Australian Signals Directorate

{{Infobox government agency

| agency_name = Australian Signals Directorate

| logo = File:Australian Signals Directorate program logo.svg

| logo_width = 280px

| logo_caption = Program logo of the Australian Signals Directorate

| image = Russell Offices in November 2006.jpg

| seal = File:Australian Signals Directorate logo.svg

| seal_width = 280px

| seal_caption = Agency logo of the Australian Signals Directorate

| headquarters = Russell Offices, Canberra, Australia

| coordinates = {{coord|-35.2952|149.1487|type:landmark_region:AU-ACT|display=inline,title|format=dms}}

| image_size = 280px

| image_caption = The Russell Offices, Canberra in 2006

| formed = {{Start date and age|1947|11|12|df=y}}

| preceding =

| dissolved =

| superseding =

| jurisdiction = Commonwealth of Australia

| motto = "Reveal their secrets, protect our own"{{cite speech |last=Burgess |first=Mike |author-link=Mike Burgess (intelligence chief) |title=Cyber security – a poacher and gamekeepers’ perspective |event=Security Innovation Network Conference |date=31 July 2018 |location=Melbourne |publisher=Australian Signals Directorate |url=https://www.asd.gov.au/news-events-speeches/speeches/director-general-asd-speech-sinet61-2018 |access-date=28 October 2024}}

| employees = {{formatnum:3749}} (2023–24){{sfn |ASD Annual Report 2023–24|p=116}}

| budget = $2.4 billion (2023–24){{sfn |ASD Annual Report 2023–24|p=35}}

| minister1_name = Richard Marles

| minister1_pfo = Minister for Defence

| chief1_name = Abigail Bradshaw

| chief1_position = Director-General

| parent_agency = Defence Australia

| child1_agency = Australian Cyber Security Centre

| child2_agency =

| website = {{URL|www.asd.gov.au}}

| footnotes =

}}

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), formerly the Defence Signals Directorate, is a statutory agency of the Government of Australia responsible for signals intelligence, providing intelligence support to Australian military operations, conducting cyberwarfare and ensuring information security. The ASD is a part of the larger Australian Intelligence Community, and its role within the so-called Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance is to monitor signals intelligence in South and East Asia. The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is an agency within the ASD.

The unit was established in 1947 by executive order as the Defence Signals Bureau within the Department of Defence, and underwent several name changes until its current name ASD was adopted in 2013. ASD was converted to a statutory body by the Intelligence Services Act 2001. ASD is based in Canberra, at the Defence Department Headquarters at Russell Offices.{{cite web|url=http://dsd.gov.au/aboutdsd/history.htm |title=History: DSD Defence Signals Directorate |work=dsd.gov.au |date=2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101215739/http://www.dsd.gov.au/aboutdsd/history.htm |archive-date=1 November 2011 }} As of February 2020, Rachel Noble is the Director-General of ASD, replacing Mike Burgess, who was appointed Director-General of Security in September 2019.

In April 2018, a proposal to empower ASD to collect intelligence on Australians was backed by former Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton, but was strongly opposed by some in Cabinet who argued it was not necessary.[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-01/cyber-spy-agency-expansion-should-be-considered-dutton-says/9715176 Peter Dutton confirms push to expand powers of cyber spy agency to monitor domestic threats] Under legislation, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) are already allowed to seek assistance from ASD in conducting investigations on Australian citizens and businesses.

History

The Directorate has operated under a number of different names since its founding:{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

1947 – Defence Signals Bureau established within the Department of Defence
1949 – name changed to Defence Signals Branch
1964 – name changed to Defence Signals Division
1977 – name changed to Defence Signals Directorate on recommendation of the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security (Hope Commission){{Cite web |title=Defence Signals Division renamed Defence Signals Directorate {{!}} Australian Signals Directorate |url=https://www.asd.gov.au/75th-anniversary/timeline/184-1974-defence-signals-division-renamed-defence-signals-directorate |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=asd.gov.au}}
2013 – name changed to Australian Signals Directorate{{Cite press release|title = 2013 Defence White Paper: Renaming the Defence Signals Directorate and the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation|date = 3 May 2013|url = http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2013/05/03/prime-minister-and-minister-for-defence-joint-media-release-2013-defence-white-paper-renaming-the-defence-signals-directorate-and-the-defence-imagery-and-geospatial-organisation/|access-date = 2 September 2013|publisher = Minister for Defence|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130828123339/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2013/05/03/prime-minister-and-minister-for-defence-joint-media-release-2013-defence-white-paper-renaming-the-defence-signals-directorate-and-the-defence-imagery-and-geospatial-organisation/|archive-date = 28 August 2013|url-status = dead}}

