USAF Patch Intel USAFE d 6950 SG Security Group RAF Chicksands SIGINT c

USAF Patch USAFE 6950 Security Group Patch SIGINT Intelligence RAF Chicksands England Cold War 1974 fully embroidered cut edge 78mm by 74mm three and one sixteenth inches by two and fifteen sixteenth inches.

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History

6950 Security Group was activated at Brooks AFB in 1953 and established a Detachment at RAF West Drayton England designated Det 1 6950 Security Group. The Group relocated from Brooks AFB to RAF Chicksands England in 1954 assigned to the newly activated 6900 Security Wing at Wieisbaden AB West Germany under USAF Security Services command and inactivated its Det 1 at RAF West Drayton. 6950 SG was hosted with Field Unit 2 of the National Security Agency by 7534 Air Base Squadron at RAF Chicksands with Royal Air Force elements providing support including assisting with general base reconstruction and refurbishment.

The primary mission of 6950 Security Group was to provide command and control over USAF Security Service units located in the UK 10 and 37 RSMs Radio Squadron Mobile and to provide COMINT close support to USAF Commanders and SAC elements in the UK. Intercepts and analysis was coordinated with the British GCHQ to ensure maximum utilisation of the combined COMINT resources.

6950 Security Group was redesignated 6950 Radio Group Mobile RGM and absorbed 6951 Radio Squadron Mobile RSM on 1 September 1956 continuing with communications signal intelligence SIGINT and electronic intelligence operations. New base facilities including central heating plant bowling alley housing units a 143 pupil school base library and base exchange were completed in 1957. The RAF contingent at RAF Chicksands began to be phased out in 1958.

6950 RGM was assigned as RAF Chicksands base host when 7534 Air Base Squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1958. The Group activated a detachment at RAF Brize Norton England in 1959 designated as Operating Location 1 OL 1 6950 RGM. The last RAF element left the base and a theatre was added to the base facilities in 1960. OL 1 6950 RGM was renamed Detachment 1 Det 1 6950 RGM in 1961.

The Group constructed a 1443 feet 440 m diameter AN FLR 9 Wullenweber antenna array known as the Elephant Cage and the Electronic Stonehenge in 1962 which formed part of the Iron Horse HF direction finding network.

6950 RGM was redesignated 6950 Security Wing on 1 July 1963 with Det 1 at RAF Brize Norton redesignated Det 1 6950 Security Wing. Det 1 6950 SW relocated from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Upper Heyford during January and February 1965 before deactivation in September 1965 when its mission was relocated to RAF Chicksands. The Wings 6952 Security Squadron was deactivated in 1966.

6950 Security Wing was reduced back to a Group and redesignated 6950 Security Group on 20 January 1967. 6950 Security Group activated a new Det 1 6950 SG at Bremerhaven West Germany in July 1967 ready for the inactivation of 6913 Security Squadron and was redesignated OL 1 6950 SG later that year.

The new base facilities 700 and 800 housing areas were completed in 1967. OL 1 6950 Security Group Group in Bremerhaven West Germany was inactivated in 1968. Base facilities at RAF Chicksands were completed with a commissary in 1969 and the officer housing area 900 in 1970.

6950 Security Group activated a number of detachment in West Germany including Frankfurt in 1972 designated OL FA 6950 SG inactivated in 1973 Augsburg in 1976 designated OL FU 6950 SG inactivated later in the year Ramstein AB in 1976 designated OL QA 6950 SG inactivated in 1977 Stuttgart in 1976 designated Det 70 6950 SG inactivated in 1978 Munich in 1976 designated Det 71 6950 SG inactivated in 1978 Bad Aibling in 1976 designated Det 72 6950 SG inactivated in 1978.

6950 Security Group reactivated Det 1 at RAF Chicksands in 1977 designated Det 1 6950th SG. 6950 Security Group was reduced to Squadron status with redesignation as 6950 Security Squadron on 1 July 1978 with Det 1 redesignated Det 1 6950 Security Squadron.

USAFE took responsibility from USAF Security Services on 1 October 1978 to support tenant organizations and off base installations of RAF Chicksands activating 7274 Air Base Group on 1 October 1978. 6950 Security Squadron was upgraded to group status and was redesignated 6950 Electronic Security Group on 1 Aug 1979.

With the end of the Cold War 6950 Electronic Security Group was inactivated and replaced at RAF Chicksands by 450 Intelligence Squadron on 1 October 1991. 450 IS was inactivated at RAF Chicksands on 30 September 1995 with 7274 Air Base Group disbanded on 1 January 1997 on the handing of the baseback to UK Forces.

This patch dates from 1974.