Defence Signals Directorate

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Agency overview
Defence Signals Directorate
Slogan: Reveal their secrets ... Protect our own
Formed	12th November 1947
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Headquarters	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia 35°18′01.72″S 149°09′05.53″E / -35.3004778, 149.1515361
Minister Responsible	Joel Fitzgibbon, Minister for Defence
Parent agency	Department of Defence
Website
dsd.gov.au

Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) is an Australian government intelligence agency responsible for signals intelligence (SIGINT) and information security (INFOSEC).

1 Overview
2 Facilities
3 Naming
4 See also
5 External links

Overview

According to its website, DSD has two principal functions:

to collect and disseminate foreign signals intelligence;
to provide information security products and services to the Australian Government and its Defence Force.

Based in Canberra, it operates monitoring facilities at Kojarena, Western Australia and at Shoal Bay, Northern Territory, which are believed to be part of the ECHELON system. It may also play a role in Pine Gap.

Under the 1948 UKUSA agreement, DSD's intelligence is shared with its foreign partner agencies:

National Security Agency (NSA) – United States
Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) – United Kingdom
Communications Security Establishment (CSE) – Canada
Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) – New Zealand

Electronic Warfare operators in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals work closely with the Defence Signals Directorate.

Facilities

The DSD operates at least two receiving stations: the Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station (ADSCS), located at Kojarena, near Geraldton in Western Australia, and the Shoal Bay Receiving Station, located at Shoal Bay, Northern Territory. These stations contribute signals intelligence for many Australian Government bodies, as well as the wider UKUSA partners. The DSD is also presumed to maintain a workforce at Pine Gap in central Australia.

In addition, it is believed many embassies and overseas missions also provide a return flow of signals intelligence to DSD.