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PAGE 4Meeting the ChallengesThe Army Aviation is the arm of the future, aforce-multiplier which can tilt the balance inany future conflict

Lt General (Retd) B.S. Pawar

PAGE 6Past, Present and the Future

Armaments used in helicopters can bebroadly classified into three categories,namely rapid firing automatic machine guns,rocket projectiles and guided missiles

Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey

PAGE 10A Long Way to GoThe three services are progressing on thepath of acquiring networked capabilities indi-vidually with no coherent framework for jointservice enterprise information architecture

Lt General (Retd) V.K. Kapoor

PAGE 15Seeing Through Darkness

R&D is being undertaken globally to enhancethe reach, improve the resolution and reducethe weight of night vision devices in order toprovide a better edge to own side

Lt General (Retd) P.C. Katoch

PLUS

A Candid Review 8Tackling Airborne Threats 9Insecurity Rising 13First / TecKnow 14Unmanned Machines at War 18Helicopters in Combat Operations 20Looking Back at 2010 21News in Brief 23

‘Army Aviation Corps is the Arm of the F uture’

SP’s Land Forces team comprising Jayant Baranwal,Editor-in-Chief, and Lt General (Retd.) V.K. Kapoor, Editor, interviewed Major General P.K. Bharali, Additional Director General, Army Aviation. The General’s dynamism and passion for his Corps was perceptible in his demeanour and in the free and frank discussion that ensued.  

SP’s Land Forces (SP’s): What is the roleof the Army Aviation? ADG Army Aviation (ADG): Army Avia-tion operates in the ground regime,therefore it is virtually a component ofthe land power. This cardinal tenetdefines Army Aviation’s role as an ele-ment of the ground forces. In the futurebattle field, Army Aviation will be at theforefront, shaping the battle space by pro-jecting the force, sustaining the force anddelivering decisive combat power at criti-cal times anywhere in the battle field bydirect fire, by launching air assaults or bydirecting artillery fires.  Its focus is toenhance ground mobility and exploitmanoeuvre. It accelerates the tempo ofoperations while remaining an integralpart of the combined arms team. Avia-tion assets are “force multipliers” thatprovide the formation commanders withthe capability to conduct missions acrossthe entire range of military conflict.

SP’s: Is the Army Aviation Corps (AAC) self-sufficient in terms of infrastructure likehelicopter bases, overhaul, maintenance,spares, etc?ADG: Army Aviation has come a longway since its raising in 1986. The expo-nential growth in terms of equipmenthas also lead to simultaneous develop-ment of infrastructure to house, operateand maintain the assets. Well-trainedmanpower from the Corps of Electronicsand Mechanical Engineers (EME) is pro-viding dedicated technical support formaintenance of all types of helicopters inour inventory. The chain of logistics sup-port established by the Aviation branchof the Corps of Ordnance is functioningefficiently. Army Aviation today is self-sufficient and capable of techno-logisti-cally supporting its operations. In keep-ing with the envisaged capabilitydevelopment plan, the plans for upgrad-ing and modernising existing infrastruc-ture are also in place.

Lethal CombinationSP’s: Could you elaborate on the opera-tional philosophy? Does it include integra-tion with other services?ADG: Precise and incisive firepower,speed and manoeuvrability in the thirddimension and close integration withthe other arms of the army make theCorps the ultimate force multiplier in thehands of the field commander.  ArmyAviation operates in the TBA as a com-

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SP’s A N S P G U I D E P U B L I C A T I O N

R O U N D U P

February-March 2011

IN THIS ISSUE T h e O N L Y j o u r n a l i n A s i a d e d i c a t e d t o L a n d F o r c e s

Volume 8 No 1

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bined arms team, expanding the groundcommander’s battle- field, principally inspace and time.  The employment philoso-phy is thus focused on integration and syn-chronisation of aviation manoeuvre withthe ground manoeuvre to shape the TBA asper the plans of the field force commanderthus fulfilling the tenets of manoeuvre war-fare. In consonance with joint operationsdoctrine, Army Aviation is also integratedwith other services and can be task organ-ised to support the sister services, should thesituation so demand.

SP’s: What role is the Army Aviation Corpsperforming in the ongoing low intensity conflict in J&K and the North East region? Is this role intended to be expanded in the future?ADG: Helicopters by virtue of their inherentspeed, mobility, firepower and versatility,make an ideal platform to be employed inlow intensity conflict. Army Aviation assetshave been gainfully employed for quickinsertion of troops with enormous success inthe ongoing counter-terrorist operations.Surveillance, both visual and electronic,delivery of essential combat loads, establish-ing aerial command post for better com-mand and control, swift and life-savingcasualty evacuation are other operationaltasks carried out routinely by Army Avia-tion. In addition we have the ability to aug-ment fire support, which significantlyinfluences the close fight. The growth ofArmy Aviation will result in its role beingmore and more multi-faceted.

SP’s: Is there any role for Army AviationCorps in asymmetrical warfare and homelandsecurity?ADG: The basic characteristic of the helicop-ter allows it to operate from point-to-pointwithout the requirements of any intricateinfrastructure. It also has excellent slowspeed handling characteristic and can main-tain time on station, on required basis. Thesecan be exploited by the field force com-mander in all types of warfare. The IndianArmy trains and prepares to meet any even-tuality be it for conventional warfare or anational emergency. We too are prepared toplay our part, be it for asymmetrical warfareor homeland security.

SP’s: If India were to acquire a rapid reactioncapability for the plains and the mountains,what would be the role of AAC and how doesthe Dhruv fit in due to its capability to carryup to 14 personnel?ADG: The ability of the helicopters to over-come terrain friction provides mobility to theforce for rapid application at a given point,making it an inseparable component of theforce. Any force of this nature would requiresynergised employment of all availableresources. To that extent the helicopters ofArmy Aviation Corps, to include armed hel-icopters will invariably form part of suchoperations. Enhancement of tactical/opera-tional lift capability is being factored into thelong term capability development plans inview of the envisaged nature of operations inthe future battlefield both in the plains aswell as the mountains.

Combat HelicopterSP’s: Have you acquired attack helicoptersand if so, are your pilots fully capable of oper-ating them?ADG: Army Aviators have gained rich expe-rience by operating the weaponised versionof Cheetah helicopter called ‘Lancer’. Thisexperience will enable smooth transitionand adaption to any other combat helicop-ter platform that is inducted into the ArmyAviation inventory. Besides flying skills,intimate understanding of ground opera-tions and situational awareness of the TBAwould be of prime importance. Army Avia-tors, by virtue of inherent training regard-ing operations of the Army, are ideallysuited to operate attack helicopters.

SP’s: What are your modernisation plans andhow are they progressing? ADG: The modernisation plan of all the threeservices is underway and the army’s ownplan meshes well with the overall plan.Army Aviation, per se, has been under mod-ernisation, since its raising and the pace hasbeen in sync with the overall growth of thearmy. Besides, the ‘Lancer’ helicopter, ALH(Dhruv) has been in service with the ArmyAviation for over 10 years.  There are a fewmore modernisation projects in the pipeline.

SP’s: The Chetak and Cheetah fleet is obso-lete and considering the long gestation

period of new acquisitions. How do you planto maintain them in the interim period?ADG: Chetak and Cheetah helicopters havebeen in service of the nation for a long timeand have proved themselves in all forms andshown excellent performance, under variedterrain and weather conditions. Cheetahhelicopters have been the ‘Saviours ofSiachin Glacier’. Technology in respect ofthese helicopters is no doubt old and we areaware of the increasing challenges of main-tenance of these machines. Between Hin-dustan Aeronautics Limited and us,adequate measures have been put in place toensure that these helicopters remain main-tainable. However, it remains a challenge.

SP’s: Is your training infrastructure adequateincluding simulators?ADG: Army Aviation has a full-fledged train-ing infrastructure in the form of the ‘CombatArmy Aviation Training School’ at Nasik,Maharashtra. This institute has been thealma mater for all army aviators and hasbeen churning out highly professional andconfident ‘soldiers in the sky’ for many yearsnow. It has been a successful model, andplans are on to make it even more self-reliantby allocating dedicated helicopters and tech-nical crew for the same. We are also utilisingthe services of the Indian Air Force for train-ing of our aircrew as part of the larger con-cept of integration and jointmanship amongall the three services.  Simulators are an eco-nomical and highly effective method ofimparting training. Army Aviation has alsomade a modest beginning in this regard.However, there is handsome scope forenhancing the same.

SP’s: Are you facing any shortage of pilotsdue to greener pastures in civil aviation?ADG: The manning pattern and age profilerequired for Army Aviation is such that lat-eral absorption into the civil aviation sector,if any, does not affect its growth and opera-tions. There is no doubt that a number ofpilots, who are the mainstay of the rotarywing sector of civil aviation in India, are stal-warts from Army Aviation. The Corps drawsits pilots from all arms of the Army, at amuch younger age profile.

Arm of the FutureSP’s: What are the career prospects for offi-cers and men of the AAC? Does this cause anyconcern among the ranks?ADG: Army Aviation is an elite corps. It hascarved a ‘niche’ for itself in the Army andhas been identified as the ‘Arm of the Future’by our brass tacks. The promising young offi-cers of all arms are highly motivated to be apart of this reckonable force. The careerprospects in Army Aviation are equallybright. The pro-rata vacancies allotted toArmy Aviation are at par, with the rest of theArmy. The lateral absorption into civil avia-tion sector further ensures faster cadremobility resulting in greater satisfactionlevel in the select ranks.

SP’s: What do you think is the future of civil-ian helicopter industry in India and any sug-gestions to improve it?ADG: Considering the rate at which the Indianeconomy is growing, the civil helicopter indus-try in India is poised for a massive growth. Thecivil helicopter industry in India needs toexploit potential in the uncharted domain ofpolice force, aeromedical evacuation, disastermanagement and logistics supply chain inremote/inaccessible areas.  It also needs tostrengthen its current operations in tourism,pilgrimage, offshore/onshore exploration, coalmining, election campaigning, corporate fly-ing and communications etc. India needs tofurther establish itself as a frontline produc-tion/maintenance hub of spares for helicop-ters, to cater to regional needs of South andSouth East Asia and even for the West andMiddle East Asia, in collaboration with worldleaders from European, American and Russ-ian helicopter Industry.

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Army Aviation Corps will celebrate its silver jubilee on November 1, 2011. The Corps hasa place of pride in the pantheon of the Indian Army’s arms and services—and with

good reason, since few can claim to have made so great an impact, in such stark contrastto their numbers, as the Army Aviation Corps. Aviation has a certain mystique and aviatorsexude an indescribable elan which flows out of careful selection, rigorous training and anethos of professionalism which is the real key to aviation operations.

Year 1942 saw the inception of the Army Aviation wing of the RAF in India and thefirst Indian Air Observation Post flight was raised in August 1947. The Air ObservationPost remained a small and elite arm throughout the 1950s and on the eve of the 1965war, the Air Observation Post comprised of only one Squadron and four Flights. The Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971 were fields and skies of glory for this small band of thewinged warriors and aviators made a name for themselves with their innumerable actsof valour and gallantry in the skies. While the Chetaks were inducted in the Army inMarch 1969, the first of the Cheetas were inducted in 1971.

The Army Aviation Corps came into being on November 1, 1986, and was immediatelyinducted into “Operation Pawan” which was a crucial test for the newly formed Corps.In more ways than one, it was truly Army Aviations’ baptism by fire and they respondedwith pride and elan. With the Chetak helicopters taking on the logistic tasks, the Cheetahschristened as Ranjits, operated aggressively mounted with their medium machine guns.

The Siachen Glacier has been the final frontier for the Army Aviation Corps. Routinelyoperating at 20,000 feet and above on the extreme fringes of its flight envelope, the Chee-tah helicopter has been carrying out yeoman service as the workhorse of the glacier. TheArmy Aviation Corps has singularly been responsible for saving hundreds of lives, besidesproviding life-sustaining logistic support while operating constantly at super high alti-tudes—a feat unparalleled by any other Army in the world.

Operation Vijay was Army Aviation’s finest hour when so much was rested on the wingsof a motley group of a few good men. Their professionalism, grit, courage and tactical skillsand sterling performance was recognised with two Squadrons receiving the Chief of ArmyStaffs’ Unit Citations, two Vir Chakras and innumerable other gallantry awards.

The year 2001 saw the raising of the first advanced light helicopter (ALH) Sqn inArmy Aviation. The ALH nicknamed as ‘Dhruv’ has changed the face of operations inArmy Aviation and has already given a major boost to the tactical capability of Army.With the rapid operational growth of Army Aviation, keeping in pace with the ongoingmodernisation process of the Army, the helicopter profile of Army Aviation in future willundergo a major change.

On nearing completion of 25 glorious years on November 1, 2011, the Army AviationCorps is riding the crest of the Revolution in Military Affairs. Without doubt this is thearm of the future—one whose potential is now only being realised and exploited.

Glorious History of Army Aviation Corps

“Army Aviation operatesin the tactical battle area (TBA) as a combined arms team,expanding the groundcommander’s battle-field, principally in space and time”

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In our view, the year 2010 will go down as a year of

scams and inertia in defence procurement,

adversely affecting military preparedness for future

conflicts. Despite the oft repeated, stale and solici-

tous statements of the political leaders, the fact

remains that not only are we loosing our combat

edge against our adversary in the west, but we are

also becoming vulnerable to military adventures by

our adversaries on both flanks. The ability to deter

opponents, which is a cumulative affect of military

capability and political will, is important and neces-

sary to avoid wars which would waste India’s energy

and divert it from the path of inclusive development.

India faces a variety of military challenges to

national security, which include the threats and chal-

lenges from traditional adversaries and a multiplicity

of challenges which could be grouped under low

intensity conflicts operations (LICO). Additionally,

there are a large number of security parameters

peculiar to our geography which have to be factored

into the military planning process in order to derive

the structural and organisational changes and the

modernisation focus.

Lt General J.P. Singh, Deputy Chief of the Army

Staff, in a recent interview with the CLAWS Journal,

gave an insight into the capabilities that the Army is

acquiring. He said, “The critical capabilities that are

being enhanced to meet challenges across the

spectrum, include battlefield transparency, battle-

field management systems, night-fighting capability,

enhanced firepower, including terminally guided

munitions, integrated manoeuvre capability to

include self-propelled artillery, quick reaction sur-

face-to-air missiles, the latest assault engineer

equipment, tactical control systems, integral combat

aviation support and network-centricity.” A well

thought out list for modernisation and transforma-

tion, but how much have we achieved and how fast

are we progressing?

It seems that all our planners, both civil and mil-

itary are quite aware of the conceptual aspects of

national security and military preparedness and at

various security related seminars, they are able to

hold forth the subjects of their choice with consum-

ing eloquence. But alas, the truth is that the situation

on the ground has changed only marginally. The

last decade or so has been disastrous for the

defence services. They have been starved for new

weapons and equipment. Except for promises and

issuance of large number of requests for information

(RFIs), which never seem to get translated into pro-

curement action, nothing is in the pipeline.

In war good military strategy and operational art

demands that we maximise the strategic returns

available from a given amount of tactical effort or

conversely minimise the tactical effort needed to

attain strategic objectives of war. This will necessi-

tate induction of new technologies and state-of-the-

art weaponry to wage future conflicts.

This special issue carries the interview of ADG

Army Aviation and the focus of the articles is on army

aviation, unmanned aerial and ground systems.

