Text Fwd: Spy plane development hits snag 백두 정찰기 사업 난항

* Image & caption source: A plastic model of the Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft / Korea Times

Korea Times
Spy plane development hits snag
11-02-2010
Arms agency blamed for delaying procurement programs
By Jung Sung-ki

A plan to develop a new reconnaissance aircraft to gather North Korean signal intelligence (SIGINT) has hit a snag after one of the two contenders dropped its bid, a source said Tuesday.

The contender in question — Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) — blamed the government for offering too small a budget and poor management of arms procurement programs, the source said.

As a result, the deployment of two Baekdu signal-intelligence (SIGINT) planes, which was originally planned for 2014, will be postponed, affecting the country’s pursuit of an independent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to prepare for the 2015 transition of wartime operational command from the United States to Korea.

“KAI didn’t submit its proposal until the Oct. 29 deadline, while its competitor, Korean Air, presented its proposal to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA),” the source told The Korea Times. DAPA was supposed to select the preferred bidder Nov. 5 after reviewing the proposals from the two aircraft companies.

According to the source, KAI believes the allocated budget of some 90 billion won ($80 million) is too small to develop an advanced SIGINT plane. The aircraft manufacturer also claims there are too many risks to meet the required operational capability of the high-tech plane.

“For example, the military has demanded that the new Baekdu aircraft be equipped with domestically-built SIGINT equipment,” said the source. “But local precision electronics makers — Samsung Thales and LIG Nex1 — have only developed SIGINT equipment for ships. They have to make the naval equipment suitable for aircraft.”

It’s rare to install a ship-based SIGINT device on a surveillance aircraft, he said.

The Air Force currently operates four Raytheon Hawker 800XP aircraft-based Baekdu SIGINT planes bought in 2000. Equipped with a remote control and signaling system, the Baekdu plane flies near the border with North Korea to gather signals intelligence.

Fitted with more advanced signal and communications equipment, the new Baekdu planes would be able to detect and gather signals from missile and nuclear sites in the North around the clock.

The fiasco of the Baekdu project is the latest in a series of delays in key arms procurement programs due to DAPA’s poor management.

DAPA has failed to conclude a deal on the purchase of up-to-date military transport planes due to a disagreement on the price of the product, according to industry sources.

The failure in the projected contract of the C-130J Super Hercules built by U.S. Lockheed Martin was largely due to a “miscalculation” of the program costs by the arms agency, they say.

“The agency was trying hard in recent months to revive the negotiations over the C-130J purchase, but there is a large gap between the DAPA-estimated costs and those presented by Lockheed Martin,” a foreign industry official said.

“DAPA focuses too much on low cost arms programs but often falls short of its goals of effectiveness and professionalism in arms acquisition,” the official said. “That’s good for South Korean interests in some sense, but you should keep in mind that the top priority for soldiers in the field is to get the right systems at the right time.”

He continued, “When a contract is delayed past the planned time frame or to next year, costs for spare parts, for example, are often readjusted, so price negotiations must begin from scratch.”

DAPA was also blamed for a legal dispute earlier this year over the Tactical Information Communication Network (TICN).

Samsung Thales, one of the main bidders for the 4 trillion won program, argued that the agency changed the standards of evaluation in an arbitrary manner in favor of its competitor LIG Nex1.

The company then filed for an injunction to prevent DAPA from proceeding with the program, and the court upheld the appeal.

Samsung Thales voluntarily withdrew its lawsuit last month to get the program going. But due to a year-long dispute, the development of TICN is to be postponed by a year to 2014.

TICN is a cutting-edge digital command-and-control and sensor-to-shooter battlefield system expected to replace the existing SPIDER communication systems run by the Army by 2020.

