Military increases purchase of special forces infiltration materials by 16 times... “Preparing for wartime operational control transfer”

It has been revealed that the military authorities are planning to significantly expand the purchase of Army Special Operations Command (Special Forces) infiltration materials, such as parachutes that can infiltrate enemy rear areas, as part of the drive to transition wartime operational control.

According to next year's budget submitted by the Ministry of National Defense to the National Assembly on the 10th, the Ministry of National Defense has set a total budget of 131.938 billion won for special forces infiltration materials among aviation equipment in next year's logistics materials.

This budget was 10.8 billion won last year and 9.8 billion won this year, but next year it was increased by about 13 times.

The purchase of special forces infiltration materials also increased significantly. The total purchase volume of special forces penetration materials for next year, including high-altitude penetration materials (13 types) and underwater penetration materials (11 types), is 16,652 items.

The purchase volume of special forces infiltration materials was 741 last year and 1,003 this year, but has increased approximately 16 times.

The Ministry of National Defense informed the National Assembly of the reason for increasing the budget for special forces infiltration materials by explaining, "There is a need to secure the essential number of high-altitude and underwater penetration materials next year to secure the ability of the Korean military's special forces to perform independent missions in preparation for the transfer of wartime operational control."

The Ministry of National Defense explained that it has expanded the special forces high-altitude penetration team, and that the amount of infiltration materials to be used by the high-altitude penetration team has also increased accordingly.

It is reported that the main infiltration materials include the next-generation tactical high-altitude parachute 'RA-1', which replaces the MC-4 high-altitude parachute, which was the main air infiltration equipment of special forces.

The military authorities' rapid expansion of the budget for special forces personnel and equipment is interpreted as part of efforts to permanently establish the Combined Special Operations Component Command (Special Forces Command), which is being promoted as a goal within the year.

In preparation for the transfer of wartime operational control, the military authorities are pursuing the establishment of a permanent Combined Forces Command to direct the operations of the ROK-U.S. combined forces starting in 2019, and four out of a total of six Combined Force Commands have been established to date.

The military authorities plan to complete the permanent establishment of Yonjeongsa by the end of this year, and to make the last remaining Joint Military Intelligence Support Operations Component Command (Yeonjeongsa) permanent next year.