Wullenweber Antenna Arrays
Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), or Wullenweber Antenna Arrays were also popularly known as "elephant
cages", "dinosaur cages", and even "missile catchers".
AN/FLR-9's
Contracted in 1959, the Army and Air Force version of the Wullenweber was the AN/FLR-9 "Flare 9". The AN/FLR-9
design was based on the Wollen-Weber antenna used by the German Navy to allow Admiral Donnitz to communicate
with his submarines during WW II. AN/FLR-9's were installed in the 1960's and the 1970's, and were located at:
Field Station Augsburg, Gablingen, Kaserne, Bararia, Germany (Army) (1970-1993)
Deactivated in 1993. Turned over to the Bundesnachrichtendienst, the German
Intelligence Service known as the BND, in 1998.
RAF Chicksands, England, UK (1st) (USAF) (1962-1996). Dismantled in 1996.
Clark AB, Pampanga Province, Luzon, Philippines (USAF) (1964-1991).
Decommissioned in 1991. Converted into a 35,000-seat fabric-covered amphitheatre in 1997.
Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska (USAF) (1966- )
The Elmendorf site may still be operational.
Karamursel AB, Izmir, Turkey (USAF) (1966-1977).
Dismantled in 1977.
Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture, Honshu, Japan (USAF) (1964- )
The Misawa site may still be operational.
Camp Ramasun, Ban Nong Soong, Udorn, Thailand (Army) (1970-1975).
Decommissioned in 1975. Dismantled in 1976.
San Vito dei Normanni AS, Brindisi, Italy (USAF) (2nd) (1962-1994)
Operational in 1963. Deactivated in 1994. Still standing in 2001.
In most cases, there was an NSG Activity co-located as a tenant (Augsburg, Clark, Elmendorf, Karamursel, Misawa,
Ramasun and San Vito).
AN/FRD-10A's
The Navy's version of the Wullenweber was the AN/FRD-10 or AN/FRD-10A. "Fred 10's" were part of the Naval
Security Group's Classic Bullseye HFDF Network. Fourteen (14) Navy AN/FRD-10's were installed at NSG sites,
two (2) AN/FRD-10 variants (non-NSG) were installed at Sugar Grove, two (2) AN/FRD-10A's were installed at CFS
Gander and CFS Masset and two (2) AN/AX-16 Pusher Antennas (miniature wullenwebers) were installed at Diego
Garcia and Keflavik.
Also contracted in 1959, the Navy AN/FRD-10's (or FRD-10A's) were installed at NSG Activities and Departments
between 1962 (Hanza) and 1967 (Imperial Beach); at the following Naval Security Group locations:
Adak, Clam Lagoon, Zeto Point, Aleutian Islands, Alaska (1964-1994)
AN/FRD-10A CDAA initial phase of construction began in 1962. Operational in Dec 1964.
Ceased operations in December, 1994. CDAA removed. Property remains under Navy control.
Edzell, Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom ( -1997)
Ceased operations in September, 1997. CDAA dismantled. Property returned to the UK.
Finnegayan, Guam, Marianas Island ( -1999)
Ceased operations on December 31, 1999. CDAA was abandoned in place, and remains
unused on the property of active NAVCOMTELSTA Guam.
Galeta Island, Panama Canal Zone (1965-1995)
CDAA was operational on October 23, 1965.
Ceased operations and transferred to the U.S. Army in 1995. Operated as remote site
by a civilian defense contractor, maintained as an automatic U.S. Coast Guard relay
station. Transferred to the Panamania government in 1999. All equipment was removed
and only the CDAA and Ops building remained. The Panamanian Government gave the site
to the Panamanian Technological Insitute. The antenna was not maintained and there
are places where the CDAA has fallen. The CDAA has since been abandoned, but was still
partially standing in 2006. Located in the center of a mangrove swamp forest.
Hanza, Yomitan, Torii Station, Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa (Ryukyu) Prefecture, Japan (1962-2007)
1st Navy AN/FRD-10A installed in 1962. Ceased operations in June, 1998. The Hanza CDAA
and Ops Bldg were demolished/removed in June, 2007. Demolition of the Hanza CDAA took
place from March 13, 2007 to June 30, 2007. Eyewitness: CTICS David Hughes, USN (retired)
(he lives on Okinawa). Link to photo gallery: http://www.navycthistory.com/okihughes01.html.