ED

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Lt General (Retd) V.K. Kapoor

n LT GENERAL (RETD) B.S. PAWAR

The case for the raising of ArmyAviation Corps (AAC) dates backto 1963 when General J.N. Chaud-hary, the then Chief of the AirStaff stressed the requirement

while discussing the issue with the SelectBody on Aviation headed by J.R.D. Tata.General Chaudhary pointed out that heli-copters, with their rapid development indesign and ability to carry sophisticatedweapons had become a potent factor in theland battle. He further opined that efforts atincreasing the firepower and mobility of theArmy would not be complete without anaviation element comprising of light,medium and heavy helicopters organic toit. The Expert Committee on Aviation alsorecommended immediate creation of anArmy Aviation Corps for the Army. Becauseof the political and bureaucratic apathytowards defence matters, it took 23 years ofpersistent efforts to finally break from theAir Force and become an independentCorps of the Army in 1986. The organisa-tion of AAC sanctioned was nowhere nearas envisaged in 1963 and continues to

remain so even today, lacking the where-withal to be a full-fledged AAC.

Force StructureDespite the AAC becoming a full-fledged armof the Army in 1986, its growth has beenhaphazard and the Corps continues to beplagued by many infirmities. Foremostamongst these is the opposition of the AirForce, whenever the question of expansionof the role of Army Aviation comes up fordiscussion. Essentially, the opposition relatesto turf with the Air Force holding on to thoseassets that logically must come under theambit of the Army.

Today, the AAC has the largest numberof helicopters amongst the three services,majority being of the reconnaissance andobservation class (Chetak and Cheetah).Despite this, it has very few helicopters tocarry out a number of extremely specialisedroles in the tactical battle area. While theinduction of the light utility helicopter(ALH) has commenced, the medium andheavy lift helicopters, which form the core ofthe tactical lift capability, continue to be withthe Air Force. Hence, the dependence of theArmy on the Air Force for tactical move-

ments continues to be near total. A similarsituation exists with regard to attack helicop-ter units, which despite being an integralpart of the land battle, remain with the AirForce. Their optimum employment in such ascenario is not possible in the present set up.The Army’s requirement of small fixed-wingaircraft in limited numbers for importantroles like command and control, aerial com-munication hubs, logistics including casu-alty evacuation and communication flights,

is not acceptable to the Air Force. And allthis, despite the fact that the Indian Navy,the Coast Guard and even central policeforces like the Border Security Force havefixed-wing aircraft in their inventory.

A survey of military aviation organisa-tions, within and outside the country revealsthe inadequacies of our Army Aviation. Atpresent Army Aviation assets are inadequatefor the size of the Indian Army and the tasksit is required to perform. The expansion ofthe AAC is therefore imperative. The ArmyAviation should possess a mix of light fixed-wing aircraft and all categories of helicop-ters including attack helicopters/gunshipsfor various roles like reconnaissance, surveil-lance, combat fire support, airborne com-mand posts, combat service support, specialoperations and logistics.

Army Aviation needs to develop organi-sations that enhance aviation capabilities tosupport the concepts of operations of fieldcommanders. The force structure should betailored to meet evolving operational require-ments. In addition, aviation organisationsshould include appropriate maintenance andlogistical support elements required to sus-tain the force.

Indian Army’s ALH and Lancer

For dominating the tacti-cal battle space of the21st century, the Armymust go beyond fieldinglight observation andlight utility helicoptersand the control of attackhelicopters by proxy

Meeting the ChallengesThe Army Aviation is the arm of the future, a force-multiplier which can tilt the balance in any future conflict

PHOTOGRAPH: SP Guide Pubns

SP’s LAND FORCES1/2011 5

ARMY AV I AT ION <<

Army Aviation Employment PhilosophyIn the future, short notice, short durationand the high intensity non-linear battlefield,with deeper and wider combat zones andemphasis on depth battle, the Army Avia-tion on account of its ability to quicklyengage, disengage and regroup in the battlezone will greatly assist the field force as aforce-multiplier. The primary mission ofArmy Aviation is to fight the land battle andsupport ground operations. Its battlefieldleverage is achieved through a combinationof reconnaissance, mobility and firepowerthat is unprecedented in land warfare. ArmyAviation as the manoeuvre force in the thirddimension is the centrepiece of the landforce operations. Reconnaissance, attack,utility and cargo helicopters complementedby light fixed wing and support services likethe air traffic control and logistics are allrequired to support the Army in its range ofmilitary operations.

Army Aviation’s greatest contributionto battlefield success is the ability it givesthe commander to apply decisive combatpower at critical times virtually anywhereon the battlefield. This may be direct firefrom aviation manoeuvre units or the inser-tion of overwhelming infantry forces orartillery fires delivered into combat by airassault. This versatility is the very essenceof Army Aviation.

However, there are two areas of concernwhich need to be taken care of in order toensure effective and successful use of ArmyAviation assets in the tactical battle area.These are the air defence and air space man-agement. Suppression of the air defence bydefensive measures or a combination ofoffensive and defensive capabilities would beessential to ensure unhindered employmentof the third dimension in support of groundforces. Air space management in the tacticalbattle area is a very crucial aspect andrequires detailed planning and coordinationto ensure optimum utilisation of all weaponsystems operating in the tactical area.

One of the major challenges facing thearmed forces is counterinsurgency opera-tions. While the use of helicopters for theseoperations has been restricted to troop car-riage, logistics, surveillance and casualtyevacuation, we have been reluctant to usethe gunships/attack helicopters because ofcollateral damage. This could be of concernin build up areas, but in remote mountain-ous terrain and jungles this option needs tobe looked at by the Army and the drillsevolved accordingly.

Modernisation of Army AviationDespite 24 years since its formation and breakfrom the Air Force, the Army Aviation contin-ues to remain a reconnaissance and observa-tion force. The helicopters held in itsinventory (Chetak and Cheetah) are vintagesand need immediate replacement. Trials fortheir replacement are in the final stage.French Eurocopter and Russian Kamov are infray. The replacement of the ageing Cheetahand Chetak helicopters is crucial and needs tocommence at the earliest. Any further delayon this programme will have disastrous con-sequences on security.

In the light utility category, induction ofthe Hindustan Aeronautics Limited manu-factured Dhruv (ALH) has commenced.Three units have already been raised and areoperational, having been orated at the levelof Corps. A total of seven such units areplanned for induction, each having 10 heli-copters. This gives the capability to the fieldforce commander to move within the tactical

battle area up to a company minus force atthe critical juncture of the battle. The Dhruvhelicopter is all-weather, night capable,twin-engine machine with state-of-the-artavionics. The availability of this resource willgive additional tactical capability to the fieldcommanders in planning and execution oftheir operational planning.

In the medium lift category, the Air Forcecontinues to stonewall all attempts of theArmy to acquire a suitable helicopter in the10-12 tonne class. At the same time they arenot prepared to let go of the MI-17 helicop-ters held with them. These are at presentbeing refurbished for night operations andadditional MI-17IV are being acquired forreplacing the ageing MI-8 helicopters. Thiscapability is basically required for intra-the-

atre move of reserves and equipment includ-ing ammunition and for special operations.The HAL is looking at the feasibility of a jointventure with a foreign vendor for a 10-12tonne class multiple purpose utility helicop-ter, but very little progress has been made inthis regard so far. The Army needs to pursuethis approach more vigorously to acquirethis class of helicopters.

Attack helicopters/Gunships: Today,this is the weakest link in the capability of theAAC. The meager resources held two units ofattack helicopters—MI-25 and MI-35,though under the nominal command ofArmy, are in fact manned, controlled andoperated by the Air Force. However, these hel-icopters of Russian origin are vintage, thougha certain amount of upgrade has been carried

out to make them night capable. The trials fortheir replacement are currently on. In fray arestate-of-the-art modern day attack helicop-ters like the American Apache Longbow AH64D, the Russian Ka-50 and MI-28 (Havoc).All of these are dedicated modern attack hel-icopters and their induction will result in aquantum jump in the capability, notwith-standing the ownership issues.

In this context, the development of thelight combat helicopter (LCH) by the HAL is amilestone achievement. The LCH aims togatecrash the exclusive club of the state-of-the-art light attack helicopters whichincludes Eurocopters Tiger, Bells AH 1Z supercobra and Chinas ultra secret Zhisheng 10 (Z-10). The LCH is a derivative of the ALH andweaponised ALH. The LCH is required to oper-ate at high altitudes, a capability which willbe a distinct advantage over others. Two testflights have already been carried out this yearand it is likely to enter service by 2014.

Armed ALH/gunship: The armed ALHis already at an advance stage of develop-ment. Trials to test the weapon systems arecurrently ongoing. While not a typical attackhelicopter, it has an array of comparableweapon systems to include guns, rockets, air-to -air and air-to-ground missiles, along witha modern sighting system and relevant sen-sors. In addition, the Army Aviation alreadyholds in its inventory the Lancer (Cheetahgunship) capable of firing gun and rockets, avery potent and effective weapon system forcounterinsurgency operations.

Infrastructure development: While wehave talked about the main equipment, thereis also an urgent requirement to build suit-able infrastructure and have it in place toabsorb the new equipment and organisa-tions. Support services like airfields, air trafficcontrol, met equipment, maintenance equip-ment, etc, would also need upgradation andrefurbishing. Lastly, the most importantfacet, the training facilities for the training ofair crew and ground crew need modernisa-tion. The importance of simulators for thispurpose cannot be overemphasised. A mod-est start was made with the installation ofthe fixed-base Cheetah Simulator in 2005 atthe Combat Army Aviation School at Nasik.Currently, the HAL in a joint venture with aCanadian firm has come up with a fullmotion simulator for training of ALH pilots.Its exploitation is yet to begin, but simulatorsare the way forward for future training meth-ods as they save cost and time.

With regards to its organisation, theforce structure should be tailored to meetevolving tactical requirements. The conceptof Army Aviation Brigades at Command/Corps level is an imperative. The presentconcept of aviation base put in place thisyear is ill conceived and needs to be recti-fied. In addition, aviation organisationsshould include appropriate maintenanceand logistical support elements required tosustain the force.

The Army Aviation needs to play a vastlyenhanced role in land operations in the com-ing years. This is only possible if the armgrows, both quantitatively and qualitatively.For dominating the tactical battle space of the21st century, the Army must go beyond field-ing light observation and light utility helicop-ters and the control of attack helicopters byproxy. The need is to create a dedicated andfully capable AAC. Resistance from the AirForce will persist, but the Army will have totake a firm and unambiguous stand for itslegitimate and logical demands. While themodernisation process has commenced, it iswoefully slow and needs to be fast tracked.The Army Aviation is the arm of the future, aforce-multiplier which can tilt the balance inany future conflict. The growth and moderni-sation must proceed simultaneously to com-plement each other and due priority would begiven by the powers that be. A quote fromAlvin Tofler sums up the existing situation—“The illiterate of the 21st century will not bethose who cannot read and write, but thosewho cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”.

“The Fennec is our most advanced helicopter, fully compliant with the quality requirements of theIndian Army and the Air Force. It is a military certified and combat proven helicopter and the mostpowerful version in the Fennec family. In fact, it is the only helicopter that has a successful trackrecord while the other helicopters in its class are still experimental. In terms of manufacturing capac-ity, more than 300 Fennec/Ecureuil helicopters are manufactured every year. Given a production rateof approximately 1 helicopter a day, we are today best geared to deliver the 197 units required bythe Indian Armed Forces at the earliest. We are very happy with the Fennec’s performance duringthe recent trials and are confident that it is the rightful successor of the Cheetah and Chetak”.

– Rainer Farid, Vice President Sales, Asia Pacific, Eurocopter

Growth and modernisa-tion must proceed simultaneously to complement each other

Cheetah and Lancer at the Army Day celebrations

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ARMAMENTS

n AIR MARSHAL (RETD) B.K. PANDEY

The range of armament employedon the helicopter since its emer-gence as a combat platformwhether as an armed helicopter oran attack helicopter can be broadly

classified into three categories, namely rapidfiring automatic machine guns, rocket pro-jectiles and guided missiles. Over the years,all three have continuously evolved turningthe relatively slow moving, docile machineinto a formidable combat platform. Despitethe advancements in accuracy and lethalityof air-to-surface guided weapons, of varyingcalibre, the machine gun still retains itsimportance and preferred against a varietyof targets such as personnel, soft skin vehicles as also thinly protected armouredfighting vehicles.

Machine Guns: Light & Heavy The 7.62mm calibre, six-barrel M134 lightmachine gun was developed in the 1960s byGeneral Electric in response to the require-ments of the US Army for a weapon with anextremely high rate of fire for defence sup-pression in the tactical battle area. Onaccount of overheating problems, the rate offire in terms of rounds delivered every minutehad to be reduced from 7,000 to 4,000. Dur-ing the last nearly five decades, the M134 hasundergone a process of evolution, the thrustof the changes being higher levels of reliabil-ity though at a lower rate of fire. Garwood,an Arizona-based company, now offers astainless steel gun with titanium componentsand chrome-lined barrels. With an in-builtfacility to select the rate of fire between 3,000and 4,000 rounds per minute, the gun is des-ignated as the M134G and is employed onthe Bell UH-I, Sikorsky UH-60 series and theBoeing MH-6 Little Bird.

In the heavy category were machine gunsof 12.7mm or 0.5-inch calibre such as thesingle-barrel pod mounted FN HerstalM3/Gau-21 employed on the AgustaWest-land AW101 and the Bell OH-58D. It has arate of fire of 1,025 rounds per minute. Thereis also the triple barrel 12.7mm Gau-19/Awith a rate of fire of 1,000 or 2,000 roundsper minute from General Dynamics Arma-ment and Technical Products used onHH/MH-60G helicopters. The 20mm three-barrel M197 cannon also from GeneralDynamics has been de-rated to fire 650rounds per minute for mounting in the chinturret on the Marine Corps Bell AH-1W/Z andon the AgustaWestland A129CBT. The highercalibre single-barrel 30mm M230 Chain Gundeveloped by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) ismounted externally on the Boeing AH-64Apache. With a capacity of 1,200 rounds, theM230 fires 625 rounds per minute.

With the evolution of the machine guncame the realisation that for helicoptermounted machine guns, very high rates offire were neither required nor tenable onaccount of technical limitations and thatsmall calibre ammunition is equally effective.Also, on the heavier machine guns or can-nons, the rate of fire being still lower, a single-barrel option served the purpose equally well.

RocketsThe earliest rockets to be fired from helicop-ters were unguided and provided an effectiveoption for strike against high value or fortifiedground targets. The popular ones amongstthese were the 68mm Sneb from Thales/TDAarmaments, the 70-mm Hydra-70 from Gen-eral Dynamics and the CRV7 series from Mag-

ellan/Bristol Aerospace. The accuracy andeffectiveness of unguided rockets was latersubstantially enhanced through add-on laserguidance kits that help the rocket home on tothe intended target. Such conversion kitsavailable today include the direct attackguided rocket (DAGR) from Lockheed Martin,the advanced precision kill weapon systemfrom BAE the Elbit Star. TDA armaments ismeanwhile working on a laser-guided Sneb68mm under the designation Syrocot. Laserhoming kits not only provide a much higherlevel of accuracy but also a low-cost option.In collaboration with Emirates AdvancedInvestments, Raytheon is developing theTalon for the Middle East market. Trials of theTalon have been carried out on BoeingApache AH-64D and Bell OH-58D. Equippedwith the Raytheon laser seeker head, subse-quent batches of the weapon system will bemanufactured in the UAE.

To fill the gap between larger, moreexpensive guided missiles and the currentfamily of unguided rockets, Alliant Techsys-tems (ATK) in collaboration with Elbit Sys-tems Limited of Israel, has in 2009,successfully tested the 70mm guidedadvanced tactical rocket (GATR), a semi-active laser guided rocket. Test fired from aBell OH-58D and Sikorsky UH-60 BlackHawk, the weapons system employsadvanced acquisition, tracking, and guid-ance algorithms and has demonstrated asub-metre CEP. It is expected to offer a rangeof over eight km from a helicopter operatingat low altitude and the guided rocket has thecapability to lock on to the target eitherbefore or after launch. The propulsion sys-tem of the rocket and the mid-body warheadis made by ATK while Elbit provides the laserguidance equipment. Equipped with a smartfuse, the weapon is effective against station-ary and moving targets including thinly pro-tected armoured vehicles. As per EricIsaacson, Director, Rocket Programmes,ATK, the GATR is quite suitable for integra-tion with Boeing’s Apache attack helicopteras also other similar platforms from Euro-copter. The rocket combines combat-provenperformance, a very low smoke signatureand the reliability of an ATK-producedpropulsion system, similar to that providedby the company for the innumerable rocketssupplied to the US Army. ATK will be fieldingthe GATR as a low-cost option to meet withthe requirements of the US Army againststiff competition from other players such asLockheed Martin, Raytheon and Thales.ATK is conscious of the level of competitionbut is nevertheless optimistic.

