Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: A Presidential Request
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“Your Excellency, what brings you here?”
I met the President at a traditional Korean restaurant in Gangnam.
It seemed he had a prior engagement, as the table had already been cleared once.
He immediately ordered more food and glanced at me as he spoke.
“I’m sorry, but would you mind calling me something else? That title is a bit much.”
“Ah…”
I figured it was about time I dropped the title I’d stubbornly used because it was convenient.
After all, it had been a long time since “Mr. President” became the common form of address.
I responded with an awkward smile as he filled the glass in front of me with alcohol.
“We’re off the clock, so a drink should be fine, right?”
“Of course.”
I drained the glass in one go and stared at him intently.
In such a time of international turmoil, he surely hadn't invited me just for a meal.
There was clearly a reason for this meeting, but I couldn't quite guess what it was.
“You’ve been busy lately, haven’t you?”
“Honestly, it feels like even ten bodies wouldn’t be enough.”
I replied, taking a sip from the refilled glass.
“I hear the proprietary fighter jet you’re developing is already nearing fuselage assembly for the prototype. Would it be possible for me to visit?”
“Of course. But is that why you wanted to see me…?”
“Ah! Not specifically for that. I actually wanted to meet to ask for your opinion on something, Chairman Jin.”
“Please, go ahead.”
With a short reply, I met his eyes again.
Maintaining his signature good-natured smile, he poured another glass for me and then abruptly asked an unexpected question.
“Chairman Jin, what do you think is the most critical need for our nation’s military at this moment?”
“…”
The question was so unexpected that I was at a loss for words.
Frankly, there were more than just one or two things our military was lacking.
As I hesitated, he spoke again.
“According to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, securing independent ground intelligence gathering and air operation command capabilities is the priority. Do you agree with him, Chairman Jin?”
“Are you referring to acquiring early warning and control aircraft and ground operations control aircraft?”
That had to be what he meant.
The introduction of airborne control and ground operations control aircraft, like the Peace Eye and Joint STARS.
The funny thing was, I myself had recently lamented the absence of such assets. But the need for them had been discussed for a long time, so it wasn't exactly a new topic.
No, if anything, we were late.
The introduction of early warning aircraft, in particular, had been delayed by that damn IMF crisis.
“It seems you share the same thought, Chairman Jin.”
“If we could possess them, our military’s strength would be completely different from what it is now.”
“…”
He watched me silently as I spoke with conviction.
It felt as if he wanted to gain certainty through my words.
I emptied my glass and spoke again.
“An airborne early warning aircraft doesn't just monitor enemy air power. If we have one, it's like having another command and control center in the sky, just like on the ground, allowing for continuous air operations even in emergencies.”
“Hmm…”
“And as for a ground operations control aircraft, it’s an asset that allows you to see the enemy’s ground forces as if they were in the palm of your hand. To add another point, for a country in our situation, it’s an absolutely essential asset.”
“A situation like ours?”
He tilted his head at that remark.
Just then, my eyes landed on a pair of chopsticks.
I used them to trace a trajectory, as if representing a missile, and only then did he react with an “Ah!”
“You mean the North’s nukes.”
“That’s right. If we operate it in conjunction with a signals intelligence aircraft, we can detect signs of a North Korean nuclear launch much more accurately.”
“…”
The President looked as if he didn't quite understand.
To explain more clearly, this time I brought out a spoon.
“Let’s assume these chopsticks are a signals intelligence aircraft. And this spoon is the Joint STARS, the ground operations control aircraft.”
“Isn’t it a bit too small for that?”
The President threw in a sudden joke.
Having missed the timing to laugh, I just twisted my lips into a smile, and he urged me to continue as if to say his remark was unnecessary.
“Please, go on.”
“Yes, anyway, the role of this signals intelligence aircraft is to intercept various communication signals from the North. That includes missile launch commands, transmission signals, and telemetry signals. If we also have a ground operations control aircraft, we can integrate the various ground intelligence it detects. This allows us to spot specific signs that might be missed with signal intelligence alone.”
