Some people might have seen the Hollywood movie The Fate of the Furious. In the film, an army of “zombie cars” rains on New York City. Reportedly, the majority of the cars used in the scene were real, with only limited use of special effects.
Thanks to the Internet, the zombie car scene is really not that far-fetched. At its core, it is a sophisticated cyberattack, planned and executed by a small number of people, using information, communications and electronics technology to carry out their objective. This is the way cyberwars will be fought in the future.
Since taking office last year, President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration has aimed to revitalize the beleaguered defense industry and has prioritized information security. In October 2014, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) think tank the New Frontier Foundation published its seventh defense policy blue paper, Regenerating Taiwan’s Core Defense Industries, followed in May, 2015 by Taiwan’s Military Defense Capability, 2025. In October 2015, Tsai published her government’s Strategy to Regenerate the Domestic Defense Industry.
The policy documents proposed the strategic development of three core areas: aerospace, maritime and information security, but also advocated the establishment of a “fourth military service.”
The “fourth service” would integrate the military’s information and electronic warfare unit with civilian capabilities and is tasked with safeguarding Taiwan’s “digital domain” to protect the nation’s defense assets and basic infrastructure from organized hacking and cyberterrorist attacks.
Although Taiwan already has an information security defense strategy, until recently it was geared toward cyberwarfare. However, of late there has been a shift in emphasis.
The Ministry of National Defense deputy chief for signals, electronic and information warfare recently held a demonstration of the military’s information, communications and electronics warfare capabilities, and leading academics are frequently invited to participate in exchanges and seminars with the military.
The National Defense University has also established an online security postgraduate program. It is heartening to see that progress is being made toward the formation of a comprehensive information, communications and electronics defense strategy.
In March, Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) issued a report on the National Defense four-year general review. His report did not touch on the “fourth service,” but stated that the military must “strengthen its information, communications and electronics capability to protect war commands, control systems and key information systems.”
However, the new “fourth army” is gradually shaping up in line with the strategic thinking of the DPP’s national defense blue papers.
Although observers often focus on information technology — such as the military’s Internet and cyberwarfare capabilities — officials have said that the ministry places equal emphasis on the military units responsible for communication and electronic cyberwarfare.
Their work includes electronic communications intelligence gathering, satellite telecommunications and photographic surveillance, electronics warfare and countermeasures, and ensuring that the military’s essential signals communication equipment is combat-ready, fully integrated and cutting-edge. It is positive to note that the military is taking steps to catch up with the rest of the world in these areas, but I have several suggestions:
The new cyberarmy does not need to be proficient in every form of electronic and information warfare. While the new service must possess a high level of technical proficiency and technical coordination, this would not be achieved overnight; it should therefore phase in its objectives.
Initially, it should allocate the majority of its resources to information security, signals platforms and offensive and defensive electronics warfare, rather than trying to establish a comprehensive range of capabilities. It should develop decisive tactical deterrents before setting up specialist divisions. Gradual development would ensure that the military gains an effective new strategic force.
To avoid role duplication, the military should integrate its command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance structures. The “fourth service” would be built from existing ranks without any increase in workforce from the military’s current 215,000 personnel. It would be formed by merging the army’s signals group, information and electronics branch and the navy’s and air force’s electronics communications groups, meaning that it would be relatively easy to establish a unified command structure.
However, being used to their theaters of operation, each branch might not be able to shake off their inter-service rivalries. When establishing the “fourth service,” the ministry must consulate with each branch prior to the allocation of new roles, while each branch must dispense with old ways of thinking to ensure the integrity of the structure.
The “fourth service” must be forward-looking and be built on solid foundations. Many foreign militaries, including Japan, Germany, Singapore, and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force have placed information, communication and electronics warfare at the center of their operations and strategic development.
The military has been slow to adopt a similar strategy, but as it establishes its electronics and cyberwarfare capabilities, it has the opportunity to emulate other countries’ military systems, which would help to shorten the learning curve and enable Taiwan to rapidly catch up.
Taiwanese have had repeated success at DEF CON, an international convention for hackers and computer security professionals. The nation has many talented computer specialists. The military needs to harness their collective expertise and create a cyberarmy.
The Executive Yuan is formulating a “national information and communications security plan” for the next three years which includes establishing an “information, communication and electronics security warrior force” and an apprenticeship program to foster academic and commercial talent. This is good news and the right way forward.
Information security and its specialist skills are still in development. The skills needed and the regulations governing information security are still unclear. In creating a cyberarmy, officials must consider a legal framework and the inevitable loopholes that would need to be remedied. It is crucially important that the “fourth service” is established with legal controls in place.
An expert review panel should also be convened. The policy has passed through key administrative planning, execution and review stages and according to the ministry, cyberarmy planning is complete.
However, it is crucial that steps are put in place to evaluate the policy implementation. A specialist committee of experts should be set up to evaluate policy implementation and to provide recommendations for improvement to ensure the policy stays on track.
According to media reports, the cyberarmy is expected to be launched this month. It is hoped that the creation of a “fourth service” would help remove barriers between the army, navy and air force.
The military cannot be stuck in the old ways, but must stay attuned to global trends, create unlimited possibilities, and like the manga film Attack on Titan, remove barriers between people and the wider world and unite for combat readiness.
Erecting walls is not enough; there must also be a determination to keep fighting until the last person standing and to fearlessly advance in the heat of battle, for the struggle for survival is never-ending.
Steven Wang is an army colonel.
Translated by Edward Jones
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