Satellite boost for Australian forces

news.com.au ^ | 15th September 2009

[naturalman1975]

DEFENCE has awarded a $94 million contract for construction of three new satellite ground terminals to improve communications with forces deployed around the world.

Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Minister Greg Combet said the new terminals would be constructed by defence company BAE Systems at the Australian Defence Satellite and Communications Station near Geraldton, Western Australia.

He said this project would dramatically increase the amount of data provided through the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) system that Australia accesses, through a partnership with the United States Department of Defence.

[naturalman1975]

And to think there are socialist idiots out there who ask what value Australia gets out of being a US ally.

The WGS was going to consist of five satellites. Australia is funding a sixth - it gives increased capability for the United States, as well as giving Australia access to a system that we'd never be likely to create on our own. It's a pretty simple benefit calculation really.

[naturalman1975]

Cool logo as well, with a platypus on it.

[GeronL]

$94 million for 3 satellite dishes seems a bit much =o)

This would be considered a tiny “petty cash” purchase in the US.

[GeronL]

Is that Platypus doing the Heisman stance???

[naturalman1975]

It looks like it to me.

If I was a platypus, I’d stay as far away from football as possible - you’re more likely to be used as the ball than anything else.

[GeronL]

true. they would make good footballs.

[B.Lyle]

Not true! They have barbs on their rear legs, the people catching them would quickly find their hands covered in infected puncture holes. Also, they don’t like being kicked.

[GeronL]

oh. and those barbs are poisonous right?

[naturalman1975]

Only the males have the poisonous spur.

I really do see some resemblance to a football.

The duck-billed platypus, small aquatic friend
Made from the pieces God had over at the end.
According to His reckoning (He'd not been wrong before)
He hadn't made enough: He needed one mammal more.

He studied all the corners in His cupboard large and bare
A little foot here, and a little nose there,
A scrap of fur, a feather, nothing anyone would miss
And God said, "Oh Good God... Yes?..... What can I make out of this?"

There was a funny flat tail and a great enormous beak
Which had lain in the cupboard for a year and a week.
There were four webbed feet in the manner of a duck
And hanging on a peg, a furry overcoat for luck!

So the turn of the platypus came to be fitted
God sat him down and honestly admitted
That the finished platypus might appear a little odd,
'But look on the bright side of it,' said God.

'You can swim in the river, you can paddle in the creek,
You can tackle anybody with a great big beak,
There's a tail for a rudder or alternatively legs
And by way of consolation you've got babies and eggs.'

So God took all the pieces into Workshop One
And there he told the men the sort of thing he wanted done.
The Carpenter and Plumber stroked the platypus's neck
And said, "Don't you upset him, he can't run, but he can peck!"

So the platypus was made, and his beak was firmly rooted
And God found him a home where he would not be persecuted.
They packed him up and sent him with his tail neatly furled
In a brown paper parcel marked "Australia, The World."

[B.Lyle]

Yeah. Just causes pain and swelling I think.

[GeronL]

lolol.

Gotta love platty