“Hmm, hearing you explain it, I finally understand how you would detect signs of a nuclear launch. In any case, given the situation, it’s clear that possessing these surveillance and control aircraft is essential for us. The problem is America’s attitude.”
“…”
Not understanding what he meant, I looked at him.
He gave a faint smile, refilled his own glass, and spoke.
“They said they might sell us an airborne early warning aircraft, but they won’t sell a ground operations control aircraft because it’s such a crucial reconnaissance asset.”
That was to be expected.
The U.S. itself had only possessed it for a little over a decade.
Moreover, it was one of their core strategic assets; there was no way they would just hand it over.
“If they won’t sell it, we can just build it ourselves.”
But it wasn't a problem.
Because now, if we put our minds to it, we could develop it anytime.
From radar to various sensors.
We even had the technology to build the large aircraft needed to carry all the equipment.
“Do we have the capability to develop that?”
“It’s not impossible. The core of the warning system is the radar and various surveillance sensors, and in that area, our technology is already on par with or even superior to that of the U.S.”
“…”
The look on the President's face was quite a sight.
It was like when the former President and I first discussed the development of our own fighter jet.
In times like these, providing reassurance is key.
“Let’s take the airborne early warning aircraft as an example. You may not know this, but the Peace Eye is equipped with an L-band active electronically scanned array radar called MESA. According to experts, its downward surveillance capability and high resolution are unparalleled.”
“And?”
“But we already possess technology that vastly surpasses MESA in both detection range and signal processing precision, thanks to improvements in device materials and integration density.”
“…”
The President gulped.
It was hard for him to believe.
I continued, unfazed.
“The remaining issue is the large aircraft to carry it, but we hold the key to that as well: Motor Sich.”
“Ah! Now that you mention it, I’d forgotten that Jaewoo acquired that company.”
The President’s face brightened as he interjected.
But his brow soon furrowed, suggesting he had also recalled the reliability issues with Motor Sich’s engines.
“It seems you wish to raise the issue of the reliability of Motor Sich's engine durability, Mr. President. But in truth, that part isn’t a major problem.”
“…”
“Because we already have material technologies secured through our proprietary fighter jet development. In particular, if we apply the carbon deposition technology we recently developed to make the turbine blades, we can achieve weight reduction and drastically reduce the number of engine parts.”
“Then couldn’t you just make the fighter jet’s turbines with that composite material as well?”
The President, who had been listening silently, asked a rather pointed question.
It was enough to surprise even me.
It seemed he had consulted with experts before meeting me.
“Unfortunately, that’s not possible right now. Unlike large aircraft, fighter jets frequently have to exceed the speed of sound, and our current deposition technology isn’t quite strong enough to withstand that. But with continued research, it might be possible someday.”
The President showed a look of disappointment at my words.
Then, as if realizing the conversation had strayed, he brought the topic back to the original point.
“Setting aside the airborne early warning aircraft, I understand the radar for the ground tactical control aircraft is different. Do you have the related technology for that as well?”
“If you’re referring to SAR, or Synthetic Aperture Radar, that’s not a major issue either. Jaewoo already possesses all the underlying technologies. In fact, I’m confident that our ability to render the returned pulse waves into visual signals is superior to that of the U.S.”
“Excuse me, but… are you by any chance torturing aliens at your company?”
The President, his face flushed, cracked a joke.
I couldn't tell if it was from the alcohol or excitement.
Some time passed.
Thud. He set down his glass and gave an affirmative response.
“It seems I’ll have to convene a meeting of the commanders of all branches of the military soon.”
In reality, a meeting would be meaningless.
After all, these were the assets the military desired most.
Besides, given the current economic situation, the budget wouldn't be a major issue either. There was no reason for the military to oppose it.
‘Hmm…’
Thinking about it, I felt a strange sense of nostalgia.
It had only been a few years since we escaped the IMF crisis.
