Electronic And Image Intelligence Collection Systems To Be Installed On F-16s

The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has successfully developed an ELINT (electronic intelligence) and image intelligence collection systems, which are installed on F-16s.

On December 30, DAPA (the Defense Acquisition Program Administration) said the ELINT collection system ADD developed would be deployed in the military beginning that day, and the image intelligence collection system, completing development that month, would be installed next year, revealing the development completion of those technologies.

To improve our ability to collect reconnaissance intelligence, DAPA invested 79.6 billion won from 2007 to this year, promoting the project of a "tactical reconnaissance intelligence collection system" for which the ELINT and image intelligence collection system are developed with domestic technology. Of these, the ELINT collection system, starting deployment that day, can collect and analyze electronic intelligence against enemy’s electronic threats in real-time.

In addition, the image intelligence collection system to be deployed next year is for collecting and analyzing night-day target images and assessing battle damage during the war.

“We now have the ability to design the signal intelligence collection equipment in the same class or better than that of advanced countries, by securing core technologies such as ultra-wideband signal high-precision direction finding and multiple signal digital analyzing technology obtained from the development of the "ELINT collection system.

"The ELINT collection system is miniaturized and lightweight, thus having an advantage over similar overseas equipment to be installed on an aircraft. Moreover, its detective frequency band is much more extended compared to similar international ones. It is also expected to have a sufficient competitive price when exporting due to a more than four times less expensive domestic mass production price (5.9 billion won) compared to overseas introduction price (around 23 billion won).

Brigadier General Lee Seong-yong, the head of the command and reconnaissance program department of DAPA, showed his expectation that these systems enable our military to rapidly collect intelligence and support air operations effectively, thus it would improve our capability to react immediately against an enemy’s provocation in case of emergency.