Government American geospatial-intelligence Agency (NGA) in the framework of the program for automated detection of GEODATA plans to identify key nodes in the energy and logistics infrastructure in the Murmansk area. The Russian city is listed among one of the “zones of interest” in which contractors will be using the algorithm “computer vision” to determine the number of infrastructure facilities. RT interviewed experts note that us intelligence has a longstanding interest in the Murmansk region and actively uses a variety of collection methods to determine dynamics of the region.

  • Railroad within the borders of Murmansk
  • RIA Novosti
  • © Ilya Timin

The U.S. National geospatial-intelligence Agency (NGA) in the framework of the project for automated recognition of GEODATA expects to receive information on the main nodes of energy and logistics infrastructure in Murmansk. This is stated in the application the United States government Agency.

As noted in the document, NGA as the lead structure in their area engaged in providing superior geospatial intelligence, which provide political leadership, armed forces, intelligence agencies and rescue services of the United States “a decisive advantage”.

According to the request of the Agency, said the contract includes two tasks, which will contribute to the implementation of the pilot project of the automated fixed systems object recognition using machine learning in specific “areas of interest”.

Among these areas included Murmansk (as an approximate center point coordinates are 68°58’32.88″N, 33°04’25.32″E — near the railway station). All territory in the city, on which the placed order is 103 km2.

In addition to Murmansk, in the list of “zones of interest” also marked with Caracas and the state of Tachira in Venezuela, a vast region in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the area near the city of XI’an in China to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, the Afghan capital Kabul and the city of Seward, Alaska. Under the supervision of the contractors will also be the area along the Nile river in Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan.

“First assignment: the contractor is required to identify the main nodes of energy and logistics infrastructure. Second task: to conduct deconfliction objects and verifying changes with NGA-provided data in respect of the automatically recognized objects”, — the document says the us Agency.

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In the object list for this automated recognition contains elements of the energy infrastructure, including power plants, substations, transmission line towers and telecommunications towers, as well as the joints of different types of transport (railway crossings and road intersections).

As noted in the work requirements, for detecting the objects listed above, contractors will need to develop an automated algorithm, and the use of unclassified satellite images.

“The use of fully automated computer vision algorithm for detecting interest capital objects using unclassified satellite imagery. The use of automation for the successful identification of discharge and creation of vector images of certain objects within a designated field of interest”, — stated in the assignment.

In addition, contractors will also need to check the new materials provided by the U.S. Agency data. It is planned that the implementation of the activities of the selected artists will begin next month, and the contract will run until September 2020.

  • © Screenshot: Yandex. Card

No coincidence that the interest in Murmansk

The interest of the American intelligence Agency to the energy infrastructure of Murmansk is not accidental, since this city is primarily associated with the Russian Navy, said in a conversation with RT, the head of the Bureau of political and military analysis Alexander Mikhailov.

“Murmansk is, in General, the place is associated with the Northern fleet. We understand that Americans are very concerned about the development of our surface and submarine fleet. In addition, energy, download energy networks it is possible to judge about dynamics of development of the region”, — said the expert.

“The first category, which characterizes the development of the industry, is a download of energy facilities, and the Americans needed intelligence information on these points,” — said Mikhailov.

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According to him, simply due to the request of the Agency of geospatial intelligence in data infrastructure and in countries such as Afghanistan and China, a special interest which is reflected in the strategic documents of the United States. The expert also recalled that the infrastructure of these countries, including loading of railway tracks and the momentum transport may be associated not only with the civil but also the military sector.

Meanwhile, Murmansk oblast is not the first time it appears in the queries of the agencies controlled by the Ministry of defense. In July of this year, the Defense logistics Agency, the Pentagon also posted a request to conduct market research “Arctic circle with subsequent reports.” In the list of regions which have requested American military structures included the island of Kolguyev, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous district the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Novosibirsk Islands, and Murmansk oblast.

In particular, the United States is interested in the supply routes of bottled water, food, clothing, petroleum products and medicines in these locations. In addition, it ordered the Pentagon study will have to include information on the availability in each of the regions natural resources and materials.

  • The headquarters of the NGA
  • © Wikimedia commons

Common practice in the United States

President of center of strategic communications Dmitry Abzalov in comments RT also suggested that the choice of recognized objects within the request NGA may be associated with an attempt to calculate the energy consumption, utilization of train connections and traffic volumes. According to experts, due to modern communication channels, a lot of information becomes public, therefore, such intelligence using open data is used to compile a complete picture of a region.

“Modern reality provides excellent opportunities for remote sensing of individual objects without the use of appropriate technology components. This is because there are restrictions even on some satellite data of the same GPS. For example, there are objects that do not depict, for example, military bases and so on. But alternative channels allow it to monitor. People come, for example, on military bases, is in correspondence through messengers, through which it is possible to calculate the location”, — he stressed.

Thus, for example, in 2018, app for fitness has allowed us to detect a forward operating base in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. Then in the middle of the field of black card which has no other activity is distinguished by a bright circular trails fitness trackers.