Argentina carries out the first joint cyber defense and electronic warfare exercise

The Argentine Armed Forces carried out the first joint multi-domain cyber defense and electronic warfare exercise for the protection of critical infrastructures.

The so-called Beato Carlo Acutis I exercise, which has been taking place in Las Toninas (Buenos Aires) since last November 14 and until today, is part of the 2021 National Defense Policy Directive. During it, a threat was simulated that tries to annul the country’s connectivity and its access to cyberspace through physical and virtual attacks on fiber optic cables.

The objective of this training, in which Infodefensa.com was present, is the integration of the cyber defense and electronic warfare factions, achieving convergence and synchronization between them; updating and elaboration of specific and joint operating procedures; obtain experiences and learn lessons to be taken into account in the preparation of joint and specific doctrine publications; and check the operation of the technical means provided.

The choice of Las Toninas as the setting is due to the fact that the mooring station for the submarine fiber optic cables is located in the city, through which 90% of the country’s Internet traffic passes.

More than 400 troops were mobilized for this exercise, including the Tactical Divers Association, 64 vehicles of different sizes, RBS 70 and Oerlikon GDF 35mm anti-aircraft artillery pieces, the oceanic patrol boat ARA Piedrabuena, two Pampa III planes, and a Bell UH-1H helicopter.

While linked to cyber defense, satellite communication systems were used that allow data transmission through ARSAT, Pollux maritime traffic control software and an electronic warfare system that carries out spectrum analysis, and at the same time, radiolocation of signals.

The exercise bears the name of the blessed patron of Argentine cyber defense, Carlo Acutis, who, in addition to his religious devotion, stood out for his interest in communication technologies and his love for computers, which led him to document Eucharistic miracles around the world and catalog them in a website he created before his death from leukemia, at age 15.

OFFICIAL VISIT

The Argentine Defense Minister, Jorge Taiana, visited the exercise area where he was able to observe the different tasks being carried out.

“We have come to supervise an exercise based on the defense of one of the country’s critical points, emphasizing cyber defense, electronic warfare and how we defend this objective, which is 90% of Argentina’s Internet access and exit, of a presumed hostile foreign attack,” the minister explained.

The Minister was accompanied by the Chief of Staff, Héctor Mazzei, the Chief of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Juan Martín Paleo; the head of the Navy, Admiral Julio Horacio Guardia; the deputy chief of the General Staff of the Air Force, Brigadier Major Hugo Eduardo Schaub; the operational commander of EMCO, Brigadier General Jorge Fabián Berredo; and the joint commander of Cyberdefense, Brigadier General Aníbal Intini.

With information from Infodefensa