Guided MissilesThe objective of aerial missions in war is toachieve objectives rapidly with minimum

casualties to own side and least collateraldamage. Progressing beyond the add-onlaser guidance kits, the thrust in the devel-opment of guidance systems for helicopter-launched missile systems has focused onintegral autonomous guidance systemscapable of providing devastating accuracyand facilitating use of smaller warheads atlower cost and lower collateral damage.Research has focused on reduction in theweight of missiles through use of advancedmaterials, longer stand off ranges forenhanced safety of the launch platform andtrue “fire and forget” feature that wouldobviate the need for continued guidanceafter launch as also the need for the launchplatform to venture into hostile air defenceenvironment. On account of operationalcompulsions, combat helicopters need tooperate at low altitudes and hence standoffranges as compared with fixed-wing plat-forms, are significantly lower. Guidance sys-tems that enable the air-to-surface missilesto home on to the target with high accuracyare based on laser, infrared, optical systemsor signals from GPS.

The most commonly employed air-to-ground guided weapon has been the anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) which havealso been used against a wide variety ofreinforced targets. The Raytheon BGM-71Tow series both wire-guided and wirelesswith ranges up to 4,000 metres, have per-haps been the most widely used ATGM ofwestern origin in the 25 to 35 kg weightcategory. The 4,000 metres range MBDAHot-3 will be used initially on EurocopterTiger helicopters in the French and GermanArmies. As an alternative, the 49-kg MBDAPars 3 LR that employs imaging infraredguidance would also be available for theEurocopter Tiger of the German Army. Thismissile has a range of 6,000 metres as alsoa fire-and-forget capability. Closer home,the armed version of the Hindustan Aero-nautics Limited produced advanced lighthelicopter Dhruv will be equipped with anew version of the Nag anti-armour missiledeveloped by the Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation (DRDO). This 42kg weapon system with a fibreglass air-frame will employ imaging infrared forhoming on to target and is said to have arange of 7,000 metres.

The thrust towards the development ofsmaller warheads has been further inspiredby the recent experience of the US forces inAfghanistan with the Lockheed MartinAGM-114 Hellfire. Meant essentially for useagainst armour, in the absence of suitablealternatives, the Hellfire was widelyemployed against personnel and othersmaller or low value targets resulting in highcollateral damage. In a counterinsurgencyscenario, prolific use of the Hellfire, espe-cially against unsuitable targets proved to benot only overkill, but expensive and counter-productive as well.

The FutureFuture developments will need to addressnot only increased effectiveness of theguided weapons systems but also focus on arange of technologies to accord the missilesystems multi-role capability, longer life andsignificantly lower life-cycle cost. Guidancesystems are shifting from command guid-ance to automatic command to line of sightwherein acquisition and tracking of targetwould be automated paving the way tolaunch multiple missiles simultaneouslyagainst an array of targets.

Past, Present and the FutureArmaments used in helicopters can be broadly classified into three categories, namely rapid firing automaticmachine guns, rocket projectiles and guided missiles

Hydra-70 Rocket launcher mounted on AH-64 Apache

Hellfire mounted on AH-64 Apache

PHOTOGRAPHS: Abhishek / SP Guide Pubns, Mark Holloway

Future developments will need to address notonly increased effectiveness of theguided weapons systemsbut also focus on a rangeof technologies to accordthe missile systemsmulti-role capability,longer life and lower life-cycle cost

www.atk.comIntegratedWeaponSystems.bdev@atk.com

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ATK 30/40mm Mk44 Bushmaster Automatic Cannon

ATK M230 Automatic Cannon on theAH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter

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ATK Modular Advanced Weapons System featuring link-fed variant

of the M230 Automatic Cannon

n LT GENERAL (RETD) NARESH CHAND

The security environment in India’sneighbourhood has been deterio-rating for quite sometime and withChina’s grand design to become aregional hegemon en route to

becoming a global power, there is no choicebut to modernise India’s defence forces rap-idly. Regrettably there has been only emptyrhetoric without much progress. A largenumber of request for information (RFI) andrequest for proposal (RFP) have been issued,but without any concrete result. A candidreview of Army Air Defence (AAD) equip-ment will prove this point.

Current AAD ScenarioAAD is holding systems with varying time-frames, ranging from the oldest 40mm L70gun which is more than four decades old tothe youngest Tangushka which is about 15years old. The majority of the remainingguns and missiles are about 20-30 yearsold. Actually the vintage of these systems ismuch more in their country of origin. Thusin all respect, they are either obsolete orhave reached obsolescence. Meanwhile, theair threat has been becoming more criticalwith the fifth generation fighters looming inthe horizon and unmanned combat aerialvehicles (UCAV) becoming a reality. Withthis backdrop, the current AAD picture israther dismal.

L/70 gun system: L/70 is the mainstayand has been the war horse of AAD since

1964. It was to be completely replaced by2000. But there is no progress. DefenceResearch and Development Organisation’s(DRDO) effort also kept its replacement at alimb for about two decades. Not many gunsystems are currently available, but a possiblechoice is Skyshield of Rheinmetall Defencewhich has an effective range of four km andrate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute. It canbe matched with any fire control radar andthe most redeeming feature is its advance hitefficiency and destruction technology(AHEAD) ammunition which contains 152heavy tungsten metal, spin stabilised sub-pro-jectiles and ejected by a time fuze. It is claimedto be very effective against small targets. Thesame system can replace ZU-23mm twin-bar-rel guns if found suitable and reduce theinventory. The gun was to be upgraded butdetails are not known. However, upgrading oradding new fire control radar will have noeffect as the rate of fire is very low to matchthe current and the future air threat.

Schilka system: It is a highly mobilesystem for supporting armour formationsand is in service since the early 1970s. Itssuccessor was Tangushka, one regiment ofwhich was procured, but there have beenmany twists and turns for buying addi-tional mounts. The result is that the AAD isstuck with limited equipment, which doesnot meet the current operational require-ment. One possibility is to take dispensationfor ‘single vendor’, and procure more num-bers of Tangushka mounts. The IndianArmy has issued another RFI in June, but

there are not many such systems available.Thus the response would not be veryencouraging, thereby delaying the mod-ernisation process.

Quick reaction SAM (QR SAM) sys-tem: The current system is OSA-AK whichis a highly mobile system for the defence ofarmour formations. This system is morethan 20 years old and needs to be replaced.DRDO’s effort to develop Trishul system didnot succeed and a fresh RFP is likely to beissued shortly. It is very difficult to predict thetimeframe of procurement. Possible choicescould be Israel’s Spyder, Raytheon’s HawkXXI which is a more advanced and compactversion of Hawk PIP-3 upgrade integratedwith a swanky new 3D MPQ-64 sentinelradar. The missiles are upgraded MIM-23Kstandard with an improved blast-fragmenta-tion warhead that creates a larger lethalzone. Raytheon’s other system is surface-launched advanced medium-range air-to-airmissile (SLAMRAAM) which is the land ver-sion of air-to-air missile which has recentlybeen inducted into the US Defence Forces.Other systems are Russia’s TOR M-1 whichhas a range of 12 km and Aster15 with arange of about 30 km which seem to fall inthe category of either less or more rangethan required. There are reports that DRDOis having a joint venture with MBDA forMica missile calling it Maitre (friendship)under a short-range SAM (SR-SAM) systemprogramme for replacing QR-SAM system.

Medium range SAM (MR-SAM) system: Kvadrat is the current system which

is more than 35 years old and has the tech-nology of the early 1960s. Thus an RFP hasbeen issued but later on withdrawn due topoor response. DRDO’s Akash has not suc-ceeded in mobile role and so the Indian AirForce has procured limited numbers toreplace the ageing Pechoras. The IndianArmy has followed suit in buying some forimportant strategic tasks. But additional pro-curement appears to be through a joint ven-ture of the DRDO and IAI of Israel. Thecontenders could be Russia’s BUK-M1,Aster30, Patriot Advance Capability-3(PAC3). The PAC3 system incorporates manychanges to the ground equipment and themissile, and is fielded in incremental steps,called Configuration 1, 2, and 3 PAC3/Con-figuration. The ultimate PAC3/Configuration3 includes upgrades to the radar (now desig-nated AN/MPQ-65) to increase detection inhigh-clutter environments, and to improvediscrimination of closely spaced objects (bet-ter decoy recognition). Patriot is the obviousfront runner as it is war proven; has hit to killtechnology; can engage aircraft, helicopters,UAVs, cruise and tactical ballistic missilesdeployed with 10 nations including the US.

Shoulder Fired SAM systems: The cur-rent system is Igla, which is also in servicewith the Indian Navy and the Indian AirForce. It was to be replaced with a latest ver-sion called Igla-M which had a better‘approach mode’ capability, but it did notfructify. Some current systems are Starstreakof UK, Stinger Block 2 of the US and the Mis-tral of France.

SP’s LAND FORCES8

A Candid ReviewWith China’s grand design to become a regional hegemon en route to becoming a global power, there is no choice but to modernise India’s defence forces rapidly. But there has been only empty rhetoric without much progress.

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PHOTOGRAPH: Anoop Kamath

ARMY A I R D E F ENCE

DRDO’s Akash

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SP’s LAND FORCES 9

OEM <<

The Indian Ministry of Defence hasnot yet released the requirement forquick reaction surface-to-air mis-sile (QRSAM), and hence it wouldbe premature to specify an exact

solution. However, some insights can be pro-vided into the approach that the Raytheon-Kongsberg team will take in response to anyrequirement released by India.

Airborne threats today are many andvaried. They range from the familiar highspeed fixed wing fighters and bombers tohovering helicopters, low radar cross sectioncruise missiles, loitering unmanned aerialvehicles (UAV), and lethal tactical ballisticmissiles (TBM). Combine this broad array ofthreats with the wide range of assets to be protected, and the force commander faces a daunting challenge. The capabilitiesrequired to protect a manoeuver force aredifferent from those required to protect aport, population centre or an airbase. Thecapability required to defeat a large fighter-bomber is significantly different from thatrequired for a TBM. It is for this reason thatthe Raytheon-Kongsberg team will offerIndia a set of solutions, or system of systems,tailored to each requirement.

The key to a successful air defence solu-tion is to employ a layered air defence strategy(Figure 1) that incorporates a mix of weaponssystems in order to counter this diverse airthreat. Advanced countermeasure capabili-ties and multi-dimensional saturation attacksrequire a defensc in depth. The Raytheon-Kongsberg concept for an air defence systemfor Indian armed forces offers an integratedair defence system, providing point, area andmanoeuver force defence with common sen-sor coverage and an integrated command andcontrol (C2) architecture. Based on openhardware and software architectures, this C2design will incorporate existing capabilities ofthe Indian armed forces and will easily addnew capabilities in the future, regardless ofthe manufacturer.

The fire distribution centre (FDC) config-ured as battery mobile command post(BMCP) is the centerpiece in this state-of-the-art C2 system that utilises extended commu-nications and data link capabilities. Theunique battalion net data link (BNDL) estab-lished between the FDCs provides improvedcombined sensor coverage and increasedECM survivability. The netting of FDCsenables complete situational awareness bycreating and exchanging a local air picture(LAP), air space control measures and inte-gration of external recognised air pictures(RAP); consequently producing a single cor-related air picture (SCAP). The FDC C2 solu-tion represents the latest in modern militaryair defence technology based on open archi-tecture standards. This open architectureenables continuous system capabilities evo-lution through the addition of elements andmodules, as new technology becomes avail-able, providing unlimited future growthpotential. This C2 element can be easily andquickly reconfigured to control operations atall levels of command from basic fire unitthrough battalion, regiment, brigade, ordivision (Figure 2). Commonality of hard-

ware and software simplifies the challengesof training and sustainment across the airand missile defence forces.

The Raytheon-Kongsberg team will offerIndia a set of solutions, or system of systems,tailored to each requirement. A network ofsensors supplying data to this common com-mand and control architecture provides asingle correlated air picture (SCAP) that

enables positive airspace and battle manage-ment, integrating and optimising weaponsystems performance. C2 integration withmultiple adjacent sensors and higher-eche-lon units, as well as the Indian Integrated AirCommand and Control Systems defencestructure, will ensure a robust and effectiveair defence architecture.

Digital communication network links all

air defence elements into a fully integratedsystem, as well as communication interfaceswith adjacent and higher echelon com-mands. This robust architecture allows eachnode on the net to be digitally connectedthereby overcoming terrain obstacles, andminimising the effects of combat losses of anindividual node. Capabilities are mixed andorganisations are designed to meet specific

missions and defeat the entire range ofthreats faced by the force.

These tailored capabilities will havemany characteristics in common. First, amulti-spectral suite of sensors employingstate-of-the-art technology for detectionand tracking of low radar cross-sectionand low altitude targets. Given line ofsight, target acquisition can occur atranges well in excess of that required tosupport specific target engagements. Usinga combination of radio frequency (RF)radars, electrooptical (EO), and infrared(IR) sensors, in vehicle mounted or ele-vated platforms, this suite of capabilitiesprovides a robust detection and trackingcapability that even the most sophisticatedthreats will be unable to defeat.

The effectors offered to meet theserequirements will also consist of a wide rangeof capabilities. The ranges will vary from thevery short range stinger class missile, theshort- to medium-range SL-AMRAAM mis-sile, the medium range Hawk and evolved seasparrow missile (ESSM), to the long-rangePatriot missile. Missile guidance options are amix of passive, semi-active, active, and track-via-missile (TVM) guidance. The final missilemix will be selected to defeat the specifiedthreat in support of the required mission.

With all the capabilities, the mobility ofthe platforms are adaptable to meet the spec-ified requirements. Employment on wheeledor tracked vehicles is available and as shownin Figure 3, been demonstrated in numer-ous configurations.

In summary, the solutions available fromthe Raytheon-Kongsberg team will providea robust air and missile defense capabilitythat can be tailored to meet the completearray of specified requirements across theIndian armed forces and defeat the full spec-trum of threats.

The writer is Vice President, Patriot Programs,Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

Tackling Airborne ThreatsThe Raytheon-Kongsberg team will offer India a set of solutions, or system of systems, tailored to each requirement

n SANJAY KAPOOR

Figure 1: Layered air and missile defence capabilities can be mixed to meet multiple mission requirements and defeat the complete array of threats

Altitude

Range

TBM

TBM

UAV

Fighter-Bomber

Cruise Missile

HigherEchelon

Unit (HEU)

Brigade BOC

Single Vehicle Sentinnel EMCP Vehicle Options

EMCP Fixed FacilityHawk in Desert Storm

Self Propelled Hawk HUMCWAR

OR

OR

Battalion (Regimental) Operations Centre (BOC)

Up to 8 Fire Distribution Centres (FDC)

EW Surveillance Radar(s)

Up to 8 subordinate units

MRSAMEngagementsHawk XXI

LRSAMEngagementsPatriot

VSHORADZoneStinger

QRSAM/SRSAMZone

Hawk XXI &SL-AMRAAM

Fighter Engagement Zone

Cruise Missile

Figure 2: Integrated command & control (c2) provides an accurate picture of the battlespace and robust control of the available forces

Figure 3: All system elements can be mounted on a wide range of platforms

1/2011

n LT GENERAL (RETD) V.K. KAPOOR

In dealing with technical vocabulary, thefirst step is to get past the definitionalaspect. Network-centric warfare (NCW)is a concept of operations that generatesincreased combat power by networking

sensors, decision-makers and shooters toachieve shared awareness and synchronisedactivity. NCW uses information for the benefitof the war fighters in peace and in war. Themilitary calls it situational awareness, whichimplies awareness regarding terrain (includ-ing objectives/targets), enemy, and ownforces. This information is passed from thesensors deployed on the ground, at sea, in theair and in the space (satellites, unmannedaerial vehicles, aircraft, radars, etc) throughbroadband digital communication networksto frontline units and the decision-makers inthe rear in real/near real timeframe, thusmaking the battlefield transparent and reduc-ing the response time.

