Friendship Annex

Friendship Annex was established in early 1970 after the NSA outgrew the office space of its headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland. located 20–25 minutes drive time from its headquarters, and named the new facility after the airport, which was at one time named Friendship International Airport. One of the two-story buildings was later leased to NASA. Today the complex covers of leased space and houses an estimated 12,000 NSA personnel. A number of intelligence contractors are also co-located within or near the technology park. ==Functions==

Friendship Annex serves multiple roles. It functions, in part, as a cyber espionage station. Teams of NSA hackers within the facility attempt to penetrate the digital communications of foreign governments both friendly and unfriendly to the United States. In addition, teams of "defenders" are tasked with monitoring penetrations and attempted penetrations of U.S. government computer systems. Friendship Annex is the primary campus of the National Cryptologic School. The school offers a wide range of courses in cryptology, from basic training to advanced techniques for senior staff, as well as courses in language, leadership, education, and business. The school is located in the seven-story FANX IV building. Friendship Annex is connected to the NSA headquarters and other Washington-area facilities by the Washington Area Wideband System, a coaxial cable network that was constructed in the mid-1970s. Friendship Annex is where the NSA conducts its new employee screening. In particular, polygraph tests are administered to prospective employees in the FANX III building. Following the polygraph test, recruits undergo a series of psychological tests. In all, prospective employees spend about 48 hours in the FANX facility undergoing preemployment testing. ==See also==