DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 430/09
Monday, 14 December 2009
UPGRADES TO THE JOINT DEFENCE FACILITY PINE GAP
Upgrades to the antenna farm at the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (Pine Gap) are
expected to commence in May 2010.
These upgrades are intended to replace aging equipment and address technological
change.
Australian contractors have been sought privately for the infrastructure upgrades.
Construction will be ongoing over several years with the refurbishment expected to be
completed by 2014.
Pine Gap is a Defence facility jointly run by the Australian and United States
Governments. The facility is an essential part of Australia’s national defence and
alliance with the United States. Pine Gap provides intelligence and early warning that
would be unavailable from any other means and is unique in the region.
As stated in the 2009 Defence White Paper Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific
Century: Force 2030, “the capabilities at Pine Gap will evolve to meet new demands
and take advantage of new technologies, and the facility will remain a central element
of Australia’s security and of our relationship with the United States.”
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