Network-centric operations have alsobeen described as high tempo; precise, agilestyle of manoeuvre warfare focused oneffects based operations (EBO) that derivetheir power from robust networking of geo-graphically separated entities. EBO them-selves are coordinated sets of actionsdirected at shaping the behaviour of friends,foes and neutrals in peace, crises and war.This implies timely, appropriate and skillfuluse of all or selected element(s) of nationalpower which include political/diplomatic,economic, technological, social, psycholog-ical, information/media and militaryamong others. Timely sharing of informa-tion and intelligence, results in increasedspeed of command, higher tempo of opera-tions, greater lethality and increased sur-vivability. In essence, therefore, NCWadvocates and enables integration and“jointmanship” in which the three Services,in the Indian context, are lagging behinddespite all their diplomatic eloquence fromtime to time. The final aim is to achievestrategic (political) objectives of war withthe least amount of tactical effort whichincidentally is also the essence of “opera-tional art”. Hence jointness and integrationtogether with innovative operational art are

vital parameters of this type of warfare. Atthe national and military strategic levels,we are continuing to underplay and ignorethese issues. Our so called jointness is nei-ther functional nor formalised.

Challenges Related to Net-centric EnvironmentThe threat to India from traditional adver-saries requires preparation and readiness forhigh intensity conventional conflicts whichare likely to be rare. In the near and mid-term, the armed forces are more likely tofight non-traditional conflicts involvingcounter-terrorism on land, at sea or in theair; proxy wars supported and encouragedby adversarial neighbours; and home-growninsurgencies as part of India’s turbulentinternal security situation. Additionally, thearmed forces may be called upon to stabilisethe volatile strategic environment aroundIndia through a benign presence and ifrequired through force projection. Forcemay also have to be projected to secure ouroffshore assets, island territories, assets andIndian diasporas abroad, and to assistfriendly nations when invited. Hence, thenature of wars, in the future, is going tocompel us to think big, but only with smaller,more manoeuverable, more precise, moreagile forces and above all integrated forces.This will come about because technologywill allow large forces to be replaced by ‘pre-cision’ and ‘information’ highlighting thetime factor as the critical issue.

A major challenge lies in the realm ofour currently well defined command andcontrol structure which would need a reviewbecause in a net-centric environment (NCE)the military guideline of ‘one up and twodown’ may not remain relevant. Moreover,the dividing line between strategic, opera-tional and tactical levels will meet the samefate because the nature of net-centric oper-ations will allow prosecution of operationsin a simultaneous and non-linear manner,throughout the battle space, thus hasteningthe process of achieving the strategic aimsand objectives of war.

Another challenge is that while the threeservices are modernising their respectivenetworks and suitable gateways are being

catered for limited integration at appropriatelevels, the communication networks existingcurrently do not allow the type of inter-oper-ability required. The completion of thedefence communications network (DCN)will help in this regard if effective tri-servicearchitecture is well conceived, developed andput into place by a suitably designated teamof operational and technical experts of thethree services.

Conducting Network-Centric OperationsThe four fundamental requirements (capa-bilities) for conducting network centric oper-ations are networked communications,information sharing, advanced informationtechnologies such as agents and decisionsupport algorithms and networked-enabledplatforms [vehicles, tanks, ships, aircraft andother weapon systems]. The Indian armedforces are neither integrated nor do they pos-sess these capabilities, regardless of some“standalone” capabilities existing withineach service. Our desire to acquire the capa-bilities is laudable, but if we wish to movealong this path of an Indian RMA, then ourpromises must be backed by agencies andagents for implementation. The militaryinstrument of network-centric warfare willhave to be forged on suitably integratedorganisations, new technologies, joint con-cepts and doctrines, and joint training andjoint communication architecture. Hence,the important issues that the Services needto examine in far greater details are:l Jointly evolved communication archi-

tecture

l Joint/Integrated organisationsl Joint concepts and a joint doctrine to

fight future conflicts l Induction of new technologiesl Network enabled platforms [tanks, ships,

aircraft, etc]l Attitudinal change to accommodate the

concept of NCW

Integrate New Technologies as War Fighting SystemsTechnology, which is one of the principle fac-tors that drives the change in the method ofwar fighting is one of the most importantcomponents of NCW. India is facing anentirely new technology era, generatedthrough advancements in the field of mini-turisation, digitisation, material science,biotechnology, sensor technology, stealth,communications and information technol-ogy. India needs to integrate new technolo-gies as warfighting systems for which therequirement is to first evolve a new jointwarfighting doctrine and concepts of jointwarfighting and then decide upon theweapons and other systems to suit the for-mer. Employment of fully integrated taskforces in the future would require, in the firstinstance, introduction of three key technolo-gies. The first one involves long-range preci-sion firepower on the pattern used by theAmericans in the Gulf War, the war inKosovo and in Afghanistan. The strikeswhich were carried out from naval platforms,passed through the medium of air, wereguided by space based assets, and struck landtargets. In the Indian context also there willbe a variety of platforms. Networking of thefirepower resources of the three services willensure optimum effect on the target while thechoice is left to the integrated force com-mander to use the most appropriate and themost effective weapons. The second domi-nant technology trend is in the field of inte-grative technologies. The advances in thefield of communications, computers, com-mand and control, information and interop-erability (C4I2) have provided the military acapability to view the battle space as onecomposite whole and thus targets can betackled jointly or singly by any weapon ofany service, which is within range. Inter-operability will be the essence for the differentC4I2 systems of the three Services. The thirdmost important field relates to intelligence,surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) thatwill keep track of enemy and own forcesmovements through advanced sensors andplatforms like aircraft, UAVs, and satellitesassisted by global positioning systems (GPS).These advances are making the battlefieldmore transparent and the wars more precise.Some of the key technologies, from the pointof view of surveillance, in a net-centric envi-ronment are synthetic aperture radar (SAR)and hyper spectral imaging (HIS) and a com-bination of the two in a number of satelliteswould enable surveillance capability throughall 24 hours. Positioning of as little as fourmanoeuvrable satellites over a selected geo-graphical area could provide battle damageassessment every six hours over a 24-hourperiod. Other advances in space technologysuch as transmission of huge amounts ofdata by vehicles like the transformation satel-lite system (TSAT) would enable the dissemi-nation of large packets of data such as HISpictures. Today, it takes a few minutes toreceive, typically 500 MB data [one scene]

T ECHNOLOGY>>

SP’s LAND FORCES 1/201110

A Long Way to GoIt is disconcerting to note that the three services are progressing on the path of acquiring networked capabilities individually with no coherent framework for joint service enterprise information architecture.What is required is to establish agencies and agents for implementation within each service and for effective tri-service architecture.

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The Indian armed forceshave a long way to go toachieve a capability fornet-centric warfaredespite the fact that the‘strategic moment’ forchange had arrived

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Nine Steps in the RMA ProcessThe military analysts have established thatRMAs of all kinds, of any magnitude, and inany period are likely to share a commonstructure with common structural-func-tional dynamics. Colin S. Gray in his seminalwork on RMAs—“Strategy for chaos: Revo-lution in military affairs and evidence of his-tory”, explains nine steps in the RMAprocess which could assist the Indian mili-tary in coordinating and improving theirintegrated NCW project.

Step 1: “Preparation” implies thatRMAs occur following lengthy periods ofreform and extensive preparatory work isnecessary.

Step 2: “Recognition of challenge”explains that RMAs occur for a wide varietyof reasons judged important. They are amanifestation of radical political-strategicreorientation which in our case was pro-vided by the Kargil conflict.

Step 3: “Parentage” which meansRMAs should be successful in requiringpolitical clout or the patronage of those withpolitical clout. A case in point is of the infor-mation-led RMA of 1990s in the US whereAndrew W. Marshall was the intellectualparent and patron who was keenly sup-ported by the Secretary of Defence William J.Perry and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefsof Staff William A. Owens.

Step 4: “Enabling spark” implies that anRMA like NCW has to be constructed by rev-olutionary effort and for this a vital“enabling spark” is needed which may beindividuals or vital inventions.

Step 5: “Strategic moment” spells outthat RMAs typically contain a “strategicmoment” which reveals, as in a flash of bril-liance, new and exciting strategic possibili-

ties. Such moments by themselves may notbe the main event but they provide the hintof what may be feasible.

Step 6: “Institutional agency” explainsthe need for RMAs to have agencies andagents for implementation. These includeappropriate military organisations and withsuitable military cultures, joint doctrinesand innovative operational concepts derivedthrough “operational art” and intensivetraining.

Step 7: “Instrument” describes that notonly do the RMAs have to be conceived andforged but their military instruments alsohave to be procured. Regardless of thepotency of the military instrument, it has tobe of a size which is appropriate for executingoperational concepts in the Indian context.

Step 8: “Execution and evolving matu-rity” clarifies that the only test that reallycounts, in the pragmatic world of strategy, isthe detailed consequences of the use of theRMA i.e. its trial by combat. This step essen-tially refers to the military and strategic effec-tiveness achieved by implementing the RMA.

Step 9: “Feedback and adjustment”must have the potential of fuelling a com-plete renewal of the RMA cycle.

The nine steps explained above are justan analytical tool and could be termed as aconceptual tool kit for understanding anRMA process such as the NCW. It needs reit-erating that the NCW phenomenon involvesmuch more than mere networked commu-nications. In fact, it involves a totality of sys-tems which can be abbreviated ascommand, control, communications, com-puter, intelligence, interoperability, surveil-lance and reconnaissance (C4I2SR). Ourarmed forces would do well to study this phe-nomenon carefully and conduct the devel-opmental process through tri-serviceintegrated inquiry, research and analysis toarrive at contextual frameworks and struc-tures for NCW. This is also an area where

our strategic convergence with the UnitedStates must help us in obtaining the tech-nologies that we lack through direct transferor through joint development projects.

The Approach to ImplementationThe cost and complexities of such a projectwill not allow all platforms of the Indian mil-itary to be network-enabled simultaneouslyand hence priorities will have to be laiddown. As far as the Army is concerned, pri-ority should be given to offensive formationsas these may be called out at short notice todeal with developing crises. Selected offen-sive formations should be network-enabledin the first instance. Let us take the exampleof mechanised infantry division group [afuture thought]. In such formations, 100 percent command and control and combatvehicles will be network-enabled, whiletroop carrying, repair and recovery vehiclesand logistics vehicles may be networkedselectively. The key factor should be thatwhen networked even 60 to 70 per centsolutions should deliver a capability that faroutstrips the sum of its parts. This will alsohappen when ground, air and naval plat-forms are networked and placed under inte-

grated commands. The Army must alsothink of flatter organisations as both thenature of future wars and future technolo-gies suggest such a solution.

While each Service should plan to con-duct intra-service trials for their respectiveC4I2SR systems, inter-service developmentsshould be conducted apace. I recommend aninter-services team of dedicated professionalsfrom the General Staff, with one or two tech-nical hands along with scientists of theDRDO, at the level of Colonels and equiva-lents under a two star General/Admiral/ AirMarshal, be formed immediately to look intoall aspects of interfacing and interoperabilityunder the aegis of the Integrated DefenceStaff. As far as an inter-services “test bed” isconcerned, the integrated Andaman & Nico-bar Command could be nominated. Theyshould have under them the tri-service mil-itary instrument of “force projection” com-prising operational formations of all threeservices. This experience, after due modifica-tions, can later be applied to other force lev-els on the continental land mass of India orfor other contingencies outside the Indianboundary limits.

It is quite disconcerting to note that thethree services are progressing on the path ofacquiring networked capabilities individuallywith no coherent framework for joint serviceenterprise information architecture. Cur-rently, the Indian armed forces have a longway to go to achieve a capability for net-cen-tric warfare despite the fact that the ‘strategicmoment’ for change had arrived. Hence,what is required is to establish agencies andagents for implementation within each serv-ice and for effective tri-service architecture.The cost of transformation will be formidableand hence tri-service organisational synergyand prioritisation of resources will be vitalaspects of development. Military and politicalawakening and acceptance to bring aboutthis change is also a fundamental necessity.

T ECHNOLOGY>>

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SP’s LAND FORCES1/2011 13

CYBER SECUR I TY <<

n LT GENERAL (RETD) P.C. KATOCH

The Frankenstein of ‘cyber security’or rather ‘cyber insecurity’ is strik-ing fear across the lengths andbreadths of the globe. Cyberspacehas become a major potential land-

scape of insecurity, courtesy hackers, phish-ing, malware, botnets, bing, ghostnet,conficker, stuxnet, logic bombs, EMP attacksand the like. While experts and governmentsgrapple with the problem, it is well acknowl-edged that critical infrastructures includingdistribution systems of electric power trans-mission, water, oil, gas and the like are verymuch susceptible to cyber attacks. A majorvulnerability has emerged in the use ofInternet. It is use of Internet that made Wik-ileaks possible. Without the Internet, Wik-ileaks would not have managed to propagatesuch classified information at this massivescale. On the other hand, penetration ofInternet is fast becoming an instrument ofexercising operational art. It is for such rea-sons that China has mastered control of theInternet as part of her cyber security policy.

The general belief in India is that rele-vance of cyber security is mainly in thedefence sector. This is a myth. Economy of acountry in the modern era has a lot to do withsecurity of Information and CommunicationTechnology (ICT), which in turn is heavilydependent on cyber security especially whencyber attacks have the potential to kill ormaim critical infrastructure. Technology,management procedures, cyber laws, organ-isational structures, cyber security culture,skills and competence of human beings aresome of the factors around which cyber secu-rity revolves. If our economy is to grow expo-nentially and if India is to attain its desiredposition in the comity of nations, we need acoherent approach to cyber security. For suchcoherent approach, a National Strategy forCyber Security needs to be defined in syncwith international norms. Such a strategyshould be supported with operational organ-isational structures and a roadmap to developthe necessary cyber security culture. We areat a nascent stage of developing a policyresponse to the threats of cyber spying, if notcyber war, and it would be useful to trackdevelopments elsewhere and keep mappingthe related capabilities and weaknesses of cor-responding Indian institutions.

Cyberspace and Cyber WarFuture battlegrounds will undoubtedly beinclusive of cyberspace. Cyber warfare has nodefined boundaries. I is all pervasive, morepenetrating and detrimental and by far muchmore complex than conventional warfare. Itsmanifestations include attacks on criticalinfrastructure, equipment and weapon sys-tem disruptions, web vandalism, penetrativedata gathering or cyber espionage, distributeddenial-of-service attacks, compromised coun-terfeit hardware, etc. With various surveysassessing that over a hundred countries aredeveloping ways to use the Internet as aweapon and target financial markets, govern-ment computer systems and utilities, cyber-space would naturally become the battlefieldof choice in not only gaining informationsuperiority but also global supremacy.

The past two years (2009-10) saw the USelectrical grid being penetrated by allegedlythe Chinese. Similarly, the US oil companiesMarathon Oil, ExxonMobil and Cono-coPhillips were the targets of cyber attacks.Registries in 13 European countries were

forced to shut down on account of cyberattacks on the European Union’s EmissionsTrading Scheme. Such attacks highlight thevulnerability of the critical infrastructureincluding the vital energy sector due to theirconnection and interdependence of theirinformation systems with the Internet. TheUS and surely other countries have beenexercising simulated cyber attacks againsther critical infrastructure including powergrids, communications systems and financialnetworks in order to arrive at a suitableresponse roadmap. The major problem is pin-pointing the origin of the cyber attacks withall the advantages such attacks have in termsof unpredictability, timing, stealth andanonymity, all of which make threateningretaliation extremely difficult. Such retalia-tion is doubly difficult sans the means toestablish whether the cyber attack(s) is state-sponsored or the act of pranksters. Howwould you define such acts as an act of waror how can you judge that these attacks area prelude to actual war? Global escalation ofcyber attacks and continuing penetration ofscores of networks has far outpaced theresearch in finding suitable deterrent.