ASD commissioned an official history in 2019, which will cover the organisation's history from its establishment to 2001.{{cite news |last1=Whyte |first1=Sally |title=John Blaxland to write official history of the Australian Signals Directorate |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6262462/signals-directorate-announces-history-author/ |access-date=11 July 2019 |work=The Canberra Times |date=9 July 2019}}

Roles and responsibilities

The principal functions of ASD are to collect and disseminate foreign signals intelligence (SIGINT) and to provide information security products and services to the Australian Government and Australian Defence Force (ADF), its foreign partners and militaries.{{cite web|url=http://dsd.gov.au/aboutdsd/index.htm |title=About DSD: DSD Defence Signals Directorate |work=dsd.gov.au |date=2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201190738/http://www.dsd.gov.au/aboutdsd/index.htm |archive-date=1 December 2011 }}

ASD operates at least three receiving stations:

the Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station (ADSCS), located at Kojarena, near Geraldton, Western Australia,
the Shoal Bay Receiving Station, located at Shoal Bay, Northern Territory, and
a small station on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.{{cite news |last=Dorling |first=Philip |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/listening-post-revealed-on-cocos-islands-20131031-2wlyz.html |title=Listening post revealed on Cocos Islands |newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=1 November 2013 |access-date=1 November 2013 |archive-date=14 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114095119/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/listening-post-revealed-on-cocos-islands-20131031-2wlyz.html |url-status=dead }}

ASD also maintains a workforce at Pine Gap in central Australia.{{cite news|last1=Leslie|first1=Tim|last2=Corcoran|first2=Mark|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-08/australian-nsa-involvement-explained/5079786|title=Explained: Australia's involvement with the NSA, the US spy agency at heart of global scandal|publisher=ABC|date=19 November 2013|access-date=24 March 2016}}

ADSCS and Shoal Bay are part of the United States signals intelligence and ECHELON analysis network.{{cite news |title= Tracking down the masters of terror |url= http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/16/1047749659596.html |work= The Age |date=17 March 2003 |access-date=2008-02-22}}{{cite news |first=Gary |last=Adshead |title=Secret WA spy base |work=The Sunday Times (Perth) |date=10 June 2001 |page=20}} These stations also contribute signals intelligence for many Australian Government bodies, as well as the other UKUSA partners.

Electronic warfare operators in the Royal Australian Corps of Signals work closely with ASD. 7 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) at Borneo Barracks, {{QLDcity|Cabarlah}}, Queensland is also associated with ASD.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}.{{Cite journal|last=Slocombe|first=Geoff|title=Cyber security: Australian signals directorate (ASD) is in the defensive and offensive front-line|journal=Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter|pages=34–36}}

In addition, it has been reported that many Australian embassies and overseas missions also house small facilities which provide a flow of signals intelligence to ASD.{{cite news |last=Dorling |first=Philip |title= Exposed: Australia's Asia spy network |url= http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/exposed-australias-asia-spy-network-20131030-2whia.html |access-date=2 November 2013 |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=31 October 2013}}

