HM Government Communications Centre
His Majesty's Government Communications Centre (HMGCC) is an organisation which provides electronics and software to support the communication needs of the British Government. Based at Hanslope Park, near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, it is closely linked with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British intelligence agencies.[1]
Logo | |
| Abbreviation | HMGCC |
|---|---|
| Legal status | Government agency |
| Purpose | Government communications research |
| Location |
|
Region served | UK |
Membership | 380 staff |
Parent organization | FCO |
| Affiliations | GCHQ, MI5 |
Budget | £30m |
| Website | HMGCC |
History edit
HMGCC used to have a communications centre at Signal Hill near Gawcott, in Buckinghamshire. Stephen Ball was Chief Executive until 2000,[2] when Dr John Widdowson took over; Widdowson moved to GCHQ in 2005.[3] Sarah-Jill Lennard was CEO from 2008 to 2011.[4] Juliette Wilcox was CEO from 2019 to 2021.
Structure edit
The organisation employs more than 380 personnel[5] and the solutions it provides are bespoke to fit the needs of the government, its organisations, and specifically its intelligence assets. HMGCC is responsible for research and design in the following disciplines:
- RF engineering
- Signal processing
- Software engineering
- Acoustics
- Audio engineering
- Operating systems
- GUI design
- Embedded systems
- System engineering
- Manufacture and application of microcircuits
- Study of power sources
- Operational research
- Mechanical engineering
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Inside the secret complex making high-tech gadgets for UK spies". BBC News. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ . Plymouth University. Archived from the original on 24 January 2014.
- ^ "John Widdowson becomes Director of CESG". University of Warwick. 28 November 2013. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014.
- ^ "Sarah-Jill Lennard, Non-Executive Director". CIFAS: Fighting Economic Crime Together. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ HMGCC Website, retrieved 2018-09-28
External links edit
- Official HMGCC Website
- Hi-res aerial photography (UK Secret Bases, Jan 2007) reveals £30 million expansion project
- Telegraph March 2008