Hi Malcolm,

Auenhausen was a Control & Reporting Centre originally in the British Sector of West Germany (ie constructed & manned by the Brits) and handed over to the GAF in the mid-50's when the GAF reformed. The function of the unit was to use radar to detect any airborne instrusions over the 'inner German border' and then to control the appropriate reaction - fighters then later on Surface to Air Missiles as well (not so great in the air policing role). The unit was upgraded technically under the NADGE programme.

Even though the unit became part of the GAF, the RAF retained a presence there until the early '90s with an RAF Air Defence Liasion Officers. The unit callsign was 'Backwash'. I operated from there on detachment from HQ RAFG several times between 1986 & 1989.

Hope this helps. Still thinking about STCIC.

Richard Jenner

Hi Malcolm,

Thinking a bit more about my reply above, it's likely that Auenhausen became a GAF unit nearer 1960 than the mid-50s. As an RAF unit it would have been designated as a signals unit (SU). Following the GAF taking over, there would still have been a significant RAF team to look after air policing (which remained a tri-partite responsibility until reunification). Sometime around the '80s the RAF Air Defence Team reduced to a single Air Defence Liaison Officer. What period are you researching?

STCIC could possibly mean STCICS - Strike Command Integrated Communications System - although I'm not very confident of this as I don't recall any MOD team. Possibly there was a team representing MOD for the introduction of the system but this is very much speculation. STCICS became operational in the early '70s.....does this time period fit in?

Richard Jenner

Malcolm,
If STCIC is the UK STCICS, it was a very advanced HF radio system used only by the RAF that allowed units across the country access to some very powerful transmitters on an early form of time access system. I was at RAF Buchan in the late '70s when STCICS became operational. Prior to STCICS we'd had our own HF transmitters that had allowed us to talk to HF equipped aircraft - Victor tankers for example - at ranges well beyond VHF. When STCICS was introduced, we could select much bigger and more powerful centralised transmitters & receivers - the only downside was that we had to share them with other users. The system could retune very quickly from one user to another. The system has only recently been replaced.

Try UK STCICS in a search engine for more.

Richard

malcolm, you are getting warm! malcolm little (junior) last heard of in malvern and now retired could perhaps fill you in !
regards from an old codger. t . t.

Hi Malcolm, STCIC was set up in 1967 underneath the MOD. I was one of the first to be posted there. The title STCIC was confidential, but you are correct it was intelligence and as far as the rest of the world was concerned, it never existed. We were the intelligence centre for top secret radar, (FOBS) and set up the first space intelligence centre. We also used the first secure IBM 1900 computer to record all space shots and intelligence.
Hope this is helpful.
Vic  

Malcolm Hi, On a different tack.  I remember listening to the World Cup final in the commcen at RAF Changi in company with a Flt Lt Mears.  Could this be the same chap you are reporting on?  Tony (PLEZ) Pleasant

Quote:

Hi Tony Pleasant

This was my father who died 6 years ago. I was in Changi at the time. Trying to find out why he was awarded the AFM in the 60s. Does any one know?