  The VERITAS gamma ray observatory (Amado, AZ, veritas.sao.arizona.edu) uses
the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique (IACT) to study sources of Very
High Energy (VHE: E > 100 GeV) gamma rays. Key science results from the first
three years of observation include the discovery of the first VHE emitting
starburst galaxy, detection of new Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), SuperNova
Remnants (SNR), gamma ray binaries as well as strong limits on the emission of
VHE gamma rays from dark matter annihilation in dwarf galaxies. In April 2010,
VERITAS received funding to upgrade the photomultiplier tube cameras, pattern
triggers, and networking systems in order to improve detector sensitivity,
especially near detection threshold (E ~ 100 GeV). In this paper we describe
the status of the VERITAS upgrade and the expected improvements in sensitivity
when it is completed in summer 2012.