The spate of cyber attacks indicates oneof the objectives is to gather information andtest vulnerabilities of actors, networks andinfrastructure. Such mapping of the web andaccumulated information would help identifycyber warfare targets and refine attack tech-niques for use at opportune time to paralysethe adversary’s critical infrastructure. The-

most attractive channel of attack is the Inter-net. Hackers take full advantage of poor pro-gramming on a website and install malwarethat infects the visitors. Website builders gen-erally do not include adequate security indesign philosophy which leads to exploitableflaws. The originators of cyber attacks couldbe the States or their arms (like intelligenceagencies—both military and civil), defenceforces or hackers employed as informationand cyber warfare actors/warriors to inflictdisruption, map adversary’s capabilities andassess one’s own capacity to attack wheneverconflict situations arise. Besides industrialespionage in cyber space that has been ongo-ing for several decades, cyber attacks can alsobe politically motivated.

Cyber SecurityCyber warfare has emerged as a potent threatboth in conventional and non-conven-tional/asymmetric war scenarios. Hackingspearheading cyber attacks and cyber terror-ism have become daily occurrences globally.Conventional war can actually be won in thefifth domain even before the war is declared,much ahead of commencement of hostilities.The power to take control/interfere with theadversary’s networks, not only affects the lat-ter’s defence potential but can actually crip-ple a nation, bringing almost everything to astandstill. Security is vital since methods ofcyber attacks have become more complicatedand sophisticated. In India, cyber attackshave been experienced by the Prime Minis-ter’s Office (PMO), Central Bureau of Investi-gation (CBI), Defence Research andDevelopment Organisation (DRDO), NationalInformatics Centre (NIC), military establish-ments, defence installations, nuclear instal-lations, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministryof Home and Dalai Lama’s Secretariat, toname a prominent few. Lack of cyber securitycan cause critical loses in system data andinformation, resulting in failure of weaponsystems, curtailed military activity, shutting

down of satellites and GPS, power cuts, ces-sation of communications, freezing of stockexchanges and other service interferences.Lack of cyber security can actually permitglobal catastrophes through cyber attacks.

In cyberspace, information gets instantlyconveyed to servers around the world.Though the signals are impersonal, theyconnect the real world. It is not possible toachieve cyber security by individual expertsor even by countries/governments independ-ently. It is for the latter reason that groups ofcountries are aiming to develop partnershipsfor achieving regional cyber security. Theimportance of public-private partnershipand the need to increase cyber securityawareness requires little elaboration. Thephenomenon of cyber attacks has affectedall parts of the globe; from the mostadvanced to the developing counties.

Absolute cyber security is a myth assecurity is a challenge, it is dynamic andmanifests in newer forms. The threat todayis to cripple a nation in all its manifestationand covers a broad spectrum which includesinfrastructures like railways, national powergrid, national information grid, aviation,surface transport, nuclear/atomic centres,the financial institutions and their networks,defence installations and their networks—today’s security dimensions are quite differ-ent from the erstwhile conventional ones.Lack of evolving requisite cyber securitydeterrent, since ‘prevention’ was found to beineffective has led experts to advocate ‘pre-emption’ albeit this is at present sans thelegal cover and is facing absurdity of pre-emption in the face of foolproof evidence.Offensive Information Dominance is the newbuzzword and enormous amounts offinances and resources are being poured intothis to achieve perfection/ near perfection. Itgoes without saying that this implies invad-ing foreign computers and networks, notthat it will provide foolproof security to ownside; damage to both sides is inevitable in the

Insecurity RisingAs a country, we are yet to grasp the significance of cyber warfare. There is no cohesive policy for cyber security at the national level.

Hackers take full advantage of poor pro-gramming on a websiteand install malware thatinfects the visitors

F I R S T O F A S E R I E S O F A R T I C L E S T O W A R D S A C Y B E R S E C U R I T Y S T R A T E G Y

PHOTOGRAPH: af.mil media gallery

US Cyber Command

event of cyber attack(s)/ counter attack(s) invarying degrees.

We must be able to prevent cyber attacksand if this happens, contain them and effectswift recovery. Malware embedded in bothsoftware and hardware including at manu-facturing stage can prove grave risks tonational security. We must develop foolproofmechanisms to check our system for mal-ware, a capability that is non-existent in thecountry today.

Defining Cyber Security StrategyOver the years there have been suggestions toevolve deterrence for cyber warfare. However,the problem is identifying the actors that areperpetuating cyber attacks. While conceptu-ally deterrence is of great importance, howcan we apply the theory of deterrence to thecyber domain? Whom do you attribute cyberattacks to especially when cyber attacks arenot bound geographically and yet have globalreach? While we may not be able to attributethe source accurately, would we be able to doso in case of cyber war by our adversaries?Should a nation go in for pre-emption, espe-cially when dependence on cyberspace isbecoming vital? Should securing cyberspacenot be our main objective and in order toachieve this objective, should not all the com-ponents of the nation go proactive to controlthe Internet and develop a comprehensiveunderstanding of cyber warfare?

Evolving a cyber security strategy shouldessentially begin with a threat assessmentand having defined and understood thethreats; arrive at a strategy to mitigate thosethreats. The assessment of threats shouldinclude both the military and civil domainand cover the short–, medium– and long-term threat scenarios. Axiomatically, thesewill need to be periodically reviewed since

fast paced technological developments canbe unpredictable. Today, vulnerability in thedomain name system (DNS) can already hitfoundations of the Internet, allowing thehackers to reroute users to any website orblock them. Servers can be systematicallykilled. The functionalities of malwares aregrowing in numbers, performing morestealthily and increasing in complexity.

Security of networks would include basicphysical protection, partitioning and pro-tecting network boundaries with firewalls,having workstation firewalls, basic hostsecurity to include port lockdown and min-imising running services and access controllists. Measures for controlling access todevices and systems should include userauthentication for network devices, cen-tralised authentication and methods andsecuring network data with encryption andauthentication; secure access protocols andrefining and instituting basic practices fornetwork security. Of vital importance is toaddress the enhanced risk of the society dueto increasing interdependence on Informa-tion Technology (IT) in curtailing leakage ofinformation and preventing penetration inorder to protect critical infrastructure. Keep-ing in mind the increasing vulnerabilities onaccount of the IT explosion due focus needsto be given towards development of technol-

ogy to ensure security.The US has adopted an unambiguous

Offensive Cyber Warfare Policy. We must dolikewise and make ‘cyber dominance’ anessential component of our war doctrine. In2008, the Russia-Georgia conflict became adefining event in network warfare. As perreports, altered Microsoft software was fash-ioned into cyber weaponry and hackers col-laborated on the US-based Twitter,Facebook, and other social-networking sitesto coordinate the attack on Georgian digi-tal-based targets. A striking revelation forthe researchers was how quickly a commoncitizen could be transformed into a foot sol-dier in a cyber conflict. The cyber attackswere carried out by civilians with little or nodirect involvement by the Russian govern-ment or military, aimed to disable the Geor-gian government, banks and media outlets.We need to guard against such threats.Other than hackers/cyber attacks, our net-works will face serious threats even fromnon-nuclear electro magnetic pulseweapons and microwave weapons evenbefore the battle is joined. E-bombs are a realthreat now. Although, electro-magneticpulse and high pressure microwave harden-ing by retrofitment is a very expensive

process, engineering requisite resistanceinto a system ab initio adds little to the over-all cost. Given the incapacitating potentialof these weapons, we need to develop suchcapability indigenously.

Finally, across the world, developednations focus their efforts on making theircyberspace more secure and adopt strategiesfor it, we need to examine the nuances ofthese strategies and see what can be adaptedin the Indian context. This would be coveredin the next part of this series.

Create a National Cyber CommandCyber warfare provides the means to conductattacks and weaken enemy capabilities evenbefore the declaration of war. The world ofcyber-security is faced with certain asymme-tries.  Hacking is easier than defending.  Todefend its universe of websites, any govern-ment requires three things— an appreciationfor the challenge it faces, determination toaddress the challenge, and good counsel onhow to address the challenge. If the first twoare absent, the third is almost irrelevant.

As a country, we are yet to grasp the sig-nificance of cyber warfare. At present, thereis no cohesive policy for cyber security at thenational level. As our dependence on cyber-space increases, who will control and ensuresecurity of the vast networks at the Centre,state, military and civil establishments? Theseneeds to be defined, an appropriate organisa-tion created and made responsible for it.While creation of at least a unified CyberSecurity Task Force at the Services level needsto come up in requisite dimensions at theinterim level, creation of a National CyberCommand to include a Tri-Service CyberCommand on the lines of the US Cyber Com-mand appears to be an inevitable move. Bothneed to progress concurrently.

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British soldiers now have a new devicewhich can pinpoint the exact posi-tion of enemy snipers 1,000 yards

away. The device Raytheon’s BoomerangWarrior-X is a cost-effective compact dis-mounted shooter detection system.

The detector’s powerful acoustic pro-cessing technology evaluates the enemyposition by determining the target’s co-ordinates on a small screen with an arrowindicator. Simultaneously, it bleeps awarning into a headset connected to thedevice. The small square-shaped detector

will also allow Joint Tactical Air Con-trollers to forward exact locations of theenemy to fighter pilots for an air strike.

At only 12 ounces, the Warrior-X sys-tem automatically alerts the individual ofhostile small arms fire and accuratelylocalises the shooter’s position, allowingfor a rapid, informed, and coordinated

response. The system works in both urbanand mountainous terrain, without theneed for user input. Its ability to quicklyand reliably identify the location of enemyfiring locations provides the intelligencenecessary to minimise threats and avoidhuman casualties.

Incoming shot announcements areheard from either a built-in speaker orthrough an earpiece. The light-weightvisual display provides range, and azimuthof the hostile shooter. As the individualmoves, the system automatically compen-sates for the individual’s motion and con-tinually updates the threat’s location onthe display. Advanced shot recall technol-ogy is built into the system’s computingtechnology for rapid after action review orto update bearing and location to a previ-ous shooter’s location while an individualmanoeuvres in an engagement area.

Boomerang Warrior-X provides thesame reliability, features, and advancedproduct benefits as the widely fielded vehi-cle-mounted Boomerang III system—sig-nificantly smaller, light weight, andintegrated with tactical vests.

F I R S T

Quick & ReliableBoomerang Warrior-X is smaller,light weight, and integrated withtactical vests

In service with Swedish, French, German, Italian and Span-ish Armies and under evaluation by other armies, theBv206S armoured all-terrain vehicle can move in extreme

terrain and weather conditions. Available in various configu-rations, it can be used to transport 12 combat equipped sol-diers and can safely get through into areas where most othervehicles and aircraft cannot go.

BAE Systems Bv206S is designed for multi-role world-wide operations and is an ideal concept for rapid deploy-

ment tasks, peace enforcement, peacekeeping and humani-tarian aid programme.

The Bv206S vehicle is a further development of the suc-cessful Bv206, and is designed to meet tough military require-ments for extreme mobility under ballistic protection in allclimates, with high reliability and low maintenance cost.

The Bv206S is designed for air transportation in aircraftlike C-130, C-17, CH-47, and CH-53 helicopters and isamphibious with minor preparation.

For Multi-role Worldwide Operations

PHOTOGRAPH: BAE Systems

BAE Systems Bv206S can move in extreme terrain and weather conditions

T E C K N O W

PHOTOGRAPHS: Raytheon

We are at the nascentstage of developing apolicy response to thethreats of cyber spying,if not cyber war

Malware embedded inboth software and hardware including atthe manufacturing stage can prove grave risks tonational security

SP’s LAND FORCES1/2011 15

N IGHT V I S ION <<

n LT GENERAL (RETD) P.C. KATOCH

The term night vision device (NVD)usually refers to a complete unit,including an image intensifier tube,a protective and generally water-resistant housing, and some type of

mounting system. Many NVDs also includesacrificial lenses, IR illuminators and tele-scopic lenses.

A vital ingredient of battlefield trans-parency is the ability to see by night. The sidethat can see better by night will have greateradvantage. Research and Development (R&D)is being undertaken globally to enhance thereach, improve the resolution and reduce theweight of night vision devices in order to pro-vide a better edge to own side.

The Indian Army too has night visiondevices (NVDs) on its inventory in variouscategories and quantities albeit ideal equip-ping both in terms of quantity and qualityare still a far cry. Say, for example, the handheld thermal imagers (HHTIs) that are inhigh concentration in insurgency afflictedareas like Jammu & Kashmir and which areyet to reach infantry battalions of strike

corps in sufficient numbers. The philosophyfor night vision accessories too needs refin-ing if we are to learn from the mistakes ofthe past. For example, when the HHTIs werefirst imported from Israel and France onlyone charger per four HHTIs were procured.This created major problems with widely dis-persed deployments in Jammu & Kashmirand forced the infantry to improvise charg-ers, which may have caused inadvertentdamage to the equipment. Another examplewas of artillery which went in for numerouslaser target designators but only one chargerthat was kept centrally at the School ofArtillery and every time charging wasneeded, individual designators had to beflown in and out. Additionally, our DefenceResearch and Development Organisation(DRDO) and public sector undertakings(PSUs) are way behind in the field of NVDscompared to their foreign counterparts,whose night vision products are bulkier andof lesser resolution.

Inside the NVD NVDs are of two types—image intensifiersand thermal imagers. Image intensifiers are

more common as their light amplificationtechnology uses the small amount of ambientlight like moon/stars light and converts thislight energy (photons) into electrical energy(electrons). These electrons pass through athin disk that’s about the size of a small coinand contains more than 10 million channels.As the electrons go through the channels,they strike the channel walls, releasing thou-sands of more electrons. These multipliedelectrons then bounce of a phosphorousscreen which converts the electrons back intophotons, letting you see an impressive nighttime view even when it’s really dark.

To understand thermal imaging it isimportant to understand that infrared (IR)can be split into three categories; first, nearIR with wavelengths from 0.7 to 1.3microns, or 700 billionths to 1,300 billionthof a meter; second, mid-IR with wavelengthsranging from 1.3 to 3 microns; third, ther-mal IR with wavelengths ranging from threemicrons to over 30 microns. Near IR is clos-est to visible light. Both near-IR and mid-IRare used by a variety of electronic devices,including remote controls. Thermal IR occu-pies the largest part of the infrared spec-trum. The key difference between thermal IRand the other two is that thermal IR is emit-ted by an object instead of being reflected offit. IR light is emitted by an object because of

Seeing Through DarknessResearch and development is being undertaken globally to enhance the reach, improve the resolution andreduce the weight of night vision devices in order to provide a better edge to own side

PHOTOGRAPH: ITT Defense

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ITT Night Vision manufactures a varietyof multifunctional night vision binoculars

and other equipment for both aviationand ground systems

The US military is experimenting withpanoramic night vision goggles (PNVGs) which double the user's field of view to around 95 degrees by using four 16mm

image intensifiers tubes, rather than the more standard two 18 mm tubes

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what is happening at the atomic level. Mostthermal imaging devices scan at a rate of 30times per second. They can sense tempera-tures ranging from 20 degrees Celsius to2,000 degrees Celsius and can normallydetect changes in a temperature of about 0.2degrees Celsius.

