The cost and timeline for upgrading the military's ground- and ship-based air-to-ground communication radios to the NATO-standard next-generation radio system (SATURN) have increased sharply following the strengthening of U.S. security policies.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Tuesday that a revised basic strategy for the air-to-ground communication radio performance improvement (SATURN) project was reviewed and approved at the 176th Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee meeting, conducted in writing.
NATO member states, including the United States, are converting their existing radios to SATURN radios, which feature enhanced security and anti-jamming capabilities by applying a next-generation digital frequency-hopping method.
To improve interoperability and ensure smooth combined operations between South Korea and the United States, Korea is pursuing a project to upgrade the air-to-ground communication radios of its Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to the SATURN method, investing more than 2 trillion won from 2022 to 2032.
Critics have pointed out that the Korean military's existing radios, which apply the HQ (Have Quick)-II method, are vulnerable to enemy jamming attacks that disrupt wireless communications and to interception attempts.
Of these, the acquisition plan for upgrading radios for ground and ship forces has now been revised following changes in U.S. government security policy.
Ground force equipment will be introduced in three categories—fixed, vehicle-mounted, and portable—with portable equipment introduced through Foreign Military Sales (FMS), a government-to-government contract.
In line with this plan revision, DAPA plans to conduct a project feasibility re-verification and adjust the total project cost by January next year.
"Through this project, we expect to contribute to improving interoperability in combined Korea-U.S. operations by securing a communications system that meets U.S. military and NATO standards against increasingly sophisticated enemy electronic warfare threats," DAPA said.
