Modernisationof Indian Army by Geospatial World

ISSN 2277 – 3126

RNI NO. UPENG/2011/37063

Vol. 3

Modernisation of Indian Army

Issue. 1

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Modernisation of Indian Army

Guest Articles

Sharing of location information intelligently

Net-centricity in modern warfare

World over, armed forces are gearing themselves up for digital warfare. India is no different. This article attempts to annotate the basic features of ‘information’, ‘digitisation’ and ‘net-centricity’ and translates these to what might be relevant to the execution of information warfare in the Indian context

The arithmetics of logistics

Chairman MP Narayanan Publisher Sanjay Kumar Managing Editor Lt Gen AKS Chandele (Retd) Executive Editor Bhanu Rekha Product Manager Harsha Vardhan Madiraju Assistant Editor Aditi Bhan Circulation Manager Amit Shahi Circulation Executive Vijay Kumar Singh Owner, Publisher & Printer Sanjay Kumar Printed at M. P. Printers, B - 220, Phase-II, Noida - 201 301, Gautam Budh Nagar (UP) India Publication Address A - 92, Sector - 52, Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, India Editor Sanjay Kumar Price `100, US$ 10 Geospatial Media and Communications Pvt. Ltd. (formerly GIS Development Pvt. Ltd.) A - 145, Sector - 63, Noida, India Tel + 91 120 4612500 Fax + 91 120 4612555/666 Geospatial Media and Communications Pvt. Ltd. does not necessarily subscribe to the views expressed in the publication. All views expressed in this issue are those of the contributors. The publication is not responsible for any loss to anyone due to the information provided.

Interviews

Anil Kumar Chairman and Managing Director, BEL

Gone are the days when helicopters were meant to ferry soldiers or cargo. Today, they are used for a number of purposes - right from reconnaissance to dropping bombs to clearing landing zones or saturating infiltration routes. The future of helicopters is anyone’s guess

Are combat vehicles still relevant?

The OGC Open GeoSMS Standard provides a platform-independent connection between phones and geospatial services

The shift in the operational doctrine of warfare from platform-centric to network-centric necessitates transformation of military logistics as well. This will ensure the fielding of a force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every stage of operations

Hawks in the air

Combat vehicles are an essential requirement of army in combat operations. However, the changing dynamics of warfare are rendering traditional vehicles irrelevant for modern conflicts. India too needs to change with the times

Alan C. Tribble Manager, Government Systems Marketing – Asia Pacific Rockwell Collins

REGULAR SECTIONS Editorial................................................ 05 News..................................................... 06 Events................................................... 29 Image Intelligence .......................... 42

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

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jan – feb 2011 GEOINTELLIGENCE I 4

Editorial

Modernisation of the army is a continuous process

long with the changing geopolitical situation, the nature of warfare too is undergoing change. World is unlikely to see large scale conventional wars of the past, particularly because of the increasing number of nuclear armed powers and the resultant threat of escalating into a nuclear holocaust. Future conflict is more likely to be limited and asymmetric in nature, with increased incidents of local insurgency and terrorism. Modernisation of the army is a continuous process and needs to be directed towards acquiring a desired capability, which will depend on the analysis of threats. Though Pakistan will continue to remain an adversary in the foreseeable future, our major concern should be China. The army needs to base its capability building catering for this larger threat, which would take adequate care of the threat from our traditional adversary too. To be able to face the challenges of modern warfare, the army needs to transform to a light-lethal-wired force. This would entail, among other things, the acquisition of a range of sophisticated devices, networked and capable of providing 24x7 surveillance and communications, operating in a hostile electromagnetic environment. Mobile weapon platforms would be required with larger stand-off distances, precision guidance and higher lethality. Also, the army should have the capability of degrading similar systems and platforms of the enemy. Organisational and process changes are necessary for optimising the utilisation of existing combat and logistic resources.

Lt Gen AKS Chandele PVSM, AVSM (Retd) Managing Editor

ajay@geospatialmedia.net

However, capability should not be construed as the mere procurement of sophisticated weapons and equipment. Certainly, providing the soldier with the best wherewithal is an essential requirement for modernisation, but it also includes providing him the necessary technical knowledge and training in the use of these equipment. What use is a technologically superior weapon if the soldier is not competent and confident to use it? Towards this end, an Army Technology Centre was set up some time back to ensure the technology transition management of users, an initiative that needs to be pursued at all levels.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

That there are serious deficiencies in the armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holding of critical weapons, equipment and ammunition was brought to the notice of the Prime Minister by General VK Singh a short while prior to demitting office. Also, a large proportion of existing equipment in service has outlived its life and needs immediate replacement. In an environment of shrinking defence budgets, this is going to be a big challenge, coupled with the fact that the armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acquisition programmes have been beset with inordinate procedural delays, resulting in cost and time overruns. Indigenisation efforts have been largely the preserve of ordnance factories and defence public sector undertakings, with very little opportunities for private sector in any major defence programme. The entire process of acquisition and indigenous manufacture requires an immediate re-look.

including the Falcon III RF-7800S Secure Person Radio (SPR), RF-7800M Multiband Networking Radio, Falcon II RF-5800M handheld and RF-5800H manpack radios. These radios will address battalion requirements for high-frequency, wideband and multiband communications. The SPR is a lightweight, secure soldier radio platform that offers full-duplex voice, multiple talk-group capabilities and data rates up to 256 Kbps. The SPR allows simultaneous communication for voice, data and even video with unlimited listeners over a range of more than two kilometers.

Falcon tactical radio systems for Afghanistan Harris Corporation has received USD 7 million order to deliver Falcon tactical radios to Afghanistan. The radios will provide interoperable communications to support the International Security Assistance Force in the country.

BEL, IAI ink MoU for LRSAM ship-defence projects

According to the company, the Asian country is acquiring radios from across the Falcon portfolio,

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Bharat

Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd (IAI), Israel, for cooperation on future LRSAM ship-defence system projects. Under the agreement, BEL will function as the lead integrator and produce major sub-systems. IAI will continue to act as the Design Authority and produce sub-systems as a main subcontractor of BEL. Ramakrishna, Director (Marketing), BEL, said, “We see IAI as a strategic partner with a wide range of potential joint activities. This MoU demonstrates that BEL and IAI can work closely together on the most sophisticated and advanced programmes, for the mutual benefit of both companies.”

