The army is to spend over NT$4.5 billion next year on communication and electronic warfare equip-ment, its largest-ever investment in the field, according to the defense budget for next year.
The investment accounts for nearly half of the army's entire budget for weaponry purchases next year -- NT$9.6 billion.
The purchase is expected to help change the image of the army from a large but loosely inter-connected conventional force to a modern, compact and well-coordinated fighting force.
The communication and electronic warfare equipment that the army plans to buy includes super-high frequency radios, a tactical battlefield communication system called the IMSE (Improved Mobile Subscriber Equipment) and the prototype for a mobile electronic warfare system.
The IMSE is the most expensive component, costing over NT$2.6 billion per unit.
The army has already bought and deployed one IMSE unit, but its follow-up plan to buy a second unit was suspended last year by the defense committee of the legislature due to objections from some lawmakers who argued that the system could interfere with the use of mobile phones.
They recommended instead that the army seek help from the military-run Chun Shan Institute of Science and Technology to develop an equivalent system, using resources and technology available in Taiwan.
But despite its failed attempt last year, the army will try again in this year's budget screening session of the defense committee to win approval for its plans to buy the second IMSE unit.
Chances for the plan's passage are high, since the number of defense committee lawmakers opposed to the purchase is declining, a lawmaker said.
In addition to the IMSE, the army also intends to acquire the prototype for an electronic warfare system.
The army leased a similar system from the US for experiments in a field exercise earlier this year.
RSS