On 13 October 2000, at 2:00 p.m., Mr. Michael J. Jacobs, Deputy Director of Information Systems Security, National Security Agency, will officiate at the unveiling of a new National Cryptologic Museum exhibit dedicated to the SIGSALY, the first worldwide secure digital voice communications system. The exhibit includes an actual replica of a SIGSALY terminal. This massive device consisted of 40 racks of equipment, weighed over 50 tons, and featured two turntables that were synchronized on both the sending and the receiving end.
Members of the 805th Signal Service Company, the cadre of highly skilled individuals who operated and maintained SIGSALY, will participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony. Although SIGSALY was removed from service in 1946, having supported over 3,000 official secret conferences, its existence remained secret for 30 years. This exhibit seeks to impart the importance of secure voice communications at the time of war and how the research that made SIGSALY possible was instrumental in bringing about the communications revolution.
Members of the media are invited to attend. Please notify the NSA Public and Media Affairs Office at the number above by 12 October 2000 if you plan to attend.