http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/6/7/193114.shtml
China Broke U.S. Military Codes After Taking Plane
Charles R. Smith
Friday, June 8, 2001
China broke secret U.S. military codes after the capture of a Navy aircraft.
Japanese defense officials informed the Pentagon that the Link-11 secure
military communication system was compromised after a U.S. Navy plane was
forced down. Japanese defense officials confirmed that Tokyo ordered its
defense forces to change Link-11 codes immediately after the EP-3E was
captured.
The U.S. Navy EP-3E surveillance aircraft held by China is equipped with the
most advanced version of the NATO Link-11 secure communication system. The
Navy aircraft was forced to land on Hainan Island after a collision with a
Chinese air force F-8 interceptor in April.
Japan has bought several EP-3E aircraft from America and shares the Link-11
system with U.S. allies in NATO. The Link-11 system passes information
between ground stations and airborne early-warning aircraft of the Japan Air
Self-Defense Force.
The EP-3E in question, aircraft PR-32, was equipped with the latest version
of the NATO Link-11 system, code named "Story Book." Japanese officials are
concerned that, even if the hard drives of the computers were magnetically
wiped and the CD-ROM key disks were destroyed, there is still much the
Chinese could learn.
Chinese Army Uses Stolen U.S. System
Chinese military engineers are already very familiar with the U.S. designed
Link-11 communication system. The Chinese military employs a stolen version
of the U.S.-made Link-11. The Link W system employed by the People's
Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is an unlicensed copy of the U.S. Navy Link-11.
Japan also shares the Link-11 system with America. Japan has two new Boeing
767 airliners, equipped with huge American designed radars to monitor
aircraft and missile activity inside China. The Link-11 communication
systems in these aircraft are identical to those used on the captured
American EP-3E. Japanese military officials are worried that the new Boeing
early-warning aircraft will be jammed and unable to pass critical data to
command posts in the event of war with China.
The Japan Defense Agency in Tokyo ordered an immediate evaluation of the
risks to Japan after the U.S. Navy EP-3E was captured. Taiwan and Japan
regularly fly electronic surveillance aircraft in the Sea of Japan and the
East China Sea to monitor Chinese army communications and Chinese navy
warship activity. Since the April EP-3E incident, Japanese and Taiwanese
flights have been escorted by fighters and watched closely by radar.
Navy and CIA Ignored Warnings
Pentagon sources are convinced that the EP-3E incident was not an accident.
In March, U.S. Navy intelligence officials ignored the repeated close
encounters with the Chinese air force's jets, deciding that they were the
actions of a single "hot-shot" pilot.
Now defense analysts stated that they are certain that Chinese pilot Wang
Wei acted with permission from PLAAF command. The Chinese air force operates
under a strict Soviet-style control system that does not allow pilots to fly
close passes without permission.
In addition, Chinese army intelligence officials warned their American
counterparts in January that the People's Liberation Army disapproved of
American spy satellites, warning that the PLA might shoot one down in the
future. CIA officials reportedly ignored the warnings from Beijing at the
time.
Defense officials now acknowledge the China has the capability of disabling
or destroying a U.S. satellite. U.S. spy satellites are considered strategic
assets and are monitoring Chinese military exercises. U.S. satellites also
monitored the recent deployment of Chinese DF-11 and DF-15 mobile missiles
to forward bases opposite Taiwan.
Army's Anti-satellite Weapons
The Chinese military has several active anti-satellite programs and has
demonstrated a conventional space-rocket-launched anti-satellite weapon.
More importantly, the People's Liberation Army Air Force is working on an
aircraft launched anti-satellite missile that can pop up unexpectedly to
attack U.S. satellites.
The PLAAF program reportedly included the purchase of a MiG-31 Foxhound
aircraft from Russia to fire a large, two-stage, anti-satellite missile. The
Russian Foxhound is capable of flying at speeds in excess of 2,000 miles an
hour at extremely high altitudes. Apparently the Chinese attempt to buy the
Foxhound from Moscow has failed. However, the new Chinese J-11 Flanker jet
fighter is capable of carrying the large anti-satellite missile.
The Chinese army is also working on a ground-based laser designed to destroy
or disable U.S. satellites. Recent translations of Chinese military
documentation show that the PLA accelerated development of beam weapons
during 2000. The new PLA anti-satellite laser is estimated to be able to
deliver over 10,000 watts of output power on a target up to 500 miles away.
China Broke U.S. Military Codes After Taking Plane.url
