South Korea’s plans to buy Global Hawk accessed by Chinese hackers

 

Chinese hackers gained access to Korea’s top-secret plan to buy the U.S.-made Global Hawk reconnaissance drone in June 2010, reports said Sunday.

“We’ve had a report from a government official that China launched a hacking attack on the Defense Ministry’s computer system and accessed confidential information about the ministry’s plan” to buy the drone, a spokesman for Democratic Party lawmaker Shin Hak-yong of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee said. “The government hasn’t raised this issue with China yet and is apparently still mulling how to handle it.”

Seoul asked Washington to sell the Global Hawk in 2005, and in 2009 the U.S. Defense Department agreed.

Japan also wants to buy the Global Hawk. China is apparently collecting intelligence for fear of growing surveillance power by South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system with an integrated sensor suite that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, capability worldwide. Global Hawk’s mission is to provide a broad spectrum of ISR collection capability to support joint combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and wartime operations. The Global Hawk complements manned and space reconnaissance systems by providing near-real-time coverage using imagery intelligence or IMINT, sensors.

Meanwhile, there have been more than 20,000 hacking attempts on the Korean government computer systems every year, most of them from China, according to data the Ministry of Public Administration and Security submitted to Grand National Party lawmaker Lee Sung-hun.

Of 21,899 hack attempts last year, 8,183 came from China, followed by the U.S. (1,032 attempts), Brazil (282), Thailand (255), Hong Kong (239), and Japan (232). In 2007 there were 30,287 attempts, 36,907 in 2008, 20,176 in 2009, and 21,899 from January to August 2010.

- The Chosunilbo
- USAF

Copa Airlines Receive First 737 Boeing Sky Interior

On Mar. 4, Boeing delivered a Next-Generation 737 with the new Boeing Sky Interior to Copa Airlines – the first Latin American carrier to take delivery of Boeing’s innovative interior.

Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, announced “We are proud to bring this state-of-the art technology and unmatched passenger experience to our valued customers.” Heilbron also said, “This new interior represents yet another example of our progressive leadership in the Americas and will enhance the world-class service for which Copa Airlines has become known.”

The Boeing Sky Interior introduces new cove lighting and curving architecture that create a distinctive entry way. Passengers will enjoy a more open cabin and a soft blue sky overhead simulated by light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. The new interior also brings new, modern, sculpted sidewalls and window reveals to draw passengers’ eyes to the view outside the window as well as larger stowage bins allowing passengers the ability to store their luggage closer to their seats.

The 737 Boeing Sky Interior is the latest in a series of enhancements designed to improve the Next-Generation 737 for both airlines and passengers. The next to come will be a package of performance improvements that will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 2 percent – making the airplane a full 7 percent more efficient than the first Next-Generation 737s delivered. The performance improvements to the airframe and engine are in certification test, and will be phased into production between mid-2011 and early 2012.

-asdnews.com