"The Australian people are told that Kojarena is not a US base but a joint Australia-US ground station “hosted” like other Australia-US “joint facilities” on the basis of our full knowledge and co-operation. However, like other so called “joint” facilities at Pine Gap and Harold E Holt at Exmouth, which we have with the US, are joint access in name only.
The facility relays information from multibillion dollar US Orion satellites and integrates us deeply in a global system which collects signals intelligence (SIGNIT) from space. The missions and capabilities of the base are highly classified – and yet it sits 30 kilometres east of the large coastal mid west port city of Geraldton. The facility is basically unmanned except for a few security staff while maintenance is done by call-out crews.
The facilities which gather this information are part of a system called ECHELON which is operated by the Canberra-based Defence Signals Directorate and also operates SIGNIT systems through ground stations such as the one at Kojarena. Though operated by Australia’s Defence Department, information streaming through it is mostly sent direct to the US."
CCE Price at posting:
3.8¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