=UKUSA Agreement (Five Eyes)=

Australia joined the UKUSA Agreement in 1948,{{cite press release|title=Declassified UKUSA Signals Intelligence Agreement Documents Available|url=http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/press_room/2010/ukusa.shtml|publisher=National Security Agency|date=24 June 2010|access-date=25 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130716140847/http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/press_room/2010/ukusa.shtml|archive-date=16 July 2013|url-status=dead}} a multilateral agreement for cooperation in signals intelligence between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The alliance is also known as the Five Eyes.{{cite web|last=Cox |first=James |title=Canada and the Five Eyes Intelligence Community |url=http://www.cdfai.org/PDF/Canada%20and%20the%20Five%20Eyes%20Intelligence%20Community.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204055230/http://www.cdfai.org/PDF/Canada%20and%20the%20Five%20Eyes%20Intelligence%20Community.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-12-04 |publisher=Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute |date=December 2012 }} Other countries, known as "third parties", such as West Germany, the Philippines, and several Nordic countries also joined the UKUSA community.{{cite web|last=Gallagher |first= Ryan|title=How Secret Partners Expand NSA's Surveillance Dragnet|url=https://firstlook.org/theintercept/article/2014/06/18/nsa-surveillance-secret-cable-partners-revealed-rampart-a|website=The Intercept|date=2014-06-19|access-date=2014-09-27}} As the Agreement was a secret treaty, its existence was not even disclosed to the Australian Prime Minister until 1973, when Gough Whitlam insisted on seeing it.{{cite web|author1=Jordan Chittley |author2=Kevin Newman |name-list-style=amp |title=Canada's role in secret intelligence alliance Five Eyes|url=http://knlive.ctvnews.ca/mobile/the-knlive-hub/canada-s-role-in-secret-intelligence-alliance-five-eyes-1.1489170|publisher=CTV News|access-date=20 October 2013}} The existence of the UKUSA Agreement was discovered by the Australian government during the 1973 Murphy raids on the headquarters of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). After learning about the agreement, Whitlam discovered that Pine Gap, a secret surveillance station close to Alice Springs, Australia, had been operated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).{{cite news|last=Ley|first=Jenny|title=Australia and America: a 50-year affair|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/01/31/1043804523405.html|work=The Age|access-date=30 January 2014|date=1 February 2003}}{{cite book|last=Gill|first=Peter|title=Policing Politics: Security Intelligence and the Liberal Democratic State|year=1994|publisher=Cass|location=London u.a.|isbn=0-7146-3490-5|page=198|edition=1. publ.}}{{cite web |last=Leslie| first=Tim|title=Explained: Australia's involvement with the NSA, the US spy agency at heart of global scandal| date=8 November 2013|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-08/australian-nsa-involvement-explained/5079786|quote=Its existence was allegedly so secret that prime ministers were unaware of the agreement until 1973 – the same year the Commonwealth raided ASIO|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=30 January 2014}}{{cite book|last=Pugh|first=Michael C.|title=The ANZUS Crisis, Nuclear Visiting and Deterrence|url=https://archive.org/details/anzuscrisisnucle00pugh|url-access=limited|year=1989|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=0-521-34355-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/anzuscrisisnucle00pugh/page/n64 46]|edition=1. publ.}} Pine Gap is now operated jointly by both Australia and the United States.

The existence of the Agreement was not disclosed to the public until 2005.{{cite magazine|last=Adam White|title=How a Secret Spy Pact Helped Win the Cold War|url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2000262,00.html|magazine=Time|date=29 June 2010}} On 25 June 2010, for the first time, the full text of the agreement was publicly released by the United Kingdom and the United States, and can now be [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukusa/ viewed online].{{cite news|last=Norton-Taylor|first=Richard|title=Not so secret: deal at the heart of UK-US intelligence|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jun/25/intelligence-deal-uk-us-released|work=The Guardian|date=25 June 2010|access-date=25 June 2010}}{{cite web|title=Newly released GCHQ files: UKUSA Agreement|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukusa/|publisher=The National Archives|date=June 2010|quote=The files contain details of the recently avowed UKUSA Agreement – the top secret, post-war arrangement for sharing intelligence between the United States and the UK. Signed by representatives of the London Signals Intelligence Board and its American counterpart in March 1946, the UKUSA Agreement is without parallel in the Western intelligence world and formed the basis for co-operation between the two countries throughout the Cold War.}} Under the agreement, ASD's intelligence is shared with UKUSA signals intelligence partner agencies:

the National Security Agency (NSA){{spaced ndash}}United States,
the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ){{spaced ndash}}United Kingdom,
the Communications Security Establishment (CSE){{spaced ndash}}Canada,{{Cite journal|last=Wark|first=Wesley|title=The road to CANUSA: how Canadian signals intelligence won its independence and helped create the Five Eyes|journal=Intelligence and National Security}} and
the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB){{spaced ndash}}New Zealand.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzsis.govt.nz/publications/news/|title=News|website=nzsis.govt.nz|access-date=2018-01-31}}{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

Organisational structure

The Australian Signals Directorate is led by a Director-General and a Principal Deputy Director-General who oversee strategy. The ASD also comprises the Australian Cyber Security Centre, a Signals Intelligence and Network Operations Group, and a Corporate and Capability Group.

=SIGINT and Network Operations Group=

The Signals Intelligence and Network Operations Group is responsible for signals intelligence collection, analysis and production, and ASD's network based access and effects operations. The Group comprises an Intelligence Division and a Network Operations and Access Division responsible for foreign signals intelligence and offensive cyber operations.

