Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA
Funding to provide Australian access to the US Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS)has been put on hold for up to three years following extensive restructuring of the surveillance programme.
In February, the USAir Force terminated development contracts with Boeing and TRW for demonstration satellites to prove the SBIRS-Low concept, questioning the 2006 deployment of an operational system. Similarly, the USAF has slipped the proposed roll out of the SBIRS-High system, intended to replace the Defence Program Support (DPS) network, from 2002 to 2004.
Australia had planned to allocate funds for the project, designated Joint 2057, in this year's defence budget. Canberra had been considering either building an Australian owned and operated ground processing station for SBIRS data, or direct feeds from US operated ground stations into the Australian Defence Forces' joint command and control environment.
Canberra defence planning officials say the US upheavals have resulted in the delay of Australian funding decisions by at least two and probably three years.
Funding projections released by the Royal Australian Air Force suggest a A$60 million ($40 million) budget, which includes the development of a new secure communications infrastructure to support data handling between key command facilities.
The USA is building a new DPS satellite/SBIRS ground processing station next to a satellite signals interception facility at Pine Gap in the central Australian Western McDonald Ranges. Work began over a year ago and should be complete early next year. It will replace the Nurrungar DPS facility at Island Lagoon, near Woomera.
Australia plans to use SBIRS data in monitoring ballistic missile threats in the Asia-Pacific region. The system would provide target reports to operational users.
Source: Flight International