Courtesy: PIB

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Air Defence Interceptor Missile successfully launched The Interceptor Missile AAD was recently launched by DRDO. The AAD successfully destroyed the incoming ballistic missile at an altitude of 15 km. The target missile was a modified version of Prithvi, mimicking the enemy’s ballistic missile. Long range radar and MFC radar located far away detected the missile from take-off and tracked it through its entire path. The total trajectory of the incoming missile was continuously estimated and subsequently the AAD missile was launched to counter and kill the ballistic missile. In this mission, a special feature of intercepting multiple target

with multiple interceptor was successfully demonstrated. An electronic target with a range of 1500 km was launched and the radars picked up the target missile, tracked it and subsequently launched an electronic interceptor missile. The interceptor destroyed the electronic target missile at an altitude of 120 km. All the four missiles were tracked and all the guidance and launch computers operated in full operational mode for handling multiple targets with multiple interceptor. All the four missiles were in the sky and both the interceptions took place near simultaneously.

PHOENIX radios a success during US Army Field Testing Boeing delivers 2 nanosatellites to US Air Force

Boeing worked with the Office of Naval Research, SRI International, The Aerospace Corp., and Atmospheric & Space Technology Research Associates to build, test and integrate the nanosats. The satellites are powered by highly efficient ultra triplejunction solar cells produced by Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab.

BAE Systemsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PHOENIX-2C radios successfully provided tactical networking capabilities during the recent US Army exercises, enabling soldiers to communicate more than 20 kilometers, double the mid-tier network requirement. The radios are fully interoperable with other Joint Tactical Radio Systems currently in use. These exercises were designed to begin assessing candidate capabilities for mid-tier networking radios and were part of an excursion linked to Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 13.1. NIE 13.1 supports comprehensive Army modernisation plans to support a synchronised vehicle and network fielding strategy

that prioritises capabilities for deployed forces and improves alignment of limited resources, said the company. The high-throughput family of radios includes three variants which allow for multiple configurations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a two-channel with SINGCARS, a two-channel, and a four-channel which uses the next-generation, governmentowned Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) and Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). With the robust WNW, all PHOENIX variants provide full anti-jam modes to protect communications in hostile environments and when using jammers such as CREW.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Weighing less than 9 pounds (4 kilograms) each and measuring 30 x 10 x 10 centimeters in size, the nanosats are scheduled to launch on the ORS-3 mission in the summer of 2013 and shortly after will begin collecting and transmitting weather data. Each nanosat contains a sensor and GPS receiver to gather data to support weather prediction and assessments. A miniature S-band transceiver downlinks spacecraft and mission data at one megabit per second.

Courtesy: BAE Systems

Boeing has delivered two Space Environmental NanoSat Experiment (SENSE) satellites to the US Air Force that will help assess the value of small satellites in military space operations.

NE WS Third GPS IIF begins operation A third Boeing GPS IIF satellite has completed on-orbit checkout and is now part of the active 31-satellite GPS constellation, providing improved performance for both military and civilian users. GPS IIF-3, now designated SVN-65, is being operated by the 50th Space Wing's 2nd Space Operations Squadron. SVN-65 joins the two Boeing GPS IIFs launched in 2010 and 2011. Together, they are enhancing the capabilities of the constellation with improved antijamming and greater navigational accuracy, said the company. The addition of the third IIF also means that operators can more fully test the new third civilian L5 signal that will aid commercial airline operations and search-and-rescue missions, added the company. Boeing is providing a total of 12 GPS IIFs to the US Air Force, which operates the GPS network.

BAE Systems to provide ABI to NGA BAE Systems has been awarded a multi-year 60 million dollar contract to provide Activity-Based Intelligence (ABI) systems, tools and support for mission priorities to National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

This award is a task order under the NGA’s Total Application Services for Enterprise Requirements (TASER) programme, a five-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract.

BAE Systems’ ABI solution employs advanced software analysis tools integrated with commercial, offthe-shelf computing infrastructure to automate the ingestion, storage and processing of large volumes of intelligence data across multiple sources, said the company. This solution enables intelligence analysts to better identify adversarial activity patterns, and helps them achieve a greater understanding of the

relationships between individuals, their activities and their transactions, the company added. BAE Systems’ ABI streamlines processes to enhance analyst productivity, rapidly turning data into actionable intelligence. The TASER-ABI contract focuses on the delivery of an ABI production system, including: engineering, system integration, and application sustainment. BAE Systems has teamed with a number of partners to deliver its solution, including ESRI, Harris Corporation, HumanGEO, Intelligent Software Solutions, Lightspeed Technologies, Pixia Corporation, Radiant Blue Technologies, and Signal Innovations Group.

Raytheon acquires government business of SafeNet Raytheon has acquired the Government Solutions business of SafeNet Inc., a privately held data security firm. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction will not materially impact Raytheon's total company sales or earnings per share for the fiscal year 2013.

The acquisition increases Raytheon's ability to provide the most advanced encryption capabilities needed by government customers to protect classified data, said the company. SafeNet's Government Solutions business brings a broad range of federally-approved encryption solutions that complement Raytheon's sophisticated communications systems for enabling the US military to securely transmit classified voice and data traffic. The trusted offerings of SafeNet Government Solutions include encryption products for all levels of integration, and target highspeed, satellite, networking, data link, voice, key management, and wireless communication markets. Jim Summers, the general manager of SafeNet Government Solutions, will join Raytheon and will continue to lead the organisation, added the company. It will become the Secure Information Systems product area within NCS's Integrated Communication Systems business, headed by NCS Vice President Scott Whatmough.