Thermal imaging devices are generally‘uncooled’ or ‘cryogenically cooled’. Theuncooled ones are more common whereinthe IR detector elements are contained in aunit that operates at room temperature.These devices are noiseless, activate imme-diately and have inbuilt batteries. Cryogeni-cally cooled devices have the elementssealed inside a container that cools them tobelow zero degree Celsius. The advantage ofsuch a system is the incredible resolutionand sensitivity thesult from cooling the ele-ments. Though more expensive and moresusceptible to damage from rugged use,these systems enable a soldier to seewhether a person is holding a gun morethan 300 metres away. Unlike the tradi-tional ones, most night-vision equipmentwhich uses image enhancement technology,thermal imaging is great for detecting peo-ple or working in near-absolute darknesswith little or no ambient light.

Generation ChainNVDs are generally being classified into fourcategories albeit with differing —some clas-sify them as generation 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 (yetto be defined) while others classify them asGeneration 1, 2, 3 and 4. Advanced versionof Generation 3 is also being referred to asGeneration 3 Ultra. Since the image intensi-fier tube (IIT) is the heart and soul of theNVD, classification of the NVD depends onwhat type of IIT is used in the particulardevice. The generation chain of NVDs hasprogressed as under:l Zero Generation: These comprised basi-

cally of sniper scopes that came into useduring World War II and the Koreanconflict though these were not trueimage intensifiers in the real sense. Thesescopes were image converters, whichrequired a source of invisible IR lightmounted on or near the device to illumi-nate the target.

l First Generation: The sniper scopes of zerogeneration were succeeded by “starlightscopes” developed during the early1960s for use in Vietnam. These wereactual image intensifier devices. In thesedevices, three IIs were connected inseries, making each unit longer andheavier than future night vision units.This equipment produced an image thatwas clear in the centre of the field ofview. However, it suffered from large opti-cal distortion around the periphery. Thefirst generation equipment was also sub-ject to “blooming or “halo effect” —lossof the entire night vision image, parts ofit, or small parts of it, due to IIT overload-ing by a bright light source wherein theentire night vision scene, or parts of it,become much brighter, “whiting out”objects within the field of view.

l Second Generation: Development of themicro channel plate (MCP) in late 1960sushered the second generation NVDs.The second generation tubes are highquality with exceptional brightness andresolution. Each tube has a micro chan-nel plate, multi-alkaline photocathodewith built-in power supply. The MCPaccelerated and multiplied electrons sub-stituting coupling of three IIs of the firstgeneration. This enabled reduction of theIITs, enabling design of smaller nightvision goggles and hand-held devices.The MCP also provided much morerobust operation when bright lightsentered the field of view though same tri-alkali photocathode was used in the IITas in first generation devices.

l Third Generation: Fielded in the early1980s, these devices saw two major tech-nological improvements; First, Gallium

Arsenide (GaAs) photocathode; second,ion barrier coating to the MCP. This gen-eration was implemented to reflect thechange in the photocathode; tri-alkalireplaced with GaAs. The third generationimage IITs are of high quality. They havea micro channel plate, GaAs photocath-ode, and a completely self-contained inte-gral high-voltage power supply. Thesethird generation tubes provide a com-bined increase in resolution, signal tonoise ratio and photosensitivity over tubeswith a multi-alkali photocathode. TheGaAs photocathode increases the tube’ssensitivity to light from the near-infraredrange of the spectrum, enables it to func-tion at greater detection distances andimproves system performance under lowlight conditions. Application of a metal-oxide ion barrier to the MCP increases thelife of the image tube. The operational lifeof third generation tubes is in excess of10,000 hours, compared to that of second generation tubes which is about2,000 to 4,000 hours. Over the years,there have been significant improvementswithin the third generation NVDs that areloosely being referred to as third genera-tion ultra.

l Fourth Generation: In 1998, gated filmlesstechnology was created by removing theion barrier film and “gating” the systempower supply. The technology demon-strated substantial increases in targetdetection range and resolution. The film-less micro channel plate provides a highersignal-to-noise ratio than standard thirdgeneration IITs, resulting in better imagequality under low-light conditions. Anauto-gated power supply further improvesimage resolution under high light condi-tions and a reduced halo effect that min-imises interference from bright lightsources. The reduced Halo maximises theeffectiveness of the night vision device indynamic lighting conditions such as thoseexperienced, for example, in night opera-tions in urban areas. The primary difference between the sec-

ond and third generations is the photocath-ode. The second generation uses a multi-alkaliphotocathode while third generation uses gal-lium arsenide. The latter provides a significantincrease in photo response and tube life.Other differences in performance are imagetube resolution, tube gain and signal to noiseratio. The third generation devices offergreater clarity but are more expensive thanthe second generation devices. While the sec-ond generation NVDs work well in most situ-ations, third generation NVDs achieve highperformance in all conditions.

Smart technology, designed according tothe latest computer technology, now pro-vides the user total control in the high-techindustry of night vision.

Choosing NVDsWhile choosing NVDs, three important per-formance parameters that need to be bornein mind are—signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), res-olution and modular transfer function (MTF)and lifetime. SNR is by far the most importantparameter for an image intensifier. It is ameasure of the light signal reaching the eyedivided by the perceived noise as seen by theeye. For night vision devices it is measured ata light-level of 108 ulx. The value of the SNRdetermines the resolution at very low light-levels. Therefore, the higher the SNR, the bet-

Accessories for night vision need to provisionin a manner that usershave no need to lookover their shoulders

The Photonis Group is a global business serving the photo-sensortechnology needs of world-leadingcustomers in the areas of nightvision, industry and science andMedical Imaging

Moskito is the newest multifunction handheldfrom Vectronix AG, subsidiary of Sagem Group,incorporating a laser rangefinder, image intensifier, digital compass, inclinometer andinternal GPS. This electro-optical product combines all essential day and night viewing,measuring and geo-location functions into onecompact and user friendly device.

Merlin-SR (short range) by Qioptiq isa lightweight night vision adaptor formilitary and law enforcement opera-tors who want to retain the use oftheir existing day scopes

continued on page 22

PHOTOGRAPHS: Photonis, Qioptiq, Sagem

Image Intensifier Tubes

www.photonis.com

UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLES>>

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n SANJAY KUMAR

MACHINES HAVE ALWAYSbeen known to supplementhuman efforts in diversewalks of life. However, thequest for intelligent machines

by armed forces across the globe is aimed atreducing human interface with machines onthe battlefield. With modern warfare increas-ingly moving towards an era of complex technologies such as stealth and network-centricity, there is an increasing trendamongst modern land forces to evolve them-selves into lighter and more responsive forcesthat are at once lethal and survivable. Intelli-gent machines are useful strategic assets asthey can be used for a variety of land opera-tions including search and rescue missions,surveillance, carrying additional loads(mules) and self-contained killing machines.

Low VisibilityWhile unmanned aerial vehicles or ‘drones’have been around for quite sometime andthese are also increasingly becoming normswith a growing number of air forces aroundthe world, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs)are yet to make their presence felt on the bat-tlefield with the same force as their aerialcounterparts. Despite their low visibility, UGVshave proved their combat worth inAfghanistan and Iraq by saving precioushuman lives. With their ability to see thethreat around the corner, UGVs are provingthemselves as an important asset for the sol-dier by increasing his personal safety andenabling him to neutralise the threat quicklyand accurately without too much of collateraldamage. The terrorist attack of 26/11 inMumbai is a case in point to underline theimportance of combat UGVs for the specialoperations forces. If the special operationforces that were used during 26/11 attackonly had access to military robots, equippedwith laser cameras and machines guns, theoperations could have resulted in fewer casu-alties and completed much earlier than they

did. Following the dastardly terrorist attack onthe twin towers of the World Trade Center inNew York on September 11, 2001, groundrobots fitted with laser cameras saved manyinnocent lives that remained trapped underthe debris of fallen twin towers. Later, duringthe Afghanistan war, the US army used TalonUGV effectively to gather useful intelligenceabout Al-Qaida operatives hiding in the ToraBora caves near the Pakistan-Afghanistanborders. Inputs gathered from Talon were sub-sequently used for mopping up of terroristshiding in those caves.

Alternatives to Human SoldiersRobots, including unmanned ground vehicles(UGVs), have many valuable attributes thatwill aid and complement soldiers on the bat-tlefield. They are well suited to perform rou-tine and boring tasks. They are fearless andcan work tirelessly 24x7 without knowinghunger or fatigue. They do repetitive taskswith speed and precision. They can bedesigned to avoid or withstand enemy arma-ments and to perform specific military func-tions. Robots can reduce casualties byincreasing the combat effectiveness of soldierson the battlefield. More importantly, theydon’t demand salaries and perks. The US mil-itary’s success with unmanned combat sys-tems, especially on the battlefields inAfghanistan and Iraq has galvanised globalfocus towards research, development andpurchase of unmanned systems in order toadd them to the fabric of their armed forces.It is estimated that currently there are about50 countries, including India that are pursu-ing robotic technologies for their armedforces. As the modern warfare becomesincreasingly irregular in nature and thethreat of terrorism remains globally rampant,there is growing demand for technologies thathelp keep human soldiers including other lawenforcing personnel, out of harm’s way.

Indian SceneSundaresh, the Chief Controller, Researchand Development (R&D), Armament and

Combat Engineering, DRDO, recentlyannounced at Avadi, Chennai, that 20indigenously developed, remotely operatedvehicles (ROVs) are currently being tested bythe Indian Army. The ROV, Daksh, developedby the DRDO in Pune, is the first steppingstone for 1.1 million strong Indian Armyaiming towards employment of unmannedsystems across the entire future battle spec-trum. DRDO’s two-foot Daksh is a battery-run robot which can be remotely operatedfrom a distance of 500 m. It weighs 350 kgand can raise an object weighing 20 kg froma distance of 3 m. It is reported that Dakshhas a robotic arm which can lift improvisedexplosive devices (IEDs) even from a con-gested place, examine the same with its X-ray component for verifying whether it is anIED device and it can diffuse the explosive byusing the in-built water-jet disrupter. Therobot can even move up the stairs for assess-ing dangerous objects. There is howeveranother version of Daksh that can work in anuclear, biological and chemical environ-ment. The next stage in development is‘robotic mules’, part of the Army’s ambitiousmodernisation programme for the futureinfantry soldier as a system (F-INSAS)’aimed at reducing the logistic burdens forthe foot soldiers of the Indian Army. Theseremotely-controlled robotic mules will alsocarry automated-weapons to launch con-centrated firepower on the enemy. TheIndian foot soldiers are notorious for carry-ing 20-30 kg extra weights than their coun-terparts in technologically advanced armies.However, these soldiers can perform muchbetter in terms of mobility, agility and firepower with the equivalent of a mechanicalmule following behind them.

Leaders in TechnologyCurrently, the US and Israel are the front-run-ners in robotic technologies insofar as the useof robots for military purposes is concerned.The US military is believed to have around7,000 UAVs and 12,000 UGVs in its inven-tory for different operations. SWORDS,

MARS, and WARRIORS are some of the com-bat UGVs that have been employed success-fully by the US military in theatres likeAfghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. The Israelimilitary too is using the Guardium, a ground-based robots, to patrol along the Gaza andLebanese borders. The Guardium is essen-tially an armoured off-road golf cart with asuite of optical sensors and surveillance gear.It was put into the field for the first time 10months ago.

Given the huge enthusiasm that roboticshas generated worldwide, especially amongvarious armed forces that the time is not toofar when fighter jets and main battle tankswill become fully automated military robots.Taking the lead in robotics for military appli-cations, way back in 2003, the US hadlaunched the most ambitious project ever forArmy modernisation, the future combat sys-tem (FCS), envisioning new brigades equippedwith new manned and unmanned vehicleslinked by an unprecedented fast and flexiblebattlefield network and aided by variouspieces of other gear. The FCS has since beencurtailed to Army Brigade Combat TeamModernisation Programme either becausefunds are not available or because the pro-gramme looks too far away.

Innovation Is the KeyRobotics is still a nascent science in India.The use of robotics in the Indian military,particularly in the Indian Army, is almostnegligible. However, robotic technologyholds great significance for security person-nel. Deployment of robots to perform sentrytasks at key locations which are vulnerableto suicide terrorist attacks would substan-tially reduce physical risks to security per-sonnel at the first point of contact withterrorists. India’s present security chal-lenges require keeping constant surveil-lance all along the border including themost inhospitable Siachen Glaciers.

The spread of red-wing extremism across220 districts in India, especially the use ofIEDs by the leftist guerillas has already takena heavy toll on the security forces in terms ofcasualties. As the leftist guerrillas are deter-mined to fight protracted conflicts with thesecurity forces, it makes great sense to developrobots which can also fire guns. It would beprudent to keep the robots in the first line offire, especially in terrains which are difficultto negotiate.

Robotics is a dual-use technology withtremendous potentials for commercial spin-offs. The young scientific community in thecountry needs to be encouraged in taking upR&D on futuristic military technologies.India has huge scientific talent spread acrossthe length and breadth of the country. Com-petitions need to be encouraged, especiallyamong young students. The student roboticcompetition held recently at Avadi is a laud-able step to usher in key innovations for mil-itary purposes. The DRDO perhaps would dowell by holding student competitions annu-ally, simultaneously, raising the bar of thecompetition as well as increasing the prizemoney. Even if there are no winners in a par-ticular year, competitions still need to beheld. Students and other private entrepre-neurs who participate in such events wouldat least build upon their previous experi-ences and come out with something betternext time around. The writer is an experienced researcher andmilitary analyst.

Unmanned Machines at WarWith modern warfare increasingly moving towards an era of complex technologies such as stealth and network-centricity, there is an increasing trend amongst modern land forces to evolve themselves into lighter and more responsive forces that are at once lethal and survivable

ROV Daksh, developed by the DRDO in Pune

PHOTOGRAPH: Abhishek / SP Guide Pubns

Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concernwas created in 2002 and cur-rently has more than 50 enter-prises making it as one ofRussia’s leading holding defence

companies and the world’s major supplierof air defence systems.

According to the top 100 annual ratingof the US-based Defense News Weekly theConcern’s place is among top 30 largestdefence companies in the world.

One of the latest Concern develop-ments is S-400 Triumph long-range newgeneration ADS which became operationalin August 2007. After upgrading this systemwill become the major weaponry for theRussia’s aerospace defence concept for anumber of years.

Nowadays Almaz-Antey Air Defense Con-cern is involved in the development of thefuture common system of anti-aircraft andanti-missile weapons of the fifth generationand in the implementation of the Conceptof the aerial-space defence of the RussianFederation.

Concern has a wage export potentialwith an existing portfolio around $6 billion.The Almaz-Antey-made ADS have beenoperated by more than 50 countries inSouth East Asia, Middle East, Europe, Africaand Latin America.

The list of arms and military equipmentbeing offered for export by Almaz-Anteyincludes the following items:– long-range air defence systems S-300

PMU2 Favorit, S-400 Triumph and S-300VM (Antey-2500);

– Medium-range air defence systems:Buk-M1-2, Buk-M2E; Pechora-2A;

– Short-range air defence missile systemsTor-M1, Tor-M2E;

– Automated control systems Senezh-M1E, Rubezh-ME, Baikal-1ME, PPRU-M;

– Air defence radar stations 96L6E,6C19M2, 9C15MV3, Gamma-DE, Gamma-C1E, Kasta-2E2;

– Ground reconnaissance radar stationsZoopark-1, Credo-1, Fara-1, meteorologysystem Ulybka;

– Ship-borne air defence systems: Rif-M,Shtil-1, Klinok;

– Integrated missile systems Kalibr-NKE,Kalibr-PLE, as well as other defenseitems from the whole range of the Con-cern manufactured products.Concern is entitled to be engaged in

independent foreign trade activity in partic-ular carrying out negotiations and signingcontracts on after-sale service/ maintenanceof manufactured and previously deliveredarmament and defence equipment. n

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SPEC I A L F EATURE <<

Almaz-AnteyRussia’s answer for secure skies

Vladislav V.Mentschikov, Director General, Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern

ATTACK HE L I COPTERS>>

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n LT GENERAL (RETD) B.S. PAWAR

Armed helicopters or combat heli-copters can be classified into twocategories i.e. the armed helicop-ters/gunships and the modern-day dedicated attack helicopters

(AH). Both are military helicopters, whereinthe armed helicopters are normal utility,cargo or reconnaissance modified withweapon mounts for defence against enemyfire from the ground as well as air and forattacking targets on the ground. The pur-pose of modification could be field expedi-ency and the need to maintain helicoptersfor missions that do not require weapons.

