The number of server failures in the Army Tactical Command Information System (ATCIS-Ⅱ), a key military command and control system, has surged nearly 40 times over the past five years. Although the military requested a budget for server replacements to address aging infrastructure, it was not included in next year's government proposal. Authorities maintain that there are currently no direct limitations on system operations, but delays in securing funding could hinder timely replacements, starting with the frontline 1st Corps.
According to materials obtained by Aju Economy from the office of Rep. Seong Il-jong of the People Power Party, the number of server failures increased from about 10 in 2020 to approximately 400 last year. The annual breakdown shows: approximately 50 failures in 2021, about 80 in 2022, around 300 in 2023, and about 350 in 2024, indicating a consistent upward trend.
ATCIS-Ⅱ is a command and control system that shares real-time battlefield conditions, operational orders, and the locations of friendly and enemy forces. It supports commanders in detecting and assessing battlefield situations for effective strikes. Delays in information sharing due to server issues could impact the ability to understand subordinate units' situations and relay commands.
Compounding the problem is the deterioration of maintenance conditions. The maintenance service for these servers ended last year, raising concerns about potential maintenance delays. There are calls from both inside and outside the military for swift measures to ensure the rapid restoration of services, as disruptions in real-time information flow and command control could arise.
In response, the Ministry of National Defense is pursuing a performance upgrade project that includes replacing aging servers, introducing wireless LAN, and purchasing video conferencing licenses, with a budget of 4.998 billion won reflected in next year's departmental budget. However, this amount was entirely cut during the government budget preparation process, citing a lack of available resources and prioritization of projects. If this project fails to secure funding, the start of the project and the actual server replacement could be significantly delayed.
In such a scenario, the 1st Corps, which was the first to operationalize the ATCIS servers, is likely to face command and control disruptions. The ATCIS servers for the 1st Corps were operationalized between 2019 and 2020, with replacement scheduled for 2028 to 2029.
The military currently asserts that there are no direct limitations on ATCIS operations. However, with the increasing number of failures and the cessation of maintenance support, ensuring stable operations in the future is uncertain. Delays in replacing aging servers due to budget shortfalls could hinder rapid recovery in the event of failures, impacting real-time information sharing and command control.
A military official stated, "The replacement of aging ATCIS servers is a project aimed at ensuring stable command and control operations by considering the equipment lifecycle. We are working with relevant agencies during the National Assembly review process to secure the necessary budget for next year's project start."
According to materials obtained by Aju Economy from the office of Rep. Seong Il-jong of the People Power Party, the number of server failures increased from about 10 in 2020 to approximately 400 last year. The annual breakdown shows: approximately 50 failures in 2021, about 80 in 2022, around 300 in 2023, and about 350 in 2024, indicating a consistent upward trend.
ATCIS-Ⅱ is a command and control system that shares real-time battlefield conditions, operational orders, and the locations of friendly and enemy forces. It supports commanders in detecting and assessing battlefield situations for effective strikes. Delays in information sharing due to server issues could impact the ability to understand subordinate units' situations and relay commands.
Compounding the problem is the deterioration of maintenance conditions. The maintenance service for these servers ended last year, raising concerns about potential maintenance delays. There are calls from both inside and outside the military for swift measures to ensure the rapid restoration of services, as disruptions in real-time information flow and command control could arise.
In response, the Ministry of National Defense is pursuing a performance upgrade project that includes replacing aging servers, introducing wireless LAN, and purchasing video conferencing licenses, with a budget of 4.998 billion won reflected in next year's departmental budget. However, this amount was entirely cut during the government budget preparation process, citing a lack of available resources and prioritization of projects. If this project fails to secure funding, the start of the project and the actual server replacement could be significantly delayed.
In such a scenario, the 1st Corps, which was the first to operationalize the ATCIS servers, is likely to face command and control disruptions. The ATCIS servers for the 1st Corps were operationalized between 2019 and 2020, with replacement scheduled for 2028 to 2029.
The military currently asserts that there are no direct limitations on ATCIS operations. However, with the increasing number of failures and the cessation of maintenance support, ensuring stable operations in the future is uncertain. Delays in replacing aging servers due to budget shortfalls could hinder rapid recovery in the event of failures, impacting real-time information sharing and command control.
A military official stated, "The replacement of aging ATCIS servers is a project aimed at ensuring stable command and control operations by considering the equipment lifecycle. We are working with relevant agencies during the National Assembly review process to secure the necessary budget for next year's project start."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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