Homestead, Florida ( -1992)
Destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992.
Imperial Beach, California (1967-2007)
Last Navy AN/FRD-10A installed in 1967. Ceased opeations on September 9, 1999.
CDAA remains abandoned on property of Navy's Silver Strand Training Complex.
Scheduled to be dismantled in 2007.
Marietta, Washington ( -1972)
1st Navy AN/FRD-10A to be closed. Ceased operations in March, 1972.
Dismantled in 1972. Property reverted to Lummi Indian Reservation.
Northwest, Chesapeake, Virginia (1964-2001)
CDAA accepted from the contractor on October 25, 1963. Activated in July, 1964.
Ceased operations on June 1, 2001. CDAA was dismantled.
CDAA Property is now an annex to Naval Support Activity, Norfolk, VA.
Rota, Andalucia, Spain ( -2005)
Ceased operations in 1993. Dismantled in 2005.
Sabana Seca, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico ( -1999)
Heavily damaged by Hurricane Georges in 1999
Ceased operations and dismantled in 1999. Property sold and being developed by
commercial enterprise.
Skaggs Island, Sonoma, California ( -????)
Ceased operations on June 18, 1993. CDAA was dismantled. Property to be transferred
to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sugar Grove, West Virginia (1968-1997 & 2005)
Two variants of the FRD-10, without goniometers, built side-by-side for general service
ship-shore communications, which were completed on November 6, 1968, and were
operational in 1969. These two CDAA's were not operated by the Naval Security Group at
Sugar Grove. Both CDAA's have been dismantled. The more northern one was dismantled by
1997, and the 2nd was dismantled by 2005.
Wahiawa, Lualualei, Oahu, Hawaii ( -2005)
Ceased operations on October 4, 1998. Dismantled in 2005. The Wahiawa CDAA was removed
in September 2007 to make way for new buildings of the Hawaii Regional Special Operations
Center (HRSOC).
Winter Harbor, Maine ( -2001)
Ceased operations in 1998. CDAA was dismantled in August, 2001.
CDAA property officially transferred to U.S. National Parks Service in June, 2002.
AN/FRD-10A's in Canada
Gander (CFS), Newfoundland, Canada (1971- ).
Operational in July, 1971.
In July, 1997, CFS Gander stood down and was redesignated CFS Leitrim Detachment,
Gander. CFS Gander is now under remote control from CFS Leitrim, Ontario.
CDAA still operational?
Masset (CFS), Graham Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, British Colombia, Canada. (1970- )
AN/FRD-10 completed by December, 1969. Opened on February 13, 1970.
In April, 1997, CFS Masset stood down and was redesignated CFS Leitrim Detachment,
Masset. CFS Masset is now under remote control from CFS Leitrim, Ontario.
CDAA still operational?
CFS = Canadian Forces Station
AN/AX-16's
Miniature Wullenweber CDDA AN/AX-16 Pushers:
Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
The Navy maintained a miniature Wullenweber CDDA AN/AX-16 Pusher at Diego Garcia.
Keflavik, Iceland (1979 -1994)
The Navy maintained a miniature Wullenweber CDDA AN/AX-16 Pusher at Keflavik, Iceland.
Operational in the summer or 1979. Ceased operations in 1994.
The AN/AX-16 Pusher is a 2-band Wullenweber Circularly Disposed Dipole Array (CDDA) HFDF collection system,
which is a miniaturized version of the Navy's AN/FRD-10 antenna. Used primarily where space is a premium, the
outer ring of elements is about 400 feet in diamter, half the diameter of the AN/FRD-10.
AN/FRD-10A at CFS Masset
Demolition of the Hanza CDAA taken 31 May 2007. Panoramic view made from five separate photos.
Photo by CTICS David Hughes, USN (retired).
High Resolution View
Photo Sources and Links:
AN/FLR-9 http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/hfdf.gif
AN/FRD-10A at CFS Masset http://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/rhombic/wullen.jpg
Demolition of the Hanza CDAA. Many more photos at: http://www.navycthistory.com/okihughes01.html
Link to: Sabana Seca AN/FRD-10A damaged by Hurricane Georges in 1999: http://www.navycthistory.com/images/Georges.jpg
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