Inside Pine Gap: The top secret CIA base located deep in the Australian outback

A top secret CIA spy base located deep in the outback could make Australia a nuclear target for America’s military adversaries, an expert has warned.

Pine Gap is a satellite tracking station south-west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory and is operated by US intelligence agencies in partnership with Australia.

Established in 1970 when 400 American families were moved to central Australia, Pine Gap is now the most important overseas US intelligence facility.  

Few photos exist of the base due to its remote location and high levels of security, but photographer Kristian Laemmle-Ruff managed to get close enough to take spectacular pictures back in 2014.

Photographer Kristian Laemmle-Ruff managed to get close enough to Pine Gap to take this image of the security fence and radomes in 2014

This award-winning photograph of Pine Gap was taken by Kristian Laemmle-Ruff from the outer perimeter

This award-winning photograph of Pine Gap was taken by Kristian Laemmle-Ruff from the outer perimeter

Mr Laemmle-Ruff told Daily Mail Australia he was only able to find a good vantage point after walking around the outer perimeter for hours. 

‘I planned to hike in and get as close as I could,’ he said.

‘It was quite intimidating and scary. The risk was very apparent in my head space.’

Mr Laemmle-Ruff recalled seeing a high barb-wired fence surrounding the inner perimeter, cameras and security patrols that circled the base every ten minutes. 

He claimed Pine Gap was ‘positioned quite specifically’ so that the view was always obstructed by the surrounding hills.

‘After I took the photographs I got the hell out of there,’ he said.

‘I thought I was going to get caught or at least get surveilled. There was a potential charge and jail. I didn’t publish it (the images) for awhile for that reason.’

But despite legal advice not to release the images, he eventually went public when Professor Richard Tanter, Director of the Nautilus Institute at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, released a report on the facility.

Dr Tanter told Daily Mail Australia hosting the base was no longer in Australia’s interest, and warned it makes the country a military target.

‘It’s a high-priority Russian target in the event of conflict with the US, and now China as well,’ he said.

‘The deterioration of relations between China and the US has led to this increased tension and the B52 bombers will be registered in China.’ 

‘We are, in Chinese eyes, going along with military escalation to attack China and help the Americans destroy China’s military deterrent.’ 

The base has been used by personnel to watch and listen to intelligence that could be of interest to the five eyes alliance

The base has been used by personnel to watch and listen to intelligence that could be of interest to the five eyes alliance

Dr Tanter said that while there was once a strong argument to have a facility like Pine Gap for intelligence purposes ‘we’ve gone far beyond that now’. 

‘Pine Gap has roles and capabilities now like nuclear war fighting capabilities that we should have nothing to do with.’

‘It has played a very important role in extra judicial assassinations for the US in countries Australia is not at war with.’ 

He added that the country ‘needs its own autonomous capabilities for its own needs’.

‘It’s possible to have a balanced relationship with the US and put serious limits on risk assessments.’

‘It’s okay for Australia to say yes on some matters and no to others, it just takes a lot of political pressure,’ he said. 

The base is strategically located in central Australia due to the sheer isolation from any main population, the inability of foreign planes to intercept signals and the strong connectivity to multiple satellites

The base is strategically located in central Australia due to the sheer isolation from any main population, the inability of foreign planes to intercept signals and the strong connectivity to multiple satellites 

Purpose and Location 

The facilities at the base consist of a massive computer complex with 38 radomes protecting radio dishes.

The base has since been used by to watch and listen to intelligence from around the world that could be of interest to the Five Eyes alliance which consists of Australia, the US, Canada, the UK and New Zealand. 

It controls US spy satellites as they pass over one-third of the globe, including China, North Korea the Asian parts of Russia, and the Middle East. 

Antennas provide early warning of missile strikes, guide anti-aircraft and missile defence systems, and paint targets for Australian and US weapon systems.

The most controversial role for these signals is that they assist with targeting areas for drone strikes, which was utilised during the war in Afghanistan.

Data from the antennas are analysed by a massive computer system covering 20,000sqm – the size of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Pine Gap’s remote location 900km from the coast means spy planes and ships from foreign countries are unable to intercept signals travelling to the facility.

