Did you know that the NSA has their own computer processor chip fabrication Plant located at Fort Meade, Maryland.

It's common knowledge. It's even on Wikipedia.

So, what is this Chip Fabrication Plant for?

The theories I can come up with:

1.) Due to hardware backdoors found in electronics coming from SE Asian countries and China, standard computer parts cannot be guaranteed to secure. Even parts fabricated by multinational corporations based in the United States, such as Intel or AMD may include parts outsourced from overseas plants or may be compromised by foreign operatives. Therefore the NSA fabs their own chips to ensure security. (Most likely possibility.)

2.) The NSA has more advanced processor technology than the private sector and fabs their own chips to keep this technology secret.

3.) The NSA is fabricating their own chips to be secretly placed in Consumer Electronics for surveillance purposes.

4.) The NSA is fabricating sub-dermal chips for tagging individuals.

Anyone have any other ideas or know specifically the "Official" or "Unofficial" reasons why the NSA has a processor chip fabrication plant at Fort Meade?

My guess is that they make their own surveillence gear. I would be willing to bet that this plant is not like a normal mass production plant, but rather is tooled for rapid retooling in case a new chip design or componant is needed.

Of course this is based on the "What would I use it for" approach.. not sure if that applies to gvernment types.

Most government hardware uses mil. specs which are hardier and less prone to destruction in
rough applications.
Mainstream manufacturing electronics are set up for a shorter shelf \utility life.
Like the difference between a Geo and a Benz.
Peace!

Originally posted by rogerstigers
My guess is that they make their own surveillence gear. I would be willing to bet that this plant is not like a normal mass production plant, but rather is tooled for rapid retooling in case a new chip design or componant is needed.

Of course this is based on the "What would I use it for" approach.. not sure if that applies to gvernment types.

From the article in the second link I posted, that is precisely what the "Official" explanation is. They can take specs from a datafile and rapidly retool the plant to produce the requested yield of product in under three weeks, giving DoD agencies and partners a quick turn-around time on outdated or specialized components.

So, assuming the NSA is on the up-and-up, sounds like you and they are on the same page.

I just learned long ago that when it comes to any PR department, whether a private commercial entity or a bureaucracy, what they say and what they are trying to hide when giving such statements are usually two different beasts altogether.

High-end Surveillance Equipment seems a pretty likely candidate to me too.

Originally posted by fraterormus
From the article in the second link I posted, that is precisely what the "Official" explanation is. They can take specs from a datafile and rapidly retool the plant to produce the requested yield of product in under three weeks, giving DoD agencies and partners a quick turn-around time on outdated or specialized components.

So, assuming the NSA is on the up-and-up, sounds like you and they are on the same page.

I just learned long ago that when it comes to any PR department, whether a private commercial entity or a bureaucracy, what they say and what they are trying to hide when giving such statements are usually two different beasts altogether.

High-end Surveillance Equipment seems a pretty likely candidate to me too.

edit on 29-10-2010 by fraterormus because: (no reason given)

Very true, and, of course it could something differant under the scenes.. based on the various projects going on at the time. Then again, sometimes a plant just needs to be a plant. I would be more bothered by the fact that this thing can go from building enhanced video cards for the navy to subdermal tracking devices in three weeks flat.