It is designed to advance into a high-speed, large-capacity, long-distance wireless relay transmission system. SPIDER can only transmit still images and voice data, but TICN allows for the integrated transmission of video, image and voice data at more than 10 times the current speed.
_______________________________________________

[단독] 백두 정찰기 사업 난항

- 잇따른 주요 무기사업 지연에 방위사업청 사업관리 능력 도마위에

정성기 기자

북한 미사일과 핵시설의 신호를 수집하는 정찰기 사업이 난항을 겪고 있는 것으로 확인됐다.
최근 잇따른 주요 무기체계 사업이 지연되거나 법률 소송에 휘말리는 등 방위사업청의 사업관리 능력에 대한 비판이 잇따르고 있다.

소식통에 의하면 신형 백두 정찰기 사업에 체계통합 업체로 참여할 예정이었던 한국항공우주산업(KAI)이 지난 10월 29일 마감 시한까지 입찰 제안서를 제출하지 않았다.

KAI측은 해당 사업의 예산이 너무 낮게 책정되어 있고 체계개발 방안이 국방과학연구소 주도에서 업체 주도로 갑자기 변경되는 등의 ‘리스크’를 이유로 든 것으로 알려진다.

결국 신형 백두 신호수집 정찰기를 2014년까지 2대 배치 하겠다는 계획에는 차질이 빚어질 것으로 보인다. 한국군은 2015년 전시작전권 전환에 맞춰 독자적인 정보수집, 감시, 정찰 능력을 강화하는데 힘쓰고 있으며 백두 정찰기 배치는 이러한 노력의 핵심 무기 사업이다.

소식통은 “KAI는 지난 29일 마감시한까지 입찰 제안서를 제출하지 않았고, 대한항공만 제출한 상태”라며 “원래는 11월 5일 우선협상 대상자를 선정할 계획이었으나 이에 차질이 빚어질 것으로 보인다”라고 말했다.

그는 “KAI측은 약 900억원 정도로 책정되어 있는 예산이 너무 적고 군이 요구하는 성능을 업체 주관으로 개발하는 데에는 리스크가 많다라는 이유로 입찰을 포기한 것으로 안다”라고 말했다.

소식통은 “예를 들어, 군에선 백두 정찰기에 국내개발된 SIGINT 장비 탑재를 원하고 있지만 현재 국내 개발업체인 삼성탈레스와 LIG Nex1은 함정용 SIGING장비만을 개발한 상태” 라며 “함정용 장비를 개조해 정찰 항공기에 탑재하는 것은 드문 일이기 때문에 성능에 대한 리스크가 분명히 있을 것”이라고 말했다.

신형 백두정찰기는 북한의 핵과 미사일 기지를 24시간 감시하며 신호를 탐지 및 수집하는 역할을 하게 된다.

백두 정찰기 사업과 같이 최근 주요무기 사업이 지연되는데에는 방사청의 사업 관리 부실에 책임이 있다는 지적이 일고 있다.

방사청은 올해 초 마무리를 짓기로 예정되어 있던 대형수송기 구매 사업도 가격 협상 실패로 난항을 겪고 있는 것으로 알려진다.

업계 관계자들은 애초부터 너무 낮은 가격으로 협상에 임하면서 C-130J 제조사인 록히드마틴사와 큰 입장 차를 보였다고 전한다.

한 외국 업계 관계자는 “방사청은 최근 C-130J 협상타결을 위해 최대한 노력했지만 양측의 가격차가 너무 커서 이견을 좁히는 데 어려움이 있는 것으로 안다”고 말했다.

그는 “방사청은 싼 가격으로 무기를 들여오는데 너무 집중하지만 결국 무기 도입의 효율성과 전문성에는 부족함을 드러내는 게 사실이다”라며 “싼 가격의 무기 도입은 국익에 일면 국익에 도움이 되긴 하겠지만, 야전에 배치된 병사들은 필요한 무기가 제때 들어오기를 바라는 점은 간과하고 있는 것”이라고 꼬집었다.