Raytheon wins DARPA contract Raytheon Company was awarded USD 1.5 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract for phase one of the agency's Space Enabled Effects for Military Engagements (SeeMe) programme. The company said that it will complete the design for small satellites to enhance warfighter situational awareness in the battlespace in the next nine months. The SeeMe programme will provide useful on-demand

imagery information directly to the warfighter in the field from a low-cost satellite constellation launched on a schedule that conforms to Department of Defense operational tempos. For this contract, Raytheon has teamed with Sierra Nevada Corporation, University of Arizona and SRI International to assist with design work and eventually production. In phase two of the SeeMe programme, the Raytheon team would build six satellites for ground testing.

Courtesy: Harris Corporation

US Air Force awards contract for Falcon tactical radios

Neurotechnology launches SkyBiometry Neurotechnology, a provider of high-precision biometric identification, object recognition and computer vision technologies for more than 20 years, recently launched a company, SkyBiometry. The company provides cloudbased biometric software as a service (SaaS) and offers a range of paid plans and services to help customers rapidly integrate biometric technologies into their products and online services. In

ground units to serve as its nextgeneration radio platform for tactical voice and wideband data communications. The AN/PRC-117G will provide the Air Force with seamless connectivity to the Global Information Grid in support of a range of existing and emerging network-enabled

conjunction with the corporate launch, SkyBiometry introduced a free, cloud-based face detection and recognition API based on a facial recognition algorithm from Neurotechnology, the underlying technology behind many commercial facial recognition products around the world, said the company. The fast, accurate detection and identification technologies can be used for traditional biometric identification systems such as user ID, security and time management as well as new uses in entertainment, games,

missions. The Falcon III AN/PRC117G is the world's most widely fielded next-generation radio, combining line-of-sight, beyondline-of-sight and wideband communications capabilities in a single lightweight package, said the company. The radio provides enhanced situational awareness of the battlefield by connecting warfighters to the Tactical Internet.

online marketing, social media and mobile applications, the company added. The rapid growth of cloud technologies is creating opportunities for developers and integrators to deliver better products faster than ever before. Because SkyBiometry's offerings are based on Neurotechnology's proven biometric technologies, solution providers now have an efficient and cost-effective way to deliver fast, high quality biometric capabilities while providing their customers

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Harris Corporation has been awarded USD 85 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide the US Air Force with Falcon multiband manpack tactical radios and accessories. In conjunction with the contract, Harris also received initial delivery orders of USD 33 million. The Air Force will deploy Falcon III AN/PRC-117G across

NEWS with the flexibility and scalability that SaaS solutions can provide, the company said.

Next generation guidance section to the US Army Raytheon has received a contract from the US Army's Aviation Missile Command to develop and deliver a next-generation guidance section for Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) continued technology development (CTD). During the first four months of CTD, Raytheon will update its design and complete a delta preliminary design review. And in the next 24 months, the team will focus on a critical design review, guidance section qualification and testing, and delivery of JAGM guidance sections. CTD will culminate with US Army integration of Raytheon JAGM guidance sections to currently qualified and fielded missile components, including the warhead, rocket motor and control actuation system. The total value of both contract phases is approximately USD 65 million. According to the company, the team will leverage its low-cost, proven,

uncooled tri-mode seeker now in development for the US Air Force and US Navy Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) programme. "Our state-of-the-art seeker is a compelling technology because it offers our warfighters a new, game-changing capability -- hitting moving targets in all weather conditions. As our SDB II production contracts reflect, we can meet or exceed the performance demanded to outpace future threats for unit costs comparable to current weapons," said Tom Bussing, Vice President of Advanced Missile Systems at Raytheon Missile Systems. "With our JAGM solution, capabilities will grow, but costs will not." Based on current schedules, Raytheon's SDB II tri-mode seeker will be in its second year of production by the time JAGM CTD concludes.

Camber acquires Novonics Camber Corporation has acquired Novonics Corporation - combining its pre-eminent tactical systems

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Harris awarded fifth option year of NSOM contract

Harris Corporation has been awarded the fifth option year of its Network and Space Operations and Maintenance (NSOM) contract to operate, maintain and logistically support the US Air Force Space Command's 50th Space Wing mission. The one-year, USD 66 million option brings the overall value of the programme to date to USD 351 million. Initially awarded

in 2008, the total potential value of the six-and-a-half year contract is USD 418 million. Under the contract, the Harris team supports both inbound and outbound data and communications with Department of Defense satellites, delivering operations and maintenance support to the Air Force Satellite Control Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equipment at ten locations worldwide.

software and simulation capability with Camber's systems integration and engineering, cyber security, acquisition management, logistics and sustainment, and interactive training to federal government and commercial customers worldwide. Novonics provides simulation based learning systems, software/ systems design and development, user introduction of complex technologies, and programme and strategic planning for Department of Defense and international partners.

Raytheon to develop future Protected SATCOM System Raytheon Company was awarded USD 8.7 million from the US Air Force to participate in development of the future protected tactical military satellite communication system. The Air Force's objective is to identify cost effective architectures and component development paths for the future SATCOM system that will follow the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) system. Raytheon will design and demonstrate affordable terminal components as well as support the waveform development for the Air Force. The company said that it will leverage its long history and deep understanding of protected SATCOM developed from AEHF programmes such as the US Navy Multiband Terminal, the US Army's Secure Mobile Anti-jam Reliable Tactical Terminal and the US Air Force's Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network Programme Upgrade to meet the government's objectives. All three of Raytheon's AEHF terminals have passed production acquisition milestone decisions and have successfully tested with the onorbit AEHF satellite.

RapidSat700 offers portable satellite solution for disaster recovery Beam Communications Pty Ltd recently announced the launch of RapidSat700, a portable satellite communications system that operates with the Inmarsat BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) network. RapidSat700 is a portable â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;all in one caseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for satellite communication deployment in emergency situations, first responder and disaster recovery work, said the company. The RapidSat700 solution is also ideal for a rapid setup providing easy access to voice and higher speed satellite data/ internet access in remote areas.

