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Military sets aside NT$3bn for e-warfare

Defense sources said yesterday that the military has earmarked around NT$3 billion for investments in electronic and information warfare next year.

It would represent the largest budget ever on a field now increasingly valued due to the growing reception of RMA (revolution in military affairs) thinking among the country's military leaders.

The investment will cover upgrading different categories of hardware and software associated with electronic or information warfare.

According to a local Internet-based news service, the plan includes the development of a security system for computer networks in use in the armed forces and a protective shield to defend computer systems against possible electromagnetic pulse (EMP) bomb attacks.

The information safety program, codenamed "Chihan" and the pulse protection program named "Maihu" are to cost a total of NT$780 million in the first year of their development, the ET-today news service said in a report on Tuesday.

Both the information safety program and the pulse protection program are scheduled to begin next year and last for four years.

No information was available on how much the projects would cost during the subsequent three years.

They are among 11 new projects, which are to begin next year, to strengthen Taiwan's weapons capabilities, the report said.

The Chihan project involves acquisition of technology and equipment for the security of military communications and the development of elementary technology for the protection of military information systems.

There are also plans to set up a real-time monitoring mechanism for the information networks that are in use in the services.

The Maihu project is aimed at working out countermeasures against potential damage which the military's computer-based operations might suffer in the event of an attack by EMP bombs from China.

In addition to the two projects, the military's information and electronic warfare upgrade plan also includes the modernization of the country's radar-based monitoring system.

The radar modernization, which has been codenamed "Anyu," has two main aims: an overall replacement of older two-dimensional radar systems with new three-dimensional ones, as well as the automation of battlefield radar control systems.

Several Anyu sub-projects have been initiated over the past few years, with some now nearing completion.

The whole project is scheduled to be completed in 2004, by which time it is hoped the military's radar-based monitoring capability will enjoy an edge over that of China's military.

Detailed information regarding the total cost of the project has not been released, but defense sources have said that around NT$1 billion can be expected to be budgeted for the project next year.

A much greater investment in the field is expected to be made in the years to come.

For instance, when Taiwan purchases a long-range radar system -- which the US agreed to sell to Taiwan during bilateral arms sales talks earlier this year -- it is anticipated that there will be a need for more heavy investment.

With long-range radar capabilities Taiwan will be able to monitor most of China, as the sophisticated system has a range of around 3,000km.
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