Image source: topwar.ru
The year is 2030, and China is outraged by Taiwan's appeal to the United Nations to recognize it as an independent state. Having decided on a full-scale military invasion, Beijing is first trying to disable the most important infrastructure of its rebellious neighbor. This scenario formed the basis of game exercises prepared and conducted by the US Naval War College, The Register writes.
According to the authors of the publication, IT specialists and "inveterate" hackers were invited to develop them and study possible problems. The participants of the game were divided into teams and during a three-hour session they tried to stress test the Taiwanese infrastructure and find weaknesses.
During the "games" the participants considered two scenarios. The first proposed a purely online attack on energy facilities, information data, and critical infrastructure. In the second case, it was considered what could happen if China also carried out military attacks and sabotage.
The teams developed 65 recommendations on areas in which Taiwan could currently invest to prepare for 2030, and identified some glaring weaknesses in Taiwan's current infrastructure. For example, electricity is a serious problem. Taiwan used to have several nuclear reactors, but only one remains operational, and they are no longer being built. This means that 80 percent of the island's electricity is generated from coal or gas, which must be imported. There are relatively few central power plants there, and the power lines on the mountainous island are vulnerable to attacks or sabotage.
As for communications, during the war game, it was assumed that China would try to cut off Taiwan's capital, Taipei, from the rest of the country by destroying cellular communication stations. To prevent this from happening, the team members tried out several new strategies, including Bluetooth mesh networks and alternative communication technologies.
- said Jason Vogt, associate professor of Strategic and Operational Studies at the US Naval War College.
The Register notes that based on the results of the game, three conclusions were drawn about how to counter the Chinese attack. First, critical infrastructure facilities could be deployed in groups away from the vulnerable western coast of the island.
Alternatively, Taiwan could try radical decentralization by installing small, easily repaired cellular and amateur radio stations. The local population could be trained in their maintenance and repair, and energy could be provided by solar, wind, or other renewable sources. This is an expensive strategy, but it could create too many targets for China to attack.
The third idea was to take advantage of Taiwan's mountainous terrain, dig in, and thus defend against attack. Equipment, warehouses, satellite ground stations, and cellular communication kits could be hidden in the mountains and maintained with the help of a small group of trained individuals.