Courtesy: PR Newswire

The product supports data rates up to 492kbps, provides WiFi connection up to 45 meters outdoors, 10/ 100Mbps LAN ports, RJ11 voice/ fax and handset, voice/ data connectivity, and integrated power management with status indicators and fan-forced cooling. It contains inbuilt Lithium Battery backup of 538WHr, delivering a non-stop 24 hours of transmit time anywhere anytime. The RapidSat700 has an in-built EXPLORER 700 BGAN terminal which is secured into the robust case. EXPLORER 700 provides access to the highest bandwidth available via BGAN, thereby facilitating a platform for a wide range of applications with a need for high performance.

CRGT Inc. recently announced acquisition of Guident Technologies, Inc. The acquisition continues CRGT's expansion into key technology growth markets, bringing high-end capabilities in the field of big data analytics and business intelligence solutions to CRGT's existing portfolio of IT service offerings, said the company. Ramzi Musallam, Managing Partner at Veritas Capital stated, "This is the third acquisition by CRGT in just over two years. We have strategically added highly

differentiated capabilities in vital growth segments of the Federal IT marketplace. Both organically and through acquisition, CRGT has expanded its expertise to match the mission-critical growth areas that are transforming the landscape of Federal IT." "Data volume is currently generated at an exponential level and is expected to double every two years with an expected compound annual growth of over 40 per

cent. Fragmented sources of data continue to complicate the challenge of aggregating, synthesising and storing that data in an economical fashion," said Tom Ferrando, President and CEO, CRGT. "The acquisition of Guident will help us provide compelling solutions to manage both structured and unstructured data challenges for our clients, which is the top ranked technology priority within government agencies for 2013."

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

CRGT acquires Guident Technologies

NE WS

AFRICA

The RF-7800V family covers the 30 MHz to 108 MHz frequency range and supports data rates up to 192 Kbps, making it the fastest combat

MIDDLE EAST MIDDLE EAST

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Saudi Arabia offers contract for C4I system

Raytheon Company has received a contract to deliver a Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) system to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The contract, received by Raytheon's Network Centric Systems business and valued in excess of USD 600 million, was awarded as a direct commercial sale by the Saudi Ministry of Defense (MOD) and will provide a national, strategic C4I system, providing capabilities for joint service coordination.

net radio available today, said the company. The RF-7800V also provides time-critical BMS reports, while delivering simultaneous networked voice and data communications to multiple users. The Falcon II RF-5800H-MP provides beyond line-of-sight terrestrial voice and data

RGO carries out first operational firing of a VL MICA missile The Royal Guard of Oman (RGO) recently successfully carried out the first operational firing of a VL MICA missile. The firing, using the RGOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own VL MICA Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) system, took place at the Abeer test range located in the centre of the Sultanate of Oman. All aspects of the firing exercise, which included the detection, interception and destruction of an ATARID target flying at more than 14 km range from the VL MICA missile launcher, were completely successful. For the test firing, an operational VL MICA missile equipped with an RF seeker was used. The VL MICA GBAD system, delivered to the RGO

communications. It provides continuous coverage in the 1.6 to 60 MHz frequency band, enabling the warfighter to stay connected even in the harshest conditions, when line-of-sight communications are not an option. It offers advanced features such as Third GenerationAutomatic Link Establishment, integrated data link protocols and embedded GPS receivers.

Courtesy: MBDA Missile Systems

Harris Corporation has received orders for nearly USD 12 million to supply Falcon tactical radio systems and field support to two countries in Africa. The radios will be used to provide line-of-sight and beyondline-of-sight tactical voice and data communications to armed forces personnel. Harris is providing these nations with Falcon III RF-7800V VHF and Falcon II RF-5800H HF tactical radio systems, along with training, installation and field support services. The orders include base stations, vehicular systems and manpack and handheld radios.

Courtesy: Harris Corporation

Harris Corporation receives orders for Falcon tactical radios

by MBDA and operating in standalone mode under the control of its own Tactical Operation Centre, detected the target with its 3D radar (TRML3D supplied by EADS Cassidian). This operational exercise saw the 19th successful firing of a VL MICA missile. VL MICA has not had a single firing failure since the beginning of its development trials in 2003, said the company. Significantly, the RGO firing marked the first ever operational use of the land-based VL MICA system by an export customer.

First full system test flight of EURO HAWK successful

Lockheed Martin UK has expanded its offering of cloud computing services available to the UK government after recently being selected to provide G-Cloud 2 IT support. This new contract succeeds the previous G-Cloud 1 programme and will run for 12 months.

Under the G-Cloud 2 framework agreement, better known as CloudStore, Lockheed Martin will offer support such as computing and storage, e-mail and collaboration, cloud strategy and integration; cloud security; mission centric activities; green IT and energy optimisation; cloud brokering; virtualisation consulting; assessment for Oracle virtualisation; and virtual desktop as a service assessment. It will also support G-Cloud 2 through its Solutions as a Service (SolaS) secure cloud delivery innovation.

"Today's SIGINT sensor flight marks the start of the critical flight test phase of the EURO HAWK payload for the German Bundeswehr," said Tom Vice, Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "EURO HAWK represents many significant firsts for Northrop Grumman. Not only is it our first trans-Atlantic cooperation with Germany and Cassidian, but it is also the first international version of the RQ-4 Global Hawk produced by the company and the first high-altitude, long-endurance [HALE] SIGINT UAS in Europe." Based on the RQ-4B Global Hawk HALE UAS, the EURO HAWK system includes a ground station consisting of a mission control and launch and recovery elements provided by Northrop Grumman. It is equipped with a new SIGINT mission system developed by Cassidian, providing standoff capability to detect electronic and communications emitters. The SIGINT ground station, which receives and analyses the data from EURO HAWK as part of an integrated system solution, is also supplied by Cassidian. With a wingspan larger than most commercial airliners, endurance of more than 30 hours and a maximum altitude of approximately 60,000 feet, EURO HAWK is an interoperable, modular and cost-effective replacement for the fleet of manned Breguet Atlantic aircraft, which was in service since 1972 and retired in 2010, added the company.

