European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Senior airman Tim Harris monitors communications lines at Croughton. With his Bart Simpson Mascot keeping a watchful Eye airman Mike Osella goes about his work in the test facility of the automatic digital network. Croughton unite King do Ltd sheep so Rve As living lawnmowers to keep the grass trimmed around Croughton a Antenna Complex. By Dave Aldio staff photographer Quot r of Croughton is barely a Dot on the most detailed of maps. Tucked away in the peaceful gentle pastures of Northamptonshire Miles Northwest of London the 3-Square-mile. Installation would be easily missed by passers by not Lor its dozens of massive antennae that reach up to., snatch a myriad of radio signals from the sky. A a Quot to Call it the sheep ranch Quot says it col John. Migyanko the commander of the.2130th comm group which inhabits the base Quot a a a a. A Quot we have a Deal with the local Farmer Migyanko. Continues. Quot they get to feed their sheep on our pasture return the sheep eat the grass around our. Antennae. It s a lot easier than trying to mow around All Quot those Guy Quot indeed there May be More sheep at Raf Croughton a airman Melis Bell t plane transit Imuro than people. Operated by a staff of Only 300 military a personnel Croughton is tiny in size but it is a giant in services rendered to . Department of defense other us. And foreign government As a Quot Long haul communications facility a utilized As the Quot electronic Gateway to Europe Quot the base transfers radio land line satellite and digital message. Traffic Between aircraft land Mobile and ground station throughout Europe and the Middle East. A a. It is an installation crammed with High tech. Electronics and Miles of cables and its role in do communications could be compared to that of a traffic cop in new York City during Rush hour a Hie a a message traffic moving \. A it. Whether a military aircraft Hying Over Saufl Arabia needs a phone Patch to ram Stein a Germany a or the presidential Jet. Air Force. One requests a Weatt c report for Turkey or any number of ground tactical stations need to pass messages to a Distant Post Page 14 a a the swis and stripes saturday Fine a a a
