Intertextuality as a property of the technical text is a complex phenomenon that facilitates creating a certain information space. In the analysis of technical texts the concept of intertextuality is used to describe both textual strategies consciously employed by the authors to encode information and an interpretative ability of the readers, who operate in this information space. In the present paper intertextuality is analyzed as an instrument of linguistic economy that facilitates encoding a vast body of information in a compressed form. On the basis of empirical research the authors conclude that intertextual strategies used in technical texts are similar to those used in other types of texts, but their range is limited. The main challenges associated with intralingual interpretation and translation of explicit and implicit intertextual references in technical texts are caused by the heterogeneous nature of scientific and technical discourse, which sets definite requirements concerning the scope and extent of background knowledge to be possessed by discourse participants.