On the other hand, the AH is specificallydesigned and built to carry weapons forengaging targets on ground and air with spe-cial emphasis on anti-tank role. The weaponsinclude machine guns, cannons, rockets andguided missiles for air-to-ground and air-to-air engagement. Modern-day AH have twomain roles of providing direct and accurateclose air support for ground troops and anti-tank role to destroy enemy armour. Spe-cialised armed helicopters flying from ships atsea are equipped with weapons for anti-sub-marine and/or anti-shipping operations.

The Concept of Arming HelicoptersThe concept of arming helicopters evolvedwith the French during Algerian and firstIndo-China wars (1954-62) in the form ofmodified armed helicopters. The first use ofarmed helicopters by USA in large-scalecombat operations was in Vietnam. UntilVietnam conflict, military helicopters weremostly used for troop transport, observationand casualty evacuation. These helicopterswhile flying missions often came underheavy fire resulting in the need for armingthem. The Huey UH-IC troop transporterwas modified with stub wings attached to itsfuselage and kitted with machine guns androckets. The other helicopters modified asarmed helicopters were the Sikorsky andChinook CH-47. This was a quantum jumpfrom the manned door fitted machine gunsof the earlier versions of armed helicopter.

During the 1960s, the Soviet Union alsofelt the need for armed helicopters and mod-ified the military Mi-8 troop transport heli-copter with weapon pods for rockets andmachine guns. This subsequently led to thedevelopment of a dedicated armed helicop-ter/gunship, the Mi-24, which saw activeaction in Afghanistan during the 1980s.India had earlier Mi-8 and Ranjeet (modifiedCheetah helicopter), fitted with machineguns fired from the side doors. At present,the Mi-17 and Lancer (Cheetah helicopter)are modified for armed role capable ofmounting guns and rockets.

With the armed helicopter/gunship con-cept battle proven, began the development ofdedicated AH with the primary aim of engag-ing tanks. The late 1970s/early 1980s sawthe advent of AH like the American Apache(AH 64A) and upgraded Huey Cobras (AH 1),the Soviet MI-24 and the Italian Mangusta(A-129). While some questioned the rele-vance of these dedicated AH due to increasedcost over gunships, the 1991 Gulf War put atrest these doubts. Fleets of Apaches and HueyCobras dominated Iraqi armour in the opendesert during the war. In fact the Apachesfired the first shots of war destroying earlywarning radars and SAM sites with Hellfiremissiles. The Soviet operations in Afghanistan

during 1979-89 saw the emergence of theMi-25/ Mi-35 AH, a variant of the Mi-24. Wehave in our inventory the Russian Mi-25/ Mi-35 AH which are vintage, though certainamount of upgradation has been carried outto make them night capable.

Types of Armament SystemsThe most common weapons are machineguns and rockets for use against soft targetson the ground and for self-defence whiletransporting troops over conflict areas. Whilearmed helicopters have mostly used direct fir-ing weapons with bombs considered moreappropriate for fixed-wing aircraft, certainarmed helicopters have successfully lentthemselves to use with heavy bombs. The USArmy used the Chinook helicopters for drop-ping bombs to clear landing zones and satu-rate base camps and infiltration routes duringVietnam War. Armed helicopters today canalso be fitted with mine dispenser/mine clear-ance systems. The mine dispenser system isfitted on the US Black Hawk 139. The systemis composed of racks on both sides of the hel-icopter for up to 40 canisters. Each canistercontains six anti-tank and one anti-personnelmine. The rapid airborne mine clearance sys-tem is another armament sub-system wherethe intended targets are naval mines. The sys-tem comprises of a single modified, 30mmcannon for targeting and neutralising themines in depth and is fitted on the US NavyBlack Hawk helicopter.

On the other hand, the AH carries guns,rockets and guided missiles both air-to-ground and air-to-air. The gun is normally a20mm/30mm weapon and is located in thechin of the helicopter. The gun provides sup-pressive ground fire while the AH carries outits anti-tank mission. The unguided aerialrockets complement the short-range gun andthe long-range anti-tank missiles. The rocketsare cheap and effective as an area weapon.The rockets can also be used to attack anddestroy soft ground targets that are not vul-nerable to anti-tank missiles like depots andanti-aircraft gun sites. In emergent situations,they could also be used in the air-to-air role.Today, there are rockets with sub-munitionwarheads which can disperse a number ofgrenades/bomb lets over specified targetareas. The air-to-air missile system is basicallyto counter the threat from other AHs and ismore of a defensive armament system. Theanti-tank guided missile is the main punch ofthe AH. The advent of fire and forget missilesis the greatest asset of the AH which increasesits lethality. The Hellfire missile on the Apache

AH is in this class. The carriage of the arma-ment and type will depend on the mission andarea of operations. The armed helicopterswill have to be fitted with countermeasuressuite to include radar and missile detectors,infra-red jammers and chaff and flare dis-pensers, depending on the degree of threatperceived for their own defence and survival.

Modern Attack HelicoptersAH 64D: The American apache longbow(AH 64D) demonstrates many of theadvanced technologies being considered fordeployment on future AH. The longbowapache AH is an upgraded version of the AH64A Apache and is the most sophisticatedAH in the world today. The Longbow AH hasa radar dome atop the main rotors, whichfacilitates firing of Hellfire missiles in full fireand forget mode, allowing the AH to staymasked behind terrain as it acquires andengages targets. The earlier Apache had topop up to scan the battlefield leaving itexposed or rely on target data from othersources such as scout helicopters. The Long-bow armament consists of a 30 mm cannon,70 mm rockets, longbow Hellfire missilesand Stinger/ Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.It has the Honeywell integrated helmet anddisplay sighting system with state- of-the-artcountermeasure sensors.

Ka-50 and Mi-28: The Russians havealso developed the state-of-the-art AH in theKa-50 and MI-28. This decision was takenafter their experience in Afghanistan withthe Mi-24 AH, which was basically anarmed helicopter and hence not suited for atypical AH role. The Ka-50 is the world’s firstcoaxial, single-seat AH. The Mi-28, on theother hand, is roughly equivalent of theApache Longbow but without commandand control linkup. The Mi-28 has a 30mmchain gun, Ataka anti-tank guiding missileand rocket pods for S-8 and S-13 rockets.The Ataka is an improved version of theVikhr anti-tank guided missile fitted on theMi-25/ Mi-35 AH. It also has in its arma-ment the Igla/ Vympel air-to-air missiles.

The other dedicated AH operating arethe Italian Augusta Westland AW129 (Man-gusta), Bell helicopter’s Viper (the latest ver-sion of Huey Cobra) and Eurocopter’s Tiger.

Indian ScenarioAdvanced light helicopter (ALH): It alsoknown as the Dhruv and is already in servicewith the armed forces. The Army AviationCorps has four units of ALH fully opera-tionalised and operating in different sectors

including high altitude. The weaponised ver-sion of the ALH called the ALH weapons sys-tems integrated (ALH WSI) is currentlyundergoing weapons integration. Theweaponised version is fitted with the morepowerful Shakti engines being manufac-tured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL)in collaboration with the French Turbomeca.This engine has also been trial evaluated forhigh altitude operations on the utility ALH.Basically, the ALH WSI is a new generationarmed helicopter duly modified for fitmentof all types of weapon sub-systems whichcan be fitted on a modern-day AH. The ALHWSI has a 20mm gun turret, 70mm rocketsand the Mistral air-to-air missile. The inte-gration firing for the above sub systems hasalready been successfully carried out. How-ever, the anti-tank missile Helina, the air ver-sion of NAG being developed by the DefenceResearch and Development Organisation(DRDO) is still not ready. To meet the interimrequirement, the Army is scouting in theworld market for a suitable missile. TheHelina once developed is stated to be a fireand forget missile with seven km range andwould compare with the Hellfire missile. TheALH WSI will carry eight anti-tank guidedmissiles, four air-to-air missiles or four rocketpods for 70mm rockets and a 20mm gun,making it a formidable armed helicopter.

Light combat helicopter (LCH): TheHAL has also embarked on the developmentof the light combat helicopter. The LCH isusing the technology of the ALH and its con-figurations, except the fuselage which isstreamlined and suitably modified for tandemseating of pilot and weapons system operatorwith adequate armour protection. Theweapons and systems will be the same/similarto the ALH WSI. The above approach has aninherent advantage as most of the critical sys-tems have been proven either on the ALH orthe ALH WSI. An indigenous AH like the LCHis a step in the right direction as it can be tai-lored to suit the terrain and climatic condi-tions of our area of operations. The first flightof LCH took place on March 29, 2010, andthe AH is likely to enter service by 2014. TheLCH once fielded should compare well withEurocopter’s Tiger, Italian Mangusta and BellsHuey’s Cobra.

Future ConflictsArmed helicopters and dedicated AH will beextremely relevant in future conflicts whichwill be short notice, short duration and highintensity with emphasis on depth battle. The9/11 bombings and subsequent Americanforay in Afghanistan has put this class of hel-icopters in centre stage due to their inherentcharacteristics. The battle proven Apachesfrom their anti-tank role in Iraq have got intoinfantry support role against the Taliban inAfghanistan. However, whatever may be theweapon systems and capabilities of these hel-icopters, their vulnerability to ground fire is amajor concern in their employment. Properplanning and coordination can take care ofthese aspects and enable effective employmenteven in extremely hostile environment. Theuse of armed helicopters in counterinsur-gency operations can pay rich dividends asthey facilitate carriage of troops as well as suit-able weapons for use against insurgents/ ter-rorists. Both the armed Mi-17 and Lancerhave been used in some operations though toa limited extent due to concern for collateraldamage. The Mi-17V currently being acquiredby the air force is capable of armed role.

Helicopters in Combat OperationsWith the ALH WSI and the LCH being indigenously developed by HAL and likely to enter service in the comingyears, the Indian armed forces will have formidable and state-of-the-art armed helicopters in their kitty—a useful force-multiplier which can turn the tide in battle

Cheetah helicopter in Siachen

PHOTOGRAPH: Indian Army

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AFGHAN WAR <<

Looking Back at 2010There is cause for satisfaction as one surveys the course of the battle in 2010. The stage is being set for somecrucial choices to be made in the Afghan campaign and these could well hinge around the US response toPakistan’s continued sanctuary support to the Afghan Taliban.

n MAJOR GENERAL (RETD) G.D. BAKSHI

THE YEAR 2010 WAS crucial for thefinal outcome in Afghanistan.President Barack Obama finallyapproved a half-way surge. Insteadof the 60,000 troops asked for by

the US Army, he provided some 40,000 addi-tional troops in two waves.

There were two major changes in themilitary leadership. Special Forces Com-mander Lt General Stanley McChrystal wasbrought in to replace Lt General McKiernan.McChrystal tried to convince the US andNorth Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)forces to operate without close air supportand hence reduce collateral damage andcivilian casualties. This led to serious dis-quiet amongst the US and NATO troops, whowere highly uncomfortable with the idea ofoperating without the advantage of respon-sive air power. The initial offensive in Marjahencountered stiff resistance and resulted inheavy US and NATO casualties, which raisedpolitical alarm in the US and Europe.

General McChrystal made some veryoutspoken remarks about the political lead-ership and this was utilised to remove himfrom the command. General Petraeus, thehero of the Iraq campaign, was virtuallydemoted from Theatre Commander to leadthe campaign in Afghanistan. He was theauthor of the ‘clear, hold and build’ strategy.His assumption of command saw therestoration of close air support (largely byattack helicopters) and after several delays,the resumption of the long heralded assaulton Kandahar (Operation Dragon Strike). Thecentre of gravity of the Taliban had beencorrectly estimated and instead of meltingaway, they have stood up and fought in thehope that by 2011, the US-ISAF forceswould withdraw anyway. This has resultedin fairly heavy attrition, which forced somesemblance of peace offers from the Taliban.Convinced that they had won this war, thePakistanis refused to launch the coordinatedattack on North Waziristan (which was sup-posed to coincide with the Kandahar offen-sive) on the plea of the floods and the Indianbogey. This toned down the effect of the USoffensive in Kandahar. However, the greatestanti-climax came with the US President’sannouncement that the date for handingover charge to the Afghan National Army(ANA) had been put off to 2014. The threatof a resumption of Al Qaeda/Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) attack on American/Europeantargets was responsible for this perceivedshift in strategy. The attack on the Europeantargets has already commenced, with thelatest terrorist strike in Sweden. Thisprompted the NATO allies to endorse the2014 withdrawal deadline and even promiseto stay engaged (economically, at least) inAfghanistan well beyond that date.

This has come as a considerable shock tothe Taliban and Pak Military-ISI complex.Their military thinking is invariablycoloured by a high degree of subjectivity.They were fully convinced that come 2011and the US and its allies would cut costs andrun. They were keenly anticipating a Talibanvictory. This sudden volte-face could affectthe Taliban’s morale. It leads one to specu-late whether the US announcement of with-drawal of deadline was a deliberatedeception exercise. Even if it was unin-tended, the end result has been the same. Itstirred up the Taliban’s hopes to an unreal-

istic level and has now dashed them rudely.General Kayani and the Pak Military-ISI Complex were dreaming of a completevictory of their Taliban protégés inAfghanistan. There was a quixotic air of tri-umphalism in Islamabad. In fact, they werealmost dictating the terms of surrender totheir American interlocutors. Pakistan’szero-sum game could prove to be its finalundoing. The Pakistani military is highlysubjective in its estimates and habituallytends to overreach far beyond its capabilities.The key factor, however, would now hingeupon the US and European stamina toabsorb the casualties. Frankly, if they do notwant a resumption of terrorist strikes ontheir homelands, they have very little optionleft, but to persist with their engagement inAfghanistan. The two major offensives of theyear 2010 in Afghanistan are:

The Marjah OffensiveAs part of General Petraeus’ clear, hold andbuild strategy, the US had launched a majoroffensive in the Helmand province ofAfghanistan in February this year. Taking aleaf from the Pakistani military offensives inSwat and South Waziristan, it was a welladvertised operation that was announced inthe media, weeks before its launch. Littleattempt was made to hide the preparationswith the hope that news of the comingmajor offensive would induce the Taliban tomelt away and thus conserve the US casual-ties. Surprisingly, the Taliban stood up andfought. Helmand is the key poppy growingarea and hence was critical for the Taliban.The town of Marjah was cleared by a majorheliborne assault. However, the Talibanseeped right back and the much hyped gov-ernment in the box could not consolidateitself in the wake of the military operations.The resistance in Marjah was far higherthan anticipated and the NATO and ISAFtroops took heavy casualties. As a result,troops could not be lifted for the Kandaharoperations as per the original schedule.

Despite the major effort, the turn out for

election in Marjah was below 18 per cent (itwas generally 40 per cent in other areas).This clearly highlighted the failure to pacifythe area and effect administrative penetra-tion of the population. Nevertheless, themajor gain of this battle has been to bringthe Taliban to battle and hopefully imposesignificant attrition.

The Kandahar OffensiveThe second phase of the American offensivewas anticipated in June, in the key Talibanstronghold of Kandahar. However, the Tal-iban’s unexpected resistance in Marjahdelayed the launch of this operation. TheAfghanistan government anticipated heavycivilian collateral damage and was dead setagainst this assault. Therefore, this was con-verted to a Military Civic Action Programmecalled Operation Hamkari (Dari for “coopera-

tion”). General McChrystal had tried torestrict civilian collateral damage by curtail-ing the employment of air power. This had ledto a sharp increase in US/ISAF troop casual-ties and considerable resentment in the rankand file of the US Army/Marines. It appearsthat the new Commander, General Petraeuswas forced to restore close air support (largelyin terms of attack helicopter sorties) and ingeneral restore the use of air power to sustaintroop morale and operational effectiveness.The military force to insurgent ratio is notadequate in Afghanistan. With these force

levels, only offensive air support can tilt thebalance, especially if the window of opera-tions is so limited and the sensitivity to casu-alties is so high.

