Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA
Australia's secret conversion of two of Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft to operate as airborne signals intelligence gatherers is part of a major upgrade of eavesdropping systems that have cost the country at least A$300 million ($175 million) over the past eight years.
The two signals intelligence aircraft, designated EP-3Cs, form a central element of ongoing listening operations against Indonesia and have carried out crucial interceptions of Indonesian armed forces (TNI) communications over the past 12 months. Details of the operation were exclusively revealed by Flight International last week.
The aircraft are a major focus of ongoing Indonesian allegations that Australia is continuing to carry out what it terms "black flights" over its territory. Given the technology carried by the two aircraft, however, it is unlikely that incursion into Indonesian airspace would be required to carry out intelligence-gathering operations.
Ongoing programme
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) EP-3Cs were modified between 1995 and 1997 under an ongoing programme known as both Project Air 5384 and Project Peacemate. The prime contractor was the former E-Systems, now part of Raytheon, and the Melbourne-based Hawker de Havilland, now part of the Tenix Group. The aircraft were certificated in late 1997.
The EP-3Cs are normally based at RAAF Amberley, near Brisbane, but were redeployed early last year to RAAF Tindal in the Northern Territory to monitor TNI tactical communications in and around East and West Timor.
During operational missions, the EP-3Cs have a combined crew of RAAF and Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) personnel. The mission systems can intercept a wide range of communications, including digital mobile telephones, as well as localising and identifying emitters such as air-defence radars and electronic jamming equipment.
The original specifications for the two aircraft were developed by the DSD between 1991 and 1993 as Project Peacemate Phase 1. The actual modification programme, designated Peacemate Phase 2, are believed to have received funding approvals from the former Labour Federal Government in either the 1994 or 1995 defence budget. Top-up funds for the upgrade were provided in the 1996/7 budget.
Most of the mission systems fitted under Phase 2 were acquired through the US Foreign Military Sales programme. The secret Australian project was directly linked to an upgrade then being carried out by the US Navy of its EP-3E signals intelligence aircraft to what is now known as the Aries-II configuration.
The aircraft also carry a number of Australian-unique signals processing software packages developed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. The aircraft may also carry a high-power optical surveillance system.
Peacemate Phase 3 saw tenders released in May 1998 for the purchase of a satellite communications system to enable relaying of signals data back to Defence Signals Directorate processing centres in Canberra and Geraldton via the existing DEFAUSSAT satellite communications network.
A current phase of Project Peacemate involves installing a limited signals interception capability on RAAF Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules transports. Four aircraft have been modified in parallel with an upgrade of electronic warfare self-protection (EWSP) suites by Tenix Defence Systems. The fourth aircraft was returned to operational service in the past two months, with the last eight aircraft expected to have similar modifications later this year, again under the cover of an EWSP upgrade.
Similar upgrade
The RAAF may also be considering including a suite similar to that fitted to the C-130Hs to the rest of its P-3C fleet as part of the ongoing Project Air 5276 upgrade.
Peacemate is managed by Australia's Defence Acquisition Organisation, DSD, and Canberra-based Prologue Consulting.
According to one Australian Defence intelligence source, the TNI has suspected the existence of the two aircraft for well over a year.
The intensity of intelligence operations carried out against the TNI during the first eight months of 1999 saw the Australian Department of Defence request in early September that the USN provide one of its Lockheed Martin EP-3E Aries II aircraft to support the Australian-led International Force East Timor (INTERFET) deployment.
On 16 September, the US Department of Defense announced it would deploy an intelligence aircraft to Australia as part of its INTERFET contribution with a USN Aries II and a 40-person signals analysis team arriving at RAAF Base Tindal three days later. The aircraft, normally based in Japan, began operations on 21 September. The RAAF used the arrival of USN aircraft to carry out urgently needed maintenance work on its own two aircraft.
The Peacemate project has been paralleled by a major upgrade of a land-based signals intelligence facility located at Shoal Bay in the Northern Territory under a classified programme known both as Project 333 and Project Neptune. Project 333 was one of two classified signals intelligence projects receiving government funding approvals in the 1996 defence budget. The second, still shrouded in secrecy, is known as both Defence Project 888 and Project Haybox.
Companies involved in the Project 333 upgrade included Perth-based Clough Engineering, Sydney Engineering (Sales),the University of Newcastle's TUNRA business unit, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. BAE Systems Australia holds a commercial support contract to carry out signals analysis.
The Project 333 system provides a strategic level of signals intelligence gathering against HF radio communications and satellite communications. The system can also localise signal sources for investigation by the two EP-3Cs.
Source: Flight International