그는 또 “계약이 기한을 넘거나 한 해를 넘길 경우 부품 가격은 올라가거나 다시 재조정되야 하고 결국 가격 협상은 처음부터 다시 해야 하는 번거로움이 있다”라고 불만을 토로했다.

방사청의 사업관리 부실은 법률 소송으로 비화됐던 TICN 전술통신체계 사업에서 여실히 드러난다.

입찰업체였던 삼성탈레스는 방위사업청이 경쟁사인 LIG Nex1에게 유리하도록 평가 기준을 바꿨다는 점에 이의를 제기, 가처분 소송을 진행하기까지 이르렀다.

법원은 삼성탈레스의 입장에 손을 들어줬지만 지난달 업체 측이 자발적으로 소송을 취하하면서 논란은 일단락 됐다. 하지만 이와 같은 일년 간의 논쟁과 법률 소송으로 4조원 가량의 TICN개발과 전력화는 적어도 1년 가량 지연될 전망이다.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

Text Fwd: [Exclusive] New spy planes to be deployed by 2014

A plastic model of the Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft
/ Korea Times photo by Jung Sung-ki

Korea Times
Signal, communications intelligence from NK missile, nulcear sites to be monitored
By Jung Sung-ki, Staff reporter
June 28, 2010

South Korea plans to deploy two new reconnaissance aircraft to be used in gathering North Korean signal intelligence by 2014, a year before taking over wartime operational control of its troops, defense and procurement officials said Monday.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) will release a request for proposals next month to local and foreign bidders who wish to participate in the integration of the new "Baekdu" signal-intelligence (SIGINT) planes. Final bidders will be selected by year's end.

The South Korean Air Force currently operates four Raytheon Hawker 800XP aircraft-based Baekdu SIGINT planes bought in 2000. Equipped with a remote control and signaling system, the Baekdu plane flies near the border with North Korea to gather signal intelligence.

The acquisition of upgraded Baekdu planes was proposed last year after North Korea conducted its second underground nuclear test in April. Fitted with more advanced signal and communications intelligence equipment, the new Baekdu would be able to detect and gather signals from missile and nuclear sites in the North around the clock.

"The Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft is one of the ROK military's key intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets, the key element for Seoul's takeover of OPCON," an official privy to the second-phase Baekdu acqusition program told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity.

"Baekdu planes and other ISR systems are scheduled to be operational with the ROK military by 2014 and 2015. I believe those time frames have apparently affected the latest readjustment of the timeline for the OPCON transition," he said.

The aircraft will be delivered to the Air Force by 2012 before beginning full operations by 2014, the official added.

LIG Nex1 and Samsung Thales, two rival precision electronics companies in South Korea, will bid to supply communication, electronic and foreign instrumentation signals intelligence systems, while U.S. company Gulfstream Aerospace and Canada's Bombardier will compete to make the airframes.

Korea Aerospace Industries, South Korea's only aircraft maker, and the national flag-carrier Korean Air will bid to perform the systems integration.

Officials at Cheong Wa Dae and the Ministry of National Defense cited Seoul's lack of ISR systems as a main reason why the leaders of South Korea and the United States agreed to delay the transfer of OPCON to Dec. 1, 2015.

"By 2015, our military will be better equipped with intelligence-gathering, C4I, combined fire-control and precision-strike systems," Jang Kwang-il, deputy minister for policy, told reporters. "That means the ROK military will have an improved capability to lead combat operations on the peninsula and be able to take over OPCON in a more stable manner."

South Korea had sought to buy four Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles by 2011 to beef up its independent ISR capability for its takeover of OPCON in 2012. But the timeline was delayed to 2015 due to budget constraints and restrictions on overseas sales of the high-end aircraft.

The Global Hawk can survey vast areas with near pinpoint accuracy from as high as 65,000 feet for up to 35 straight hours.

The ROK Air Force operates four Geumgang aircraft that collect imagery with synthetic aperture and moving target indicator radars.