If history had run its course, the things happening now would have been impossible at this time.
From enhancing military power to transforming the foundational strength of our industries and even changing our economic development model.
It seemed the stone I had cast was creating bigger ripples in history than I had thought.
‘Wait!’
Just as I was deep in thought, a critical issue suddenly came to mind.
Military enhancement was one thing, but we had fundamental problems that needed to be solved.
As I debated whether to bring it up, the President spoke gently.
“Is something wrong?”
“Ah, it’s just… thinking about it, I realized there’s one more thing our military will desperately need in the future.”
“And what is that?”
“The establishment of our own tactical data link system.”
“…”
The President tilted his head.
I took a moment to gather my thoughts on where to begin, then continued.
“A tactical data link is a type of military information and communication network. Without it, it becomes difficult to efficiently receive information necessary for engagement, such as the location of friend and foe, navigation data, armaments, and battlefield situations. Even long-range missiles require a data link system for stable guidance.”
“I know that much, but aren’t we already using America’s Link 16?”
“We are. The problem is that the Link 16 we operate is entirely under the control of the U.S. military.”
“…”
“For example, the Link 16 used by our Air Force is controlled by the U.S. Pacific Command. And to log into that data link, we must receive an encryption key issued by them each time.”
“Then in the worst-case scenario…”
“Yes. If the U.S. refuses to issue the key, we become, for all intents and purposes, blind.”
“…”
The President was silent for a while.
It seemed he was unaware of these facts.
Just as I was about to continue my explanation, he spoke first.
“So, what you’re saying, Chairman Jin, is that we must build our own independent data link for our military.”
“Of course. And if we have the will, it’s certainly possible to develop.”
I said that with Link K, which we once developed, in mind.
The basic version was completed in 2014.
After continuous improvements, it reached a level close to Link 16 around 2024.
No, even back then, it surpassed Link 16 in its ability to handle large volumes of data. With a little work, completing the final version wouldn't be just a dream.
“But is it possible to develop it right away?”
Of course, handling large amounts of data wasn't always a good thing.
The more information there is, the more vulnerable it becomes to security breaches and jamming.
But since we already possessed quantum communication technology, we didn't have to worry about security or jamming.
“If the decision is made, we can have it fully established by the time our proprietary fighter jet is unveiled to the world.”
“But if we have our own data link, what about the U.S.? It could interfere with joint operations with them.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. It will be developed to be compatible. Japan is actually heading in a similar direction.”
“Hmm…”
The President looked as if he had encountered another difficult problem.
But this was a truly critical issue for us.
I emphasized my point several times as I explained.
“As you know, our country is currently building Aegis destroyers. The problem is, no matter how good the ship’s radar is, it can’t solve the fundamental problem of the Earth being round.”
“…”
“Simply put, our response to events happening over the horizon is delayed. To overcome this and enable over-the-horizon operations, we need to expand our target acquisition capabilities by receiving information from other ships or early warning aircraft.”
“Ah! You’re talking about the Cooperative Engagement Capability, or CEC.”
“That’s right. And what’s important here is that one of the most crucial elements for building that Cooperative Engagement Capability is the data link system.”
“…”
The President’s eyes lit up.
Just from his expression, I could tell he had already made up his mind.
The alcohol I drank with a smile felt particularly sweet.
“I’ll give you an answer on that part soon as well, after the joint military command meeting. But given the circumstances, I wonder if there’s any point in competitive bidding.”
“…”
“Realistically, Jaewoo is the only one capable of developing everything we’ve discussed, isn’t it?”
“Isn’t that the result of Jaewoo’s efforts?”
“…”
“Jaewoo has been consistently investing in research, development, and business acquisitions for days like these. Our competitors have no reason to feel it’s unfair.”
“That’s also true.”
The President smiled and drained his final glass.
He glanced at the time, then his expression turned serious as he spoke.
“If you have time, would you join me for another drink at the Blue House? From this point on, I have something very important to discuss.”
“…”