Empire Challenge: a snooping military exercise in Arizona

Empire Challenge (EC) is an annual joint and multinational live intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) interoperability demonstration sponsored by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Intelligence (USD/I). EC showcases emerging ISR capabilities and provides vital lessons learned to improve joint and combined ISR interoperability to support warfighters at the tactical edge. EC 11 will be conducted May 23 - June 3, with a focus on near-term capabilities that can be delivered rapidly to the warfighter.

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Empire Challenge

Information from Empire Challenge 2010:
EC2010

This document indicates L-3 Communications has a Cessna 208 used to mimic a Predator UAV. That would be N208SA or N97826. Basically an innocent looking Cessna Caravan with a high tech camera and radio relay system.
N208SA with camera and belly radome

N97826 with camera off to the side

army intelligence faclity

reply to post by gariac


Where ever we did training exercises, our SIGINT guys would intercept cell phone calls, just for training mind you. They never blocked or recorded the calls. That would be illegal.

It always was amusing listening in on the the conversations. These cats were good at finding the good stuff.

They probably work for one of the alphabet agencies now.

reply to post by TDawgRex


That's pretty funny. But you better delete my secret Peanut-Butter-and-Banana-Spicy-Texas-Chilli recipe from your brain. My mother on her deathbed managed to call me and give the recipe before she died. Its mine. Not yours.

reply to post by guppy


Consider it deleted, though I do consider my chili to be the best! TDawg's Special Hot chili!

I never would have known they did this if it weren’t for me freezing my butt off one night coming off patrol and I saw a friend go into a Commo trailer. At the time, all I was thinking....ahha! Warmth!

Amazing what secrets you can find when they forget to lock the door behind them.