Courtesy: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin expands range of cloud computing services

Northrop Grumman Corporation and EADS Deutschland GmbH, operating through Cassidian, recently achieved a major milestone, according to the company, with the first full system test flight of the EURO HAWK unmanned aircraft system (UAS) equipped with the signals intelligence (SIGINT) advanced sensors for detection of radar and communication emitters.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Raytheon UK has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence for delivery of a new GPS anti-jam antenna system. The contract is for an undisclosed number of advanced systems for deployment in operational theaters spanning multiple vehicle platforms. This UOR (Urgent Operational Requirement) contract is the first award for Raytheon's GPS Anti-Jam (AJ) Land product family. The contract will see the deployment of the systems under a very short timescale, with final delivery of the capability expected to be completed six months from contract award.

Courtesy: Cassidian

Contract for GPS anti-jam antenna system awarded

NE WS

Historically, cockpit display systems have been bulky, weighty products, but BAE Systems claims to have developed a revolutionary lowprofile, head-up display (HUD) which is 85 per cent smaller than existing HUDs. With its greatly reduced weight, the fully digital LiteHUD, which uses a state-of-theart optical waveguide, can fit any aircraft cockpit – new or existing, said the company. Designed for the modern cockpit, the low maintenance LiteHUD offers a low profile, making it compatible with large area displays. Its large eye motion box makes the system easy to use, with high integrity, high resolution symbology and video, as well as high brightness and a large field of view, according to the company. For added versatility, the LiteHUD is also compatible with night vision goggles and laser protection gear.

The portable DXT3p TETRA switch

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

DXT3p TETRA switch is the newest addition to the DXT3 series by Cassidian. DXT3p (‘p’ stands for portable) offers complete TETRA voice and data services in very compact form. Due to its high capacity and full functionality, the DXT3p switch provides an attractive choice for setting up temporary networks or for applications where the network itself needs to be mobile, said the company.

The new switch is the size of a suitcase: 48 cm wide, 34 cm deep and around 30 cm in height. The DXT3p weighs only 20-30 kg, making it easier for a single person to carry it. According to the company, the DXT3p is an all-in-one package with high capacity, great functionality and extreme resilience. The lower power consumption (around 150W) makes it an eco-friendly option, too.

Cassidian electro-optics protects against laser-guided weapons

Courtesy: Cassidian

New Head-Up Displays for cockpit

Cassidian has developed an electronic defence system which will provide vehicles, ships and helicopters with reliable protection against laser-guided weapons. "The threat from lasers to armed forces on a mission is continuing to increase, because weapons such as laser-guided missiles or sniper rifles with laser targeting optics are widespread," explains Elmar Compans, Head of the Sensors & Electronic Warfare unit at Cassidian. "Through the combination of our many years of experience with laser warning sensors and the most varied defence lasers, as well as the use of commercially available components, we have succeeded in developing a uniquely effective, targeted countermeasure."

The defence concept, which Cassidian has developed for the German procurement authority, is based on the so-called "dazzling" process, which means dazzling the targeting optics of the enemy missile with an eyesafe laser beam. Laser-guided missiles are guided to their targets by the marksman keeping the weapon station's sight aimed at the target. The weapon station either sends control signals to the missile via laser, or it aims a laser beam itself at the target, whose reflections then guide the missile to its target. In both cases, the marksman can no longer track the target due to the dazzling beam so that the missile no longer receives any targeting information and shoots past the target.

INTERVIEW

Building the indigenous network << The journey of Indian armed forces towards net-centricity is incomplete without Bharat Electonics Limited (BEL). In an interview with GeoIntelligence, Anil Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, BEL, discusses the role of BEL in preparing the Forces for the next-generation warfare... >> Q. Armed forces the world over are building Net-centric warfares systems. BEL is playing a major role in building the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indigenous capabilities in this direction. What all systems have been developed by BEL? What is the progress on this front and what are the challenges that you are facing? BEL is a major player in journey towards Network Centric Warfare (NCW) of Indian armed forces. NCW is being implemented in a progressive and phased manner.

The next stage is the Net Centric Operation (NCO), that is, the Integration of System of Systems. For this integration, technologies have been developed and BEL is now ready for its implementation. To integrate heterogeneous Tac C3I Systems is a major challenge.

ANIL KUMAR Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) For NCO, there is a need for a modern backbone communication network. BEL has the complete solution for the implementation of backbone network, that is, Tactical Communication System (TCS). TCS is yet to be commissioned by Indian Army and BEL is one of the short listed vendors.

Can you tell us about Advanced Composite Communication System (ACCS), an IP-based

new-generation voice, data and video integrated system that is being developed by BEL? ACCS is the fourth generation CCS system developed by BEL. It is an IP based voice, data and video integrated communication system developed for addressing the external communication requirements onboard naval ships. The ACCS system facilitates ship-toship, ship-to-shore and ship-to-air

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

The first step in this direction is the conceptualisation and development of network centric systems. BEL developed technologies and delivered various network centric systems to Indian Army called Tac C3I (Tactical Computer, Command, Control and Intelligence) systems, for example, ACCCS, CIDSS, BSS, ADC&RS, EW-Samyukta etc. Similarly, systems for C4I are being deployed by BEL for Indian Navy.

Akash-Missile System

communications on VLF, MF, HF, V/ UHF, Ku, C&S bands. The system is very flexible and can be easily configured for all classes of ships and submarines.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

BEL has its in-house R&D facilities. Also, you are working closely with DRDO. Which are the areas where you are working independently and where you two are collaborating?

BEL has a strong partnership with DRDO in areas like radars, sonars, MW Tubes, security solutions, electro-optics, electronic warfare, military communications, tank electronics and weapon systems. While DRDO contributes towards the system level conceptualisation and design, many subsystems are developed at BEL. BEL also has strong in-house strengths for development of command

and control software, signal data processing and crypto algorithms.

in-house R&D, a doppler weather radar for IMD.

The Weapon Locating Radar (WLR) has generated a lot of interest among forces, especially Indian Army. Can you tell us about your radar programmes?

Can you tell us about the Coastal Surveillance System that BEL is developing for the Indian coastline? What other projects are you doing for maritime securities?