The base is also far from any major city or town in Australia with the exception of Alice Springs which has a population of just 26,000.

Pine Gap has used nine geosynchronous satellites over the past 45 years, with at least three used by the base today.

These satellites follow the earth’s rotation and track a vast section of the same surface area of the planet.

They are able to pick up a significant amount of signals and transmissions which are relayed back to Pine Gap.

The three geosynchronous satellites currently used by the base cover even a wider area of the globe, including the whole of Asia, the Middle East, Russia and as far as west Africa. 

The United States is set to deploy at six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Northern Territory

The United States is set to deploy at six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Northern Territory

Military Target 

Despite numerous protests, the Australian government remains committed to the project.

‘[Pine Gap] makes a critical contribution to the security interests of Australia and the United States,’ a Defence White Paper reads.

‘Delivering information on intelligence priorities such as terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and military and weapons developments, while contributing to the verification of arms control and disarmament agreements.’

Experts have warned that Pine Gap is a major target for a nuclear attack from foreign nations if tensions between the superpowers continues to escalate, with analysis showing a nuclear strike could wipe out Alice Springs. 

It comes following an announcement from the US last year of upgrades to the RAAF Base Tindal in Katherine.

The announcement includes plans to expand the parking area of the base so six of the nation’s strategic B-52 ‘stratofortress’ bombers can be stationed there as well as a ‘squadron operations facility’ and an ammunition bunker.

These aircraft can be armed to deliver long-range strikes of nuclear and conventional weapons.

The move was seen as both a ‘warning’ to China and a preparation for a war that a leading US expert on China said would be the ‘worst war in modern history’.

The expansion is estimated to cost $100million and will be entirely funded by the US.

There are also plans to put funds towards upgrading the equipment and making improvements at Pine Gap.

The American plans include a US$100million parking area for the giant aircraft, a 'squadron operations facility' and an ammunition bunker at RAAF Base Tindal (pictured)

The American plans include a US$100million parking area for the giant aircraft, a ‘squadron operations facility’ and an ammunition bunker at RAAF Base Tindal (pictured)

Secret rooms 

There’s a wealth of secrecy surrounding the surveillance base.

In 2018, the UK-based surveillance and privacy watchdog Privacy International gained access to an old US diplomatic cable from 1985 that referred to secret rooms at the base where Australians were not allowed to enter despite the base being jointly operated. 

The cable was released to PI by the US State Department following a lawsuit by the watchdog to seek access to the UKUKA agreement in December 2017. 

The UKUKA agreement is a multilateral agreement of intelligence sharing between the Five Eyes nations.

In the records disclosed to PI, one cable from the US State Department recorded comments made by then-defence minister Kim Beazley, who said the government was ‘fully aware of everything that takes place at the joint facilities’ at Pine Gap.

He then added: ‘Nothing happens at these facilities about which the government is unaware.’

The cable then presents remarks made by late defence expert Professor Desmond Ball who rubbished the assertions made by Mr Beazley.

Dr Ball said he was advised of two secret rooms at Pine Gap where Australian nationals were not allowed to enter.

‘Ball claimed that he has spoken to individuals working at Pine Gap and that there were at least two areas of the facility where Australian nationals are not permitted entry – the US ‘national communication and cypher room’ and the ‘key room where they (Americans) do the final analysis of all incoming intelligence,’ the cable read. 

Dr Ball argued that Australian nationals should have full access to Pine Gap. 

Next to the text within the cable is a handwritten comment from an unknown US official who referred to Dr Ball’s claim of there being a ‘national communication and cypher room’ as ‘CORRECT’.

The note alleges that former Labor leader Bill Hayden entered that secret ‘area’ once and was the only Australian to do so.

It also said that the ‘key room’ referred to by Dr Ball did not exist. The comment next to the assertion read ‘NO SUCH AREA’. 

