
1003:
997:. p. 3.
994:Taipei Times
992:
982:
974:the original
965:
955:
943:. Retrieved
939:the original
932:
907:. Retrieved
900:the original
895:
882:
870:. Retrieved
864:
857:
845:. Retrieved
839:
829:
807:
783:
775:
767:
759:
751:
743:
735:
727:
719:
711:
703:
695:
679:
673:Turkish Navy
664:
656:
648:
642:Swedish Navy
634:
630:Spanish Navy
621:
613:
605:
597:
589:
578:Russian Navy
569:
561:
553:
538:
522:
514:
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495:Italian Navy
467:
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433:Finnish Navy
405:Chinese Navy
396:
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322:
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238:
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199:hydrographic
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88:intelligence
79:
75:
73:
55:
50:
34:
25:
1133:Proceedings
663:HSwMS
655:HSwMS
647:HSwMS
606:Yury Ivanov
547:Polish Navy
477:Indian Navy
462:German Navy
448:French Navy
327:conducting
318:tra-ou-lery
163:Philippines
69:German Navy
1353:Ship types
1347:Categories
1268:19 October
1243:19 October
1218:19 October
1089:31 January
1061:31 January
1023:31 January
945:31 January
847:31 January
821:References
774:USNS
766:USNS
758:USNS
752:Palm Beach
704:Georgetown
665:Carlskrona
582:See also:
482:INS Anvesh
377:Cobra Mist
361:destroyers
288:surveilled
144:cargo ship
99:government
42:", in 1967
1166:9 January
782:USS
750:USS
742:USS
734:USS
726:USS
718:USS
712:Jamestown
710:USS
702:USS
694:USS
678:TCG
590:Primor'ye
568:ORP
562:Hydrograf
560:ORP
554:Nawigator
552:ORP
488:INS Dhruv
395:ARA
372:in 1972.
292:shoreline
220:Operation
191:submarine
168:Gold Star
149:Gold Star
147:USS
142:civilian
33:USS
1192:16 March
1144:: 97–99.
1055:Archived
810:incident
794:See also
277:missiles
273:aircraft
232:Vanguard
175:Cold War
161:and the
76:spy ship
1310:30 July
808:Liberty
728:Liberty
720:Belmont
649:Artemis
614:Vishnya
523:Marjata
515:Marjata
501:Elettra
335:in the
331:of the
261:decrypt
249:monitor
245:borders
183:missile
134:History
35:Liberty
968:(80).
909:4 June
872:24 May
784:Sphinx
744:Pueblo
736:Banner
696:Oxford
635:Alerta
622:Yantar
598:Balzam
539:Rizwan
525:(2014)
517:(1992)
397:Narwal
365:screws
351:, the
228:While
210:SIGINT
58:-class
1140:(2).
903:(PDF)
892:(PDF)
657:Orion
281:ships
269:sonar
265:phone
257:radar
253:radio
230:USNS
214:ELINT
187:ICBMs
159:China
155:Japan
124:spies
61:ELINT
53:, an
38:, a "
1312:2024
1270:2017
1245:2017
1220:2017
1194:2021
1168:2023
1117:2016
1091:2018
1063:2018
1025:2018
947:2018
934:Time
911:2014
874:2012
849:2018
806:USS
680:Ufuk
537:PNS
468:Oste
255:and
212:and
181:and
103:navy
84:ship
63:and
56:Oste
51:Oker
1138:110
1082:BBC
896:NSA
339:or
126:or
78:or
1349::
1329:.
1261:.
1236:.
1212:VG
1210:.
1185:.
1150:^
1136:.
1099:^
1079:.
1049:.
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