Message posted by phil on February 22, 2005 at 23:08:00 PST:
G'day Steve, As an Aussie I can say that Yes, Pine Gap is a 'joint' facility but everyone here knows its really a Yank operation, run by the CIA, NSA, NRO crowd. Hope that helps mate, let me know if I can assist further.
Most of the time, I confine myself to mountaineering and the Mallory & Irvine mystery, but I do have some interest in 'black' programmes.
Narrungar in South Australia is a sigint base but is/has closed and shifted to Guam we hear.
These bases are un-popular in Aust with the public and few will miss Narrungar.
In terms of water supply, we have the Great Artesian basin under much of central Aust that supplies brackish bore water for cattle .
We have some of the largest cattle stations in the world here (what you'd call a ranch) and water is at a premium out here.
Thus its possible that bore water was tapped and rigged to sprinklers to aid landing as your mate suggests.
The great artesian basin ia a natural subterranean basin where rain water over millions of years has collected.
Regarding black aircraft here, there have been odd sightings over the years including one in the late'90's that crashed in West Australia and even made the news here only to be dropped in subsequent bulletins.
Locals describes it as very loud, flying low and very unusual.
There have been reports of our RAAF F-18A jets chasing MAch 6 targets to the north of Darwin after being picked up by ground radar, but it sounds futile really.eh
There is a black budget acknowledged here in Aust but its for sigint planes like converted C-130 senior scout and P-3 Aries like roles.
There are talk of black missiles and the powered JSOW has been mentioned but thats just procurement junket.
Also one Aviation journalist visited Palmdale 5 years ago and saw a mini B-2 near some u-2 and SR-71 planes when we were interested in the F-18E and the X-32, he was a respected Aussie aviation writer and saw it on the ground, at Palmdale but nothing has been hard since.
If you like, I'd be glad to send you as photocopy of the article, as its an interesting sighting from a noted writer up close to it who knows his stuff.
Fianlly, I did not a comment from one observer here (not you steve) on Australia's use to the U.S is only geographical!.
Hmmmm thats an illuminating comment, perhaps in future we should withdraw from U.S lead foreign military adventures/fiascos. Charming way to regard one of you few friends in the world. You's miss us if we dropped you. The tide is turning here anyway, no-one takes this war on terror seriously, its just a politicians way of keeping people fearful and compliant.
We're an anti authority lot down here. heh heh
Phil
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