The privacy watchdog Privacy International uncovered an old US diplomatic cable in 2018 where Australian defence expert Desmond Ball referred to two secret rooms at Pine Gap that Australians were not allowed to enter

The privacy watchdog Privacy International uncovered an old US diplomatic cable in 2018 where Australian defence expert Desmond Ball referred to two secret rooms at Pine Gap that Australians were not allowed to enter

A handwritten comment next to the assertions made by Professor Ball claimed one of the rooms he referred to was real and visited by former Labor leader Bill Hayden whereas the other did not exist

A handwritten comment next to the assertions made by Professor Ball claimed one of the rooms he referred to was real and visited by former Labor leader Bill Hayden whereas the other did not exist 

Dr Tanter said the US was more restrictive with Australian personnel accessing the base during that time compared to today.

‘Australians today have access to all areas of the base as they’re employed in all areas of the base,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.

‘We have access to all operational parts of the base and the deputy head of the station is always Australian.’

‘There is only one room Australians don’t have access to and that’s where the Americans decrypt intelligence that’s gathered and sent to Washington,’ he said.

According to Dr Tanter there is also one room Australians have access to that the US personnel don’t.  

Dr Tanter, who has worked extensively with Dr Ball in the past, said the cable was from a period when Australians were very restricted.

‘The first Australian workers at Pine Gap in the 1970s went through hell. They were very restricted in accessing the base.’ 

Pine Gap is a satellite surveillance base near Alice Springs, Northern Territory, and is jointly operated by the United States and Australia

Pine Gap is a satellite surveillance base near Alice Springs, Northern Territory, and is jointly operated by the United States and Australia

Protests 

Pine’s Gap’s existence and contribution to the military efforts of western governments has sparked multiple protests – with some activists managing to sneak inside.

In November 1983, the largest ever ‘peace camp’ protest at the surveillance base was held.  About 700 women rallied against having an American military base in Australia.  

Around 400 people from several community groups including the Nation Union of Students congregated at the gates of the base to protest against the upcoming Iraq War in October 2002. 

In December 2005, four people from the Christians Against All Terrorism group held a protest. All four members then broke into the facility by using bolt cutters to cut into the security perimeter fence. 

They were subsequently arrested and became the first Australians in history to be charged with breaching the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952.

The convicted members were let off with small fines instead and avoided jail time. 

The existence of the surveillance base has led to multiple protests since its establishment (pictured, activists marching through Alice Springs after ralling against Pine Gap in 2002)

The existence of the surveillance base has led to multiple protests since its establishment (pictured, activists marching through Alice Springs after ralling against Pine Gap in 2002)

Around 400 people from several community groups including the Nation Union of Students congregated at the gates of the base to protest against the upcoming Iraq War in October 2002

Around 400 people from several community groups including the Nation Union of Students congregated at the gates of the base to protest against the upcoming Iraq War in October 2002

Activists shared concerns over how the facility was being used in the war effort (pictured, one protester bares his behind towards police officers at the gates of Pine Gap)

Activists shared concerns over how the facility was being used in the war effort (pictured, one protester bares his behind towards police officers at the gates of Pine Gap)

The most recent rally was in September 2016 where James Dowling, Franz Dowling, Andy Paine, Tim Webb, Paul Christie and Margaret Pestorius broke into the prohibited area of Pine Gap.

All six protesters scaled the security perimeter fence and tried to disrupt activities inside. Paine brought in an iPhone and livestreamed their break in.  

They narrowly avoided jail because Justice John Reeves thought instead of being a deterrent, it would make them a ‘martyrs’ to the cause.

James Dowling said outside court he was trying to stop war crimes and the group would not be deterred from further illegal action.

‘Pine Gap is guilty of massive war crimes, drone warfare and other warfare; it’s ongoing and we asked the judge to take our side,’ he said.

‘Unfortunately he took the side of Pine Gap and the war criminals.’

Justice Reeves fined the six members of the group differing amounts based on their age, criminal history and personal circumstances. 

The most recent rally was in September 2016 where James Dowling, Franz Dowling, Andy Paine, Tim Webb, Paul Christie and Margaret Pestorius broke into the prohibited area of Pine Gap

The most recent rally was in September 2016 where James Dowling, Franz Dowling, Andy Paine, Tim Webb, Paul Christie and Margaret Pestorius broke into the prohibited area of Pine Gap

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