The Guemgang, based in Seongnam air base, has a mission of taking pictures of key North Korean facilities 70 to 80 kilometers away from the border by flying near the Military Demarcation Line.



[단독] 신형 대북 정찰기 2014년 전력화

정성기 기자

북한의 통신 정보를 수집하는 신형 '백두' 대북 정찰기 2대가 2015년 전시작전통제권 환수 1년 전인 2014년에 전력화 예정인 것으로 확인됐다.

방사청은 다음달 사업제안 요청서를 해당 업체에 발송해 경쟁입찰을 시작한다. 최종 기종선택은 올 연말께 이뤄질 예정이다.

현재 한국 공군은 미국 레이시온사의 800XP기종을 개조한 4대의 백두 통신.감청기를 2000년부터 운용중이다.

군 관계자에 따르면 신형 백두정찰기 사업은 작년 4월 북한이 2차 핵실험을 감행한 이후 소요가 제기 된 것으로 알려진다. 신형 백두 정찰기는 업그레이드된 신호.통신.정보수집 장비를 탑재하여 북한의 미사일과 핵시설에서 발생하는 특정 신호음을 포착할 수 있다.

한 군 소식통은 "백두 정찰기는 대한민국 정보.감시.정찰 자산의 핵심 장비이자 전시작전통제권 환수의 핵심 전력"이라며 "백두 정찰기와 다른 정보감시 장비가 2014년과 2015년 경 전력화가 이루어지는 스케줄이 분명히 전작권 전환 시기 연기에 감안이 됐을 것"이라고 말했다.

2차 백두 사업에는 LIG Nex1과 삼성탈레스가 통신, 전자, 신호정보 장치 납품에 경쟁하고 있으며 미국의 걸프스트림사와 캐나다의 봄바디어 사가 동체 납품에 경쟁하고 있다.한국항공우주산업과 대한항공은 백두정찰기 체계통합 사업에 경쟁할 것으로 보인다.

청와대와 군 관계자들은 이미 정보.감시.정찰 장비 부족이 전작권 전환 시기 연기의 주된 이유임을 밝힌 바 있다.

국방부 장광일 정책 실장은 "2015년경에 우리군의 정보 능력, c4i, 합동화력운용체제, 정밀 타격능력 등 핵심 전력이 2012년 보다 더욱 구비되어 한국군이 주도적인 역할을 수행할 수 있는 여건이 보다 향상될 것"이라고 말했다.

한국군은 당초 2011년까지 미국의 글로벌호크 무인 정찰기 도입을 추진해 왔으나 예산부족과 글로벌호크 해외판매 제한 사항때문에 도입 시기를 2015년경으로 미뤄놓은 상태다.

현재 한국 공군은 백두 정찰기 외에 금강 영상수집기를 4대 운용하고 있다. 성남 기지에서 운용중인 금강 정찰기는 MDL 이북 70-80키로 지역에 있는 북한 핵심 시설들을 촬영하는 임무를 갖고 있다.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

Text Fwd: Bidding for Military Communication Network System in Mudslinging

Korea Times
Bidding for Military Communication Network System in Mudslinging
01-06-2010 20:54
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

A 4-trillion-won project to equip the nation's armed forces with the most up-to-date military communication network system is in rough-and-tumble shape due to heated competition between bidders.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is conducting an in-house audit of the bidding for the program — the development of the Tactical Information Communication Network (TICN) — after two bidders filed complaints with the agency over alleged foul play by their competitor.

As a result, the already long-delayed program, which was initiated in 2003, is expected to see a further delay.

The TICN is a cutting-edge digital command-and-control and sensor-to-shooter battlefield system expected to replace the existing SPIDER communication systems run by the Army by 2020.

It is designed to advance into a high-speed, large-capacity, long-distance wireless relay transmission system. SPIDER can only transmit still images and voice data, but TICN allows for the integrated transmission of video, image and voice data at more than 10 times the current speed.

