GlobalSecurity.org In the News

By RICHARD SALE, Terrorism Correspondent
 China already "had access" to at least some of the electronic systems used
on the EP-3E Aires II spy plane it now holds on Hainan Island in the South
China Sea, according to Tony Cordesman, military analyst at the Center for
Strategic and International Studies.
 But as a result of seizing the plane, specialists may now be able to
"spoof" or duplicate some of its supersensitive codes, EP-3E, part of a
National Security Agency program to collect electronic intelligence on China
made a forced landing in Hainan after an April 1 collision with a Chinese
F-8 fighter.
 According to Cordesman, "The Chinese don't use the (EP-3's) system, but
they have had access to it. The basic system is not all that secret."
 Administration officials told United Press International that Japan, which
shares certain Identification Friend or Foe, and other operational
electronic warfare codes, with the United States, is re-keying their codes,
just in case.
 One U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity, said the codes are
re-keyed "pretty frequently" by means of electronics, but that it's likely
that scheduled re-adjustments "have been moved up" because of the detaining
of the NSA plane.
 Cordesman agreed: "I think people will push the dates up" for changing of
frequencies or other readjustments. But in spite of destruction of the major
spy gear aboard the plane such as the "motherboard" -- a key piece of
operational software -- Cordesman said that the Chinese may still be able to
"get some useful data" from the plane.
 While trying to "interpolate the software is impossible," the Chinese can
gain some knowledge by seeing what went where, and how the gear was
configured," Cordesman said.
 But John Pike, director of GlobalSucurity.com, an Alexandria, Va.-based
think tank, said, "I wouldn't assume that the changing of the codes was done
in response to this incident." One U.S. intelligence official said that most
of the aircraft's super-secret technology is part of a software venture
called the Joint Airborne Signals Intelligence Architecture. It is a program
shared by major U.S. electronic intelligence-gathering operations such as
River Joint, Guard Rail and Global Hawk.
 According to U.S. officials, the electronic equipment on the downed Navy
EP-3B had recently been upgraded. Newly developed modifications had been
installed known as the NSA Sensor Systems Improvement Program which
centralized the system and simplified access to it on the plane.
 According to several U.S sources, special elements of SSIP such as "Story
Book" or "Story Teller," are merely advanced computer servers, and several
U.S. officials told UPI that the details were still being closely held. The
phrase "Story Classic" signifies it is part of a top secret Navy code
program.
 Said Pike: "Story Classic is a standard Navy cryptological program like
Classic Wizard. When you see a phrase like World Classic, you know you have
a special program."
 Both Taiwan and Japan operate airborne electronic intelligence-gathering
flights over the South China Sea, and both have had their flights challenged
by Chinese interceptors, U.S. officials said.
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Copyright 2001 by United Press International.
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