=Defence SIGINT and Cyber Command=

The Defence Signals-Intelligence (SIGINT) and Cyber Command (DSCC) was established in January 2018 by the Chief of the Defence Force consolidating all ADF personnel within the ASD within the Joint Cyber Unit and Joint SIGINT Unit. The Commander of the DSCC is responsible to the Head of Information Warfare under the Chief of Joint Capabilities to the Chief of the Defence Force.[https://news.defence.gov.au/media/media-releases/defence-chief-announces-new-command Defence Chief announces new Command (30 January 2018)] Australian Department of Defence News

Leadership

= Director/Director-General =

class="wikitable sortable" ! Name !! Term began !! Term ended
Teddy Poulden \|1 April 1947{{Cite web \|title=Cdr John Edward 'Teddy' Poulden RN \|url=https://www.gchq.gov.uk/person/teddy-poulden \|access-date=2023-06-14 \|website=www.gchq.gov.uk \|language=en}} \|1949
R.N. Thompson \|1949{{Cite web \|title=75th Anniversary Timeline \|url=https://www.asd.gov.au/75th-anniversary/timeline/}} \|1977
R.D. Botterill \|1977{{Cite book \|last=Pfennigwerth \|first=Ian \|title=Man of Intelligence \|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing \|year=2006 \|isbn=9781877058417}} \|1982
Tim James \|1982 \|1994
Martin Brady \|1994{{Cite web \|title=Corporate governance structure \|url=https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/defence-housing-australia/reporting-year/2018-2019-24}} \|1999
Ron Bonighton \|1999 \|2002
Stephen Merchant \|2002 \|{{dts\|May 2007}}
Ian McKenzie	align="right" \| {{dts\|May 2007}}	align="right" \| {{dts\|November 2013}}
Paul Taloni	align=right \| {{dts\|November 2013}}{{cite news\|last1=Coyne\|first1=Allie\|title=Defence appoints new infosec chief\|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/defence-appoints-new-infosec-chief-361736\|access-date=28 October 2017\|work=iTnews\|publisher=nextmedia Pty Ltd\|date=24 October 2013}}	align=right \| {{dts\|3 December 2017}}
Mike Burgess	align=right \| {{dts\|4 January 2018}}	align=right \| {{dts\|15 September 2019}}
Rachel Noble	align=right \| {{dts\|February 2020}}	align=right \| {{dts\|September 2024}}
Abigail Bradshaw	align=right \| {{dts\|September 2024}}	align=right \| Incumbent

References

=Sources=

{{Cite report |url=https://www.asd.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-12/ASD-Annual-Report-2023-24.pdf |title=ASD Annual Report 2023–24 |date=2024 |publisher=Defence Australia |place=Canberra |access-date=11 April 2025 |ref={{harvid|ASD Annual Report 2023–24}}}}

External links

[http://www.asd.gov.au Official website]

Category:Cryptography organizations

Category:Signals intelligence agencies

Category:Australian intelligence agencies

Category:Commonwealth Government agencies of Australia

Category:1947 establishments in Australia

Category:Government agencies established in 1947

Category:Cold War history of Australia

Category:Defence Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group

Category:Organisations based in Canberra

class="wikitable sortable" ! Name !! Term began !! Term ended
Teddy Poulden \|1 April 1947{{Cite web \|title=Cdr John Edward 'Teddy' Poulden RN \|url=https://www.gchq.gov.uk/person/teddy-poulden \|access-date=2023-06-14 \|website=www.gchq.gov.uk \|language=en}} \|1949
R.N. Thompson \|1949{{Cite web \|title=75th Anniversary Timeline \|url=https://www.asd.gov.au/75th-anniversary/timeline/}} \|1977
R.D. Botterill \|1977{{Cite book \|last=Pfennigwerth \|first=Ian \|title=Man of Intelligence \|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing \|year=2006 \|isbn=9781877058417}} \|1982
Tim James \|1982 \|1994
Martin Brady \|1994{{Cite web \|title=Corporate governance structure \|url=https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/defence-housing-australia/reporting-year/2018-2019-24}} \|1999
Ron Bonighton \|1999 \|2002
Stephen Merchant \|2002 \|{{dts\|May 2007}}
Ian McKenzie	align="right" \| {{dts\|May 2007}}	align="right" \| {{dts\|November 2013}}
Paul Taloni	align=right \| {{dts\|November 2013}}{{cite news\|last1=Coyne\|first1=Allie\|title=Defence appoints new infosec chief\|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/defence-appoints-new-infosec-chief-361736\|access-date=28 October 2017\|work=iTnews\|publisher=nextmedia Pty Ltd\|date=24 October 2013}}	align=right \| {{dts\|3 December 2017}}
Mike Burgess	align=right \| {{dts\|4 January 2018}}	align=right \| {{dts\|15 September 2019}}
Rachel Noble	align=right \| {{dts\|February 2020}}	align=right \| {{dts\|September 2024}}
Abigail Bradshaw	align=right \| {{dts\|September 2024}}	align=right \| Incumbent