BEL, in collaboration with DRDO, is able to offer state-of-the-art radars to all the three services. The current generation radars like Rohini, 3D TCR, Ashlesha, Bharani, Rajendra for Akash programme and WLR have been successfully trial evaluated and are being productionised. The technologies developed in these radars are benchmarked with world class products. The next generation radars which are predominantly AESA based radars like Arudra and Ashwini, are in an advanced stage of development. BEL has also developed through

Coastal Surveillance System: The chain of static sensors for Indian Coast Guard has been envisaged to monitor the coastline of our country. The Static Sensors System at each of the locations consists of coastal surveillance radar, VHF communication system, electrooptic sensors, MET sensors and AIS transponders, and is installed on the lighthouses and towers. Each radar site is linked to the remote operating stations. The remote operating stations are further linked to regional operating centers which are connected to the control center of the Coast Guard.

<< BEL is establishing a National Command Control Communication and Intelligence (NC3I) Network across India. The aim of establishing the NC3I network is to build comprehensive maritime awareness through active surveillance, real-time threat evaluation with timely and resource smart operational responses >>

BEL is also establishing a National Command Control Communication and Intelligence (NC3I) Network across India. The aim of establishing the NC3I network is to build comprehensive maritime awareness through active surveillance, real-time threat evaluation with timely and resource smart operational responses.

BEL has also associated with a number of private companies for several of its projects. Can you share some details with us? With the change in customer requirements from standalone products to systems and system of systems, BEL has been partnering with many Indian private companies who possess complementary capabilities to address the market. For example, BEL is partnering with L&T for

Central Acquisition Radar (CAR)

mobile mast for antennas and with Astra Microwave for RF and microwave subsystems for its Central Acquisition Radar programme of defence forces. Similarly, BEL is partnering with Tata Power and L&T for the supply of launchers for its Akash Missile programme.

All future major foreign procurement contracts will have offset opportunities in strategic defence electronics. How are you preparing to accept these offset opportunities? BEL is focussing on opportunities in areas of offset obligations of vendors in various RFPs of Ministry of Defence (MoD). BEL has also identified contract manufacturing (both build to print and build to specs) as one of the areas to address the emerging opportunities with OEMs.

We are working closely with various major foreign aerospace and defence companies to secure business under the mandatory offset clause in the RFPs for Indian Defence Procurement. MoUs have been signed with many OEMs and efforts are being made to establish long-term supply chain relationships with the global players. BELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities have been visited by these companies and based on the feedback generated, necessary actions have been taken. Seven of our SBUs/ Units have obtained AS 9100 Certification to address aerospace business. Infrastructure modernisation and requisite additions have taken place to meet the requirements of these companies. We are targeting a total offset business of USD 300 million in the next 3-5 years.

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The complete system software has been developed in-house by BEL. The system is capable of monitoring sea traffic, carrying out search and rescue operations and providing weather information for marine operations. The data collected from sensors is available for analysis at Coast Guard district headquarters, regional operating centers and control center for decision support.

INFORMATION WARFARE

Net-centricity in modern warfare

<< World over, armed forces are gearing themselves up for digital warfare. India is no different. This article attempts to annotate the basic features of ‘information’, ‘digitisation’ and ‘net-centricity’ and translates these to what might be relevant to the execution of information warfare in the Indian context >> “Imagination is more important than knowledge” - Albert Einstein

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The three terminologies

The advent of Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) and its enabling features in prosecution of warfare in the modern era has generated considerable interest among the global military fraternity. Thus the terms ‘information operations’, ‘digitisation’ and ‘net-centric warfare’ have become part of routine glossary of military terminologies under the overall ambit of Information Warfare (IW). We are aware that the idea of harnessing the information-specific technology in conduct of warfare was conceived in the Russian military theology. Subsequently, it found formal fruition through strategic confabulations in the United States (US) before being propagated

among other advanced militaries. Indian Army too responded to the concept of IW as early as 1990s. Since then, it has made considerable efforts to harness the advantages of ‘information’, ‘digitisation’ and ‘net-centricity’ in its operational, logistic and management functions. There are studies carried out, goals set, resources committed, projects undertaken and military exercises conducted under the unique parameters that these terms signify. In practice however, the stage when these parameters might instil confidence among the military fraternity, for them to depend on these under conditions of war, is far away yet. India’s strategic concerns are limited as compared to the western powers. It may therefore be logical to define the aforementioned aspects of IW to own understanding and purpose.

‘Information’ and ‘Knowledge’

It is not that the domain of ‘information’ and its fallout, ‘knowledge’ are of recent advent, these had been before as well – Alexander had the information of the crossing places across the river Jhelum and used it to gain knowledge of a suitable one to outflank King Porus during the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BCE. Thus ‘information’ is but an eternally existential phenomenon; the object of information - like terrain, enemy forces, deployment, etc., - exist naturally at any point of time, though they had not been so easily accessible as they may be today. The difference has been conditioned by proliferation of science and technology that has made it practicable to access the ‘information’ needed and analyse it to register the relevant ‘knowledge’,

We may now delve further into the aspects of access, registration and transmission of existential ‘information’, for it to be processed into ‘knowledge’ that is relevant to the tactical and operational situation that the Indian Army might be confronted with. Information access and registration Modern technology has advanced to an extent that many of the scientific expositions in theory have found practical materialisation. Thus, it is possible to sweep the environment to register information of natural, man-made and war-like attributes that exist at any point of time over vastly spread areas; besides, it is also possible to penetrate through man-made or natural camouflage to detect such attributes which might normally remain obscured. This is an operation that requires electromagnetic devises to be coupled with mechanical linkages and electronic articulators, and packaged with requisite motive power to move and manipulate. Access to the object of information may be accomplished both in static mode (such as surveillance radars, geo-synchronous satellites, laser designators, aerostats, observers and ‘moles’) or in manoeuvrable format (such as orbital satellites, aircraft, balloons, reconnaissance radars, intelligence teams and ‘agents’). Having gained

access to the objects of ‘information’, the next step is to register the signatures emitted by these objects. This activity is programmed by activating various kinds of ‘sensors’ that might function on optical, acoustic, thermal, seismic or even visual mode. Registration of the input signatures is carried out in ‘digital’ rather than analogue mode for ease of processing into ‘knowledge.’ In short, modern technology enables creation of a ‘system’ of many components, to accomplish coverage of extensive areas as well as heretofore inaccessible objects, to register information remotely. Point to note is that the tactical decisions regarding areas of search, timings, objects of interest and informational queries continue to remain in the realm of military art – technology may assist but not elevate the application of military acumen. At this stage, the ‘information’ accessed and registered is in raw form, besides being burdened with unnecessary details. These have to be transmitted to be filtered, collated and analysed to, as stated earlier, cull out the relevant ‘knowledge’.