Last August, DAPA opened a bid for the full-scale development of TICN, following two years of exploratory development from 2007 to 2008. The agency said it would select final bidders by the end of October.

Two precision electronics makers, Samsung Thales and LIG Nex1, submitted their own request for proposals (RFP) for the program that includes six sub-categories, including a Network Management System (NMS), High Capacity Trunk Radio (HCTR) and Tactical Multi-band and Multi-role Radio (TMMR).

During the exploratory development period, Samsung Thales was in charge of the NMS development and two other subsystems, while LIG Nex1 took charge of TMMR. Among the subsystems, the development of TMMR is considered the most lucrative one, worth about 1.5 trillion won.

Samsung Thales has sought to take over the TMMR portion of the full-scale development.

DAPA considered Samsung Thales' offer positively during the first evaluation in October, sources said, as the joint venture between Samsung and French defense firm Thales said it could reduce development time by a year and also cut costs by 300 billion won.

LIG Nex1, however, raised the issue of whether or not Samsung Thales had received the required Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) certification level. The five-level CMMI is a process improvement framework that organizations use to improve their ability to build and maintain quality products and services.

The U.S.-based Software Engineering Institute (SEI) awards the certification which is valid for three years.

As for the TICN program, DAPA requested a bidder with a CMMI level 3 or more as part of its more than 200 evaluation criteria.

LIG Nex1, which has the highest CMMI level of 5, argues Samsung Thales falsely stated in its RFP that it had a CMMI level of 4 despite the fact that the certification had already expired.

Samsung officials rebutted the claim, saying the firm simply listed the records of its CMMI acquisition and didn't mean to cheat the agency. Samsung Thales has a level 3 certification, which was awarded in 2007, according to the officials.

The firm last month successfully applied for level 5 and will receive certification by as early as late this month, they say.

After accepting LIG's compliant, the agency decided to review bidders RFPs again in November, but Samsung Thales this time filed complaints over an alleged connection between LIG and DAPA members.

Samsung claimed that one of the DAPA officials who participated in the second round of the selection committee provided an LIG official with the results of the committee meeting via text message.

A DAPA spokesman said the in-house audit will be finished Friday and the selection process will be re-launched no later than March.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

Text Fwd: S. Korea to Develop Radar With Israel

Korea Times
[Exclusive] S. Korea to Develop Radar With Israel
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
07-23-2009 17:08

South Korea will develop an indigenous mechanically scanned array (MESA) radar for aircraft with the help of Israel, officials at the Defense Acquisition Program (DAPA) said Thursday.

LIG Nex1, a leading defense firm in South Korea, will sign a deal with Israel's Elta Systems on the first phase of development of radars to equip TA-50 light-armed aircraft and FA-50 attack fighters, they said.

Both firms will hold a signing ceremony Sept. 3 in Seoul.

The TA-50 and FA-50 are modified versions of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet jointly built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin of the United States.

The South Korean Air Force is buying 82 T-50 variants — 50 T-50s, 22 TA-50s and 10 T-50Bs modified for aerobatics.

KAI signed a deal last December to develop and produce 60 FA-50s by 2012 to replace A-37 attack jets and F-4/5 fighters as backup to the Air Force's KF-16s and F-15Ks.

Under the envisaged agreement, LIG Nex1 will push for developing an indigenous MESA radar based on the Israeli firm's EL/M-2032 radar technologies, agency officials said.

The EL/M-2032 radar is credited with a look-up tracking range of 65 to 100 kilometers.

``The indigenous radar is expected to be built by the end of 2010 and subsequently enter service in 2011,'' a DAPA official said, asking to remain anonymous.

In the mid- to long-term, the domestically-built radar is likely to be installed on upgraded KF-16 fighters and further developed to an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar to equip ``KF-X'' fighters with technology transfers from Elta, sources said.

Initiated in 2001, the KF-X program aims to develop more than 120 indigenous fighters by 2020 in partnership with foreign aircraft manufacturers.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr