News Review: US, Australia sign HEH Treaty | ADM Sep 08
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates have signed the Harold E. Holt Treaty, which extends the existing co-operation between Australia and the US on the Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station located at Exmouth in Western Australia.
The station provides communications for US and Australian submarines.
It was first commissioned in 1967 and in May 1999 Australia took responsibility for the facility.
This new treaty sets out the terms and conditions for the joint use of the Station for the next 25 years.
“This Treaty is yet another example of the breadth of the Australia-US Alliance.
"From the mountains of Afghanistan to the depths of the oceans, Australia and the US are working together across a wide range of Defence activities aimed at maintaining a secure world,” Fitzgibbon said.
Meanwhile, construction is expected to commence on another joint Australian and US communications ground station at the Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station (ADSCS) Geraldton in the third quarter of this year.
The joint ground station will support the US Navy’s Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), which is a satellite-based mobile phone network designed to support US, Australian and allied military users.
Governance arrangements for the ground station were negotiated in October 2007 and, as with all joint facilities in Australia, this system will be operated with the full knowledge and concurrence of the Australian Government.
The MUOS ground station will comprise three small buildings housing the electronic infrastructure; power and spares; three 18-metre satellite dishes; and two smaller antennas.
Once complete, it will be unmanned and will require only call-out contractor maintenance support.
A Satellite Communications Partnership Statement of Principles was signed at the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in February 2008, committing both governments to explore options to enhance joint access to satellite communications capabilities and to encourage greater technical collaboration in this field.
As part of this agreement Australia and the US are exploring the hosting of a US Army Fixed Regional Hub Node on land adjacent to the ADSCS Geraldton and discussing opportunities for the joint use of this capability.