Digitisation and transmission of inputs

Here again, technological advancements play a pivotal role. Thus as aforestated, instead of registering the emission of photoparticles or other radiations from the objects in visual, acoustic, photographic, descriptive or analogue mode, this is done by electronically converting the emitted signatures into digital code - ‘bits’ and ‘bytes’ in millions of electronic chips, so to say. This is a simple process of primary ‘digitisation,’ built into the sensing devices, that renders the inputs extremely accurate, highly revealing and perfectly formatted for nearinstantaneous ‘transmission’ over vast distances. Thus the accessed and digitally registered information is

‘transmitted’ by means of carrier electromagnetic waves, to be recorded at the intelligence control centre. Digitisation of input data also facilitates near real-time user customisation, filtration and preferential formatting of information through application of mathematical algorithms (software), to convert it into ‘knowledge’. This is the process of secondary digitisation whence the raw data is edited, trimmed, elaborated and formatted according to its usage. However, to reiterate, the decisions regarding focussing these processes to the required parameters of relevant knowledge remains an exercise of military art. Having filtered and marshalled the raw informational inputs according to the parameters of relevant knowledge by means of the taskdedicated ‘systems’ discussed above, the stage is now set for the ‘system of systems’ to generate actionable military ‘intelligence’.

Intelligence Preparation of Battle-space (IPB)

This again is a vastly overarching strategic term devised by the western thinkers, which in India’s limited operational context may be described as the process of ‘intelligence appreciation’ and implementation of ‘intelligence plan’. In short, IPB is but a traditional exercise, firstly, of marshalling operational intelligence, and secondly, assimilation of that intelligence to strengthen the process of planning, deployment and control of operations. Of course, modern military technology has elevated that exercise to a nearperfect level. Further, modern networked transmission systems have rendered the intelligence inputs as highly transferable across vast distances in near real-time. These advantages facilitate the best orchestrated conduct of battles in which each element of battle is deployed and employed to the optimal capability, thus achieving a force-multiplication effect.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

that in turn generates actionable ‘intelligence’ to make planning and execution of operations more comprehensive, coordinated, accurate and timely. It therefore may not be off the mark to state that these terms, as appropriated by western strategic thinkers, need to be translated to the Indian military lexicon. Indeed, in the context of contemporary Indian Army, it may be more meaningful to subsume the terms ‘information’ (data which have to be accessed, registered and then transmitted) and ‘knowledge’ (which have to be acquired by collation and analysis of the information) into the better understood overall definition of military ‘intelligence’.

IPB is highly relevant in the Indian context as it would permit the most effective exploitation of decisive weapons and equipments of war, limited as these are either in terms of availability – being imported at high costs – or in terms of sophistication in those which are indigenously produced.

<< IPB is highly relevant in the Indian context as it would permit the most effective exploitation of decisive weapons and equipments of war >>

Logistic intelligence

So far we have confined the discussion to operational intelligence. However, there is no gain saying that a similarly structured cycle of information collection, knowledge processing and intelligence gathering could elevate the Indian military logistics to a state of near-perfectness in terms of military force-projection, movements, supply-chain management and so on. More, it would cut costs, for utilisation of savings elsewhere. We may term it as the ‘Intelligence Preparation of Logistics’, IPL in short.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan Jan – feb Feb 2013 2012

Net-centricity

We have discussed as to how information is sensed, digitised and processed into knowledge and then converted to actionable intelligence, before being disseminated across the areas of operations. To affect these transfers, there are ‘transmission’ links connecting the highest, the lowest and parallel echelons of the military structure. When seen in totality over an area, sector, zone or theatre, these links emerge in the form of complex ‘networks’ of multiple to-and-fro exchange of raw information, processed knowledge, and finally, actionable intelligence. Obviously, besides performing the role of ‘information highways’, net-centricity also extends to the exchange of command, control and management instructions as well as feedback. Simply illustrated, net-centricity might have prevented Marshal Grouchy from diverting from Napoleon’s intended plan of preventing Marshal Blucher’s Prussian Corps from joining up with Duke of Wellington at Waterloo; the

European Alliance would then have been defeated and the world would have been different from what we find it today. We may therefore observe that what is referred to by ‘digitised battlefield’, even ‘digitised battle formations’ and ‘net-centric warfare’ – described by Chinese strategists as ‘warfare under conditions of informalisation’ - implies the exercise of traditional art of war, with contemporary weapons and hardware, under vastly superior abilities of generation and dissemination of intelligence, command and control instructions and feedback. ‘Net-centric warfare’ therefore enhances manyfold the capabilities of surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and analysis, best engagement of weapons and equipment, exchange of intelligence, passage of instructions and feedback. It therefore imparts the ability to marshal and commit various battle groups and its elements in as advantageous manner as the prevailing tactical situation might permit under the overall sobriquet of IW.