Unlike the Marjah operations, the Kan-dahar offensive was launched quietly by theend of August. Reportedly, operations hadcommenced in Mehla Jat (South West ofKandahar) in the last week of August. Thesewere followed by operations in the neigh-bouring areas of Kandahar, to includeArgandhab, Zhari (birth place of MullahOmar) and Panjwaye districts. These led tofierce fighting in the vineyards, pomegran-ate orchards and over 10 feet high fields ofmarijuana. A brigade of the US, 101 air-borne divisions commenced operations inthe Zhari district along with an EngineerBattalion to clear mines/IEDs and 18 US sol-diers were killed in these operations. The

newly arrived 22 Armoured Regiment lostfive men on August 30, 2010 to a roadsideIED blast. The main offensive was launchedon October 2, 2010. Hard fighting ensued.The fact that the Taliban did not roll withthe punch but put up pitched battles, indi-cates the significance it attaches to this keyopium producing terrain that funds its oper-ations. Therefore, it provides a major oppor-tunity for the US forces to inflict high levelsof attrition on the Taliban. General Petraeushas stated that the operations launched inKandahar are more nuanced. He is opti-mistic that these will force the Taliban tonegotiate with the Afghan government andin fact, he cited the attempts by high levelTaliban leaders to reach out to the Afghangovernment. The problems, however, aretwofold—the heavy casualties the US/NATOtroops are taking in the heavily mined ter-rain and the political pressures on theObama Administration to end the Afghanengagement as announced in July 2011.General Petraeus knows he cannot ask formore troops (which are certainly needed).He has been asking for more time. The with-drawal in July 2011, therefore, is likely to be

The year 2010 was crucial for the final outcome in Afghanistan.President Barack Obamafinally approved a half-way surge.

PHOTOGRAPH: www.ng.mil

A security forces member in Afghanistan’s Paktia province

1/2011

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ter the ability to resolve image details underlow light-level conditions. The SNR is relatedto the specific design of the tubes. MTF is themaximum line density on a target that canbe resolved by a human eye and is expressedin line pairs per mm (lp/mm). A more objec-tive performance indicator is given by themodulation transfer function (MTF). HighMTF values at low spatial frequencies pro-vide—like for the XD-4 tubes—sharp imageswith a good contrast. The lifetime of imageintensifier is an extremely important param-eter for night vision applications. A numberof different definitions are used depending onthe manufacturer.

All image tubes provide a green illumi-nated picture and no night vision tube is sim-ilar to another. All tubes have differentcosmetics in terms of small spots or specs,photocathode colouring or a chicken wireeffect from the micro channel plate. Most cos-metics are only noticed during viewing inhigh light situations such as viewing with thedaylight filter on in a lit room. Most commer-cial and military systems are thoroughlytested by manufacturers to ensure reliability.

Required PhilosophyWe need to review our night vision philoso-phy. Conflict situations including when coun-tering terrorism and in asymmetric warfareconditions will provide fleeting targets includ-ing in poor light conditions and darkness.Every soldier, particularly the fighting arms,must be able to observe and fire. Enhancednight vision goggles (NVGs) that use digitalimagery to improve mobility and situationalawareness under all lighting conditions arerequired for overcoming battlefield obscurantsthat would generally hinder vision. Theseshould be helmet-mounted systems that digi-tally combine video imagery from a low-light-

level visible sensor and an un-cooled long-wave infrared sensor onto a single colour dis-play located in front of the soldier’s eye. Tillsuch time that NVGs are procured to requiredlevels, voids should be filled with monocularnight vision that can also double up as nightsight of individual weapon of the soldier. Dig-ital technology should provide improvedimage quality. Application of advanced tech-nology should aim at using NVDs for shootingaround corners, reading maps, and laser des-ignation, etc incorporating sensor technologyused in thermal weapon sights. All weapons(individual and crew served) must have NVDsto enable function as by day. Similarly, ade-quate NVDs are required for spot and areasurveillance and for laser designation of tar-gets in order to optimise use of smart ammu-nition. Accessories for night vision need toprovision in a manner that users have no needto look over their shoulders.

Enhanced CapabilitiesFuture conflict situations demand that weprovide the wherewithal to our soldiers toobserve and fight in poor light/darkness,including through rain, fog, mist, snow, sand-storms, blizzards, as effectively as by day. Dig-ital technology should provide improvedimage quality and enhanced capabilities tomeet battlefield conditions. We need to refineour night vision philosophy and equip theArmy accordingly. The paucity of night visiondevices even with the National SecurityGuard (NSG) was quite apparent on nationaltelevision. We required NVDs for all our secu-rity forces countering terrorism and insur-gencies yesterday. The Indian Army must takethe lead, fill up the voids in night vision andexploit digital fusion technology, benefittingthe war-fighters and help them succeed intheir mission.

Continued from page 16

very cosmetic/token in nature. In fact, Pres-ident Obama has clearly indicated that thedate for handing over the charge to the ANAis 2014. The NATO allies have endorsed thisand in fact, have promised to stay engaged(economically, at least) for well beyond thatdate. They fully realise that any precipitatewithdrawal would well be seen as victory ofthe Taliban.

The American/ISAF strategy is to putsufficient military pressure to force the Tal-iban to the negotiating table. GeneralPetraeus said, “Negotiated peace agree-ments are ultimately the way the CI effortshave been concluded.” However, a publicdeclaration of a withdrawal deadline incen-tivises the insurgents to stay the course andhold on. It fails to let the military and psy-chological pressure build up and in a waydefeat the very purpose of the surge. Hel-mand and Kandahar, however, have beenidentified correctly as the key centres ofgravity of the Taliban. These are key nar-cotic markets and bomb producing areas.Their concerted engagement will yield goodresults. However, the US/NATO will have tobe prepared to pay the cost in terms of casu-alties. This is the American Achilles Heel.Hence, the US is increasingly getting impa-tient of the Pakistani sanctuary support tothe Afghan Taliban. Accordingly, 140 milesto the North of Kandahar, the US/NATOattack helicopters had crossed in hot pur-suit and claimed to have chased and killedsome 30 insurgents of the Haqqani Group.A Pakistani post at Torkham was attacked

and three Pakistani troops were killed andthree injured. Pakistan, in turn, reactedstrongly and even stopped US/NATO supplyconvoys and tacitly encouraged attacks onthese convoys to underline its resentment.The floods had given it a very viable excuseto put off the long sought offensive in NorthWaziristan, which was to coincide with theBattle of Kandahar. There are crediblereports of Al Qaeda’s preparations for26/11 type attacks on European cities. TheUnited States has warned that any attackon its homeland will lead to serious retalia-tion and has apparently drawn up a contin-gency list of 150 insurgent camps/targetsin Pakistan that will be hit in such an even-tuality. Leon Panetta, the CIA Chief,recently visited Afghanistan and Pakistanand then made a surprise visit to India. Thejihadi groups are observing radio silenceand that is ominous. In the light of all thesedevelopments, the outcome of the ongoingoffensive in Kandahar will be crucial to thefinal outcome in Afghanistan. The Ameri-cans will have to go beyond the existingambiguity and clearly decide on theirresponse to Pakistan’s persistent provisionof sanctuaries and support to the AfghanTaliban (especially the Haqqani, Hekmatyarand Mullah Omar groups). The Americansare also seeking help from Russian and Cen-tral Asian countries to develop alternativeroutes of supplying their forces inAfghanistan. This will reduce their criticaldependence on Pakistan, for logistical sup-port. The European countries should beencouraged to explore alternative routes viaIran, and more closely engage the state andother regional powers like India and Russiato influence the final outcome inAfghanistan. There is cause for satisfactionas the stage is being set for some crucialchoices to be made in the Afghan campaignand these could well hinge around the USresponse to Pakistan’s continued sanctuarysupport to the Afghan Taliban. The author is a well known military analyst

The second phase of the American offensivewas anticipated in June,in the key Talibanstronghold of Kandahar

AFGHAN WAR>>

US soldiers in Helmand province, Afghanistan, during Operation Helmand Spider

PHOTOGRAPH: US Air Force

Nimos Night Mobility Subsystem:Nimos is a modular, lightweight,helmet mounted display (HMD)

integrated with a low light leveldigital TV for soldier night mobility

PHOTOGRAPH: Selex Galileo

US TO DEPLOY NEW INTELLIGENCEDRONE IN AFGHANISTANThe US military plans to deploy a new intelli-gence drone in Afghanistan, which militaryexperts say will allow the US troops to moni-tor much larger operational theatres thanbefore. The airborne surveillance system iscalled Gorgon Stare and will be able to trans-mit live video images of physical movementacross an entire town. The system consists ofnine video cameras mounted on a remotelypiloted aircraft, which can transmit up to 65live images to soldiers on the ground or toanalysts tracking enemy movements. By con-trast, the current air force drones today shootvideo from a single camera over a narrowarea. Gorgon Stare will be looking at a wholecity, so there will be no way for the adversaryto know what we’re looking at and we can seeeverything.

NORTH KOREA UPGRADES MILITARYCAPABILITYNorth Korea has increased the number of itsspecial warfare forces and battle tanks overthe last two years as part of efforts to improveboth conventional and asymmetrical mili-tary capabilities against South Korea, accord-ing to Seoul’s latest Defence White Paper. TheMinistry of National Defense here releasedthe biennial defence report reviving thedescription of the North Korea as an“enemy” in six years. The description followsa series deadly provocation from NorthKorea, including the sinking of a SouthKorean patrol ship in March and shelling ofa border island in November. According tothe 2010 Defense White Paper, the numberof North Korean special warfare forces hasincreased by 20,000 to 2,00,000. The spe-cial operations troops could infiltrate theSouth through underground tunnels or byAN-2 aircraft to strike major targets or assas-sinate key figures in the South. The North is

also thought to have increased the numberof its tanks by 200 to about 4,100 for thepast two years, the White Paper says. TheWhite Paper confirms that the North hasdeployed a new battle tank, named“Pokpung-Ho” (storm) apparently based onthe Soviet-built T-72, and dubbed as M-2002as the tank is presumed to have been rolledout in 2002. Agency for Technology andQuality, an affiliate of the Defense Acquisi-tion Programme Administration, thePokpung-Ho is known to be armed witheither a newly developed 125mm or 115mmmain gun. The tank would also be mountedwith a 14.5mm KPV anti-aircraft machinegun. The total number of North Koreantroops remains unchanged at about 1.19million, the Paper says, but the North hasadded four new divisions and one brigade. Inaddition, the Paper noted, Pyongyang has2,500 to 5,000 tonnes of chemical weapons,presumably stored across the country.

Concerns about the North’s nuclearweapons programme deepened last month,when Pyongyang, which conducted twonuclear tests in 2006 and 2009, revealed auranium enrichment facility to a visiting USscientist. The uranium enrichment pro-gramme could give the North a second routeto build a nuclear bomb.

INDIA MAY ACQUIRE 22 AH-64DBLOCK III APACHE HELICOPTERS

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency(DSCA) notified the US Congress on December22 of a possible foreign military sale (FMS) tothe Government of India of various engines,equipment, weapons, training, parts andlogistical support for a possible Direct Com-mercial Sale of 22 AH-64D Block III Apachehelicopters. The complete package is worthapproximately $1.4 billion (`6,300 crore).

The Government of India has requestedproposals from several foreign suppliers,including the United States, to provide thenext generation attack helicopter for theIndian Air Force. In this bid, the Governmentof India is yet to select the Boeing-UnitedStates Army proposal. This notification isbeing made in advance so that if the Boeing-US Army proposal is selected, the UnitedStates might move as quickly as possible toimplement the sale.

INDIAN ARMY TEST FIRES TWOPRITHVI-II MISSILESThe Indian Army has successfully test-firedtwo nuclear-capable Prithvi-II ballistic mis-siles from the integrated test range atChandipur, Odisha. The missiles, whichhave a strike range of 350 km, weremounted on a mobile launcher and test-fired from launch complex-3 in the inte-grated test range. The two indigenouslydeveloped surface-to-surface missiles havealready been inducted into the armed forces.They are capable of carrying a payload of500-1,000 kg and can deceive anti-ballisticmissiles. The test-firings were part of rou-tine user trials conducted by the personnelof the Strategic Force Command.

ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCES TEST TROPHY ACTIVE DEFENCE SYSTEMThe Israeli defence forces have successfullytested the abilities of the trophy activedefence system by firing anti-tank missilesat a manned Merkava 4 tank. The militarytraining exercise was conducted withkinetic missiles without warheads, whichsimulate the missile’s path, so that the sys-tem will intercept and destroy aerialthreats. Trophy uses special radars and sen-sors to identify various threats, such asincoming missiles, and launches a specialexplosive to neutralise them. It is expectedthat the system will be integrated into allunits and be fully operational in the comi-wng months. The trophy active tankdefence system has been jointly developedby Rafael, Elta and GD.

IRAQI ARMY AVIATION RECEIVESFIRST COMBAT HELICOPTERS The Iraqi Army Aviation Command hasreceived its first three Bell-407 armed trainingcombat helicopters from the US Government.The Bell-407 armed helicopters have beendesigned to fire Hellfire air-to-ground missiles,and are also equipped with intelligence anddata-link capabilities. The aircraft will be usedto train Iraqi Army pilots to fly the Bell-407,which is scheduled for delivery over the next18 months. The Iraqi Army has prepared twoinstructor pilots to develop a cadre that wouldoperate and maintain the helicopter fleet. Iraqhas also ordered another 27 armed Bell-407sfor the Army’s 21st Squadron, with deliveriesscheduled for 2011 and 2012.

ARMY OPTS FOR 124 MORE MBT ARJUNSIn a major thrust to the indigenisation pro-gramme, the Army decided to place a freshorder for an additional 124 MBT Arjun Mark-2 tanks. This followed the success of theindigenous tank in the gruelling desert trialsin the first quarter of this year. The 124 tanksnow being ordered are over and above theexisting order of an equal number of MBTArjun Mark-I placed with the Heavy VehiclesFactory, Avadi.

SP’s LAND FORCES1/2011 23

News in Brief Publisher and Editor-in-ChiefJayant Baranwal

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ContributorsIndia

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Lt General (Retd) S.R.R. Aiyengar, Air Marshal (Retd) Vinod Patney, Major General(Retd) Ashok Mehta, Major General (Retd)G.K. Nischol, Brigadier (Retd) Gurmeet Kanwal, Brigadier (Retd) S. Mishra,

Rohit Sharma

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>> SHOW CALENDAR

VICE ADMIRAL D.K. JOSHI TAKESOVER AS CISCVice Admiral D.K. Joshi has taken over asthe Chief of Integrated Defence Staff toChairman Chiefs of Staff Committee(CISC) from Air Marshal S.C. Mukul. Ear-lier Vice Admiral D.K. Joshi was Com-mander in Chief of Andaman and NicobarCommand. Vice Admiral Joshi is a special-ist in anti-submarine warfare and a grad-uate of the staff course from Naval WarCollege, USA. He is also an alumnus of theNational Defence College, New Delhi andCollege of Naval Warfare (NHCC). He hascommanded three frontline units in theWestern Fleet viz. the Missile CorvetteKuthar, the Kashin Class Destroyer Ranvirand the Aircraft Carrier Viraat.

>> APPOINTMENTS

SHOCK-PROOF. VIBRATION-PROOF.AND EVEN FUTURE-PROOF.

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Capability For Today. And Tomorrow. That’s Go To.

JointForceSystems.com

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