Information warfare

The features discussed so far, particularly that of net-centricity and IPB, all put together comes under the ambit of IW. Thus originates the concept of Information Operations (IO). IO is a continuous process of building up ‘Information Superiority’ that would permit, at the time of war, the ability to dominate in manoeuvre, orchestrate successful engagements and target accurately,

all duly backed up with optimal logistic support - prosecution of IW in nutshell. In larger context, IO also extends to political, social and economic regimes. That has led to formation of dedicated ‘commands’ or ‘departments’ in many advanced nations, but most purposefully by the US, China, NATO and Russia. The scenario for the Indian Army India is rich in information age capabilities, but short in its military wherewithal. The Indian Army reflects that state. Our commanders are enthused by the vast prospects offered by IW, and the staff is keen to harness the resultant advantages in combat and logistic force-multiplication. Even then, and after nearly two decades of concerted efforts, the Army’s ability in operating under networked conditions remains stymied – may be a formation or two can field that capability for short durations, nothing more. The basic reasons for the excruciatingly slow process of assimilation of this modern tool of war may be ascribed to the following debilitating conditions: > Many of the aspiring practitioners of IW have neither had the opportunity to delve deep into its technical nuances, nor had the benefit of actually operating, assimilating and exploiting the ‘information’, ‘digitisation’ and ‘net-centricity’ systems that are the core elements of IW. In the first case, there is no relief from the burden of routine work to devote to new learning and experimentation, while in the second, there are not enough systems to work upon under realistic conditions. Technical competence among most such practitioners being but superficial, the question of operational exploitation of IW therefore remains hazy and distant, obviously so. > We are aware that the idea of modernisation of the war machine and its articulation through the ‘system of systems’ is contingent upon a good

FLOW DIAGRAM: NET-CENTRIC WARFARE Accession to Object

Registration

Sensing

Digitalisation

Raw Information

Network Transmission Raw Information

User-customisation

Filtration

Preferential Formatting

Knowledge Knowledge

Military Expertise

Intelligence

Appreciation / Plan

Network Transmission (Dissemination, Control Instructions & Feedback

data transmission switches, etc, nor has the Army demanded the development of such wherewithal. Government’s past policies too have been hostile to the indigenous defence industry, which not only prevented its growth, it even sabotaged joint ventures. Availability of wherewithal of IW is therefore limited and unreliable. > By far, the most debilitating slippage in the Army has been in its neglect to build the digitised database. Just as it would be foolish to fight a war without maps and range and equipment tables, prosecution of IW cannot even be conceived unless there is readily accessible ‘data bank’ of terrain, weapon and equipment attributes in digitised form and in a specified format of algorithm. It would take many decades of concerted hardwork by dedicated ‘digitisation units’ to accomplish that stupendous task of creating a comprehensive digitised data bank. Till then, net-centricity of

Indian Army may remain a lame aspiration. It is time to proceed beyond the superficial platitudes of ‘information’, ‘digitisation’ and ‘ net-centricity’. The executive level must have wider opportunities to learn, assimilate, think and harness the advantages that these features might offer. Only then would nation’s warriors be able to exercise their first-hand initiative and experience to apply the properties of ‘information’, ‘digitisation’ and ‘net-centricity’ in winning wars.

Lt.Gen Gautam Banerjee (Retd) gautamabuddha43@gmail.com

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

grounding in technical training, ready accessibility to the systems and devolution of control down to the lower rungs of the hierarchy. Such a dispensation has gradually pervaded over India’s entire civil sector, public as well as private, including the traditionally fixated government machinery. Paradoxically however, in the Indian armed forces – particularly within the Army - these enabling features of IW remain somewhat afflicted with fiscal limitations and archaic procedures, unable to break free of orthodox instincts and mental inertia that prevails over civilian and military defence policy makers. > Net-centric war is best prosecuted with indigenously designed equipment, when the operative ‘keys’ and ‘codes’ remain classified. Unfortunately, defence research and industry in India has not girdled up to produce indigenously military-customised sensors, data processing hardware, reliable software,

REVOLUTION IN MILITARY LOGISTICS

The arithmetics of logistics << The shift in the operational doctrine of warfare from platform-centric to network-centric necessitates transformation of military logistics as well. This will ensure the fielding of a force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every stage of operations >>

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

ogistics is the key element of the war-fighting supply support and this has been amply demonstrated in almost all the wars that have been fought. The evolution in logistics practices has been a continuous phenomenon and has been driving the logistics managers to ensure the required material support to sustain operations in both peace and war. This transformation has been driven by technological innovations, changes in the conduct of warfare, lessons learned, and the everexpanding roles and functions of the military. The pace of transformation in military logistics has, however, been rapid in the post Cold-War period. Also, the transformation has been influenced by corresponding changes in logistics practices of the civil sector.

A significant shift in military affairs has been due to the impact of IT. The advancements in computer science, communications, geographical information systems (GIS) and other IT sectors have resulted in shift in the operational doctrine from platform centric warfare to network centric warfare (NCW) globally. GIS, a by-product of the digital age, have found numerous civil niches but increasingly have penetrated into a range of military and security applications. The most recent step in this progressive evolution is the fusion of GIS with Intelligence

Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) products forming an integral part of the NCW. Since military logistics is closely linked with warfare, this revolution in military affairs has to be supported by a corresponding Revolution in Military Logistics (RML).

Change drivers for military logistics

Logistics is the lifeblood of any army. Changing how we fight influences

changes in how we support. The transformation objective is to field a force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every point of the spectrum of operations. This transformation challenges the army to balance near-term readiness and force modernisation in an environment of increased missions and fewer resources. Major drivers forcing the transformation of military logistics are as follows:-

transformation is about changing the way we fight. It is the process of converting the army’s focus and structure to a full spectrum combat force that is strategically responsive and dominant at every stage of conflict.

> Emergence of IT and GIS - The

precision delivery of combat service support is anticipatory; it provides significant efficiencies in both supply and distribution which have been made possible due to the explosive growth in high speed IT hardware, GIS/ GPS, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and software technologies. Enhancement in efficiency in both supply and distribution is achieved by integrating locationbased services, intelligent transportation systems, wireless technologies and GPS as well as critical transportation infrastructure data (roads, tunnels and dams) and realtime information sources (road conditions, construction, and incidents) from more than 150 worldwide datasets. Precise, real-time knowledge of the disposition of their assets allows commanders to manoeuvre combat service support assets as quickly as they manoeuvre combat elements, thereby shaping the battle.

> High speed communications - By leveraging IT with high speed communications consisting of satellite and terrestrial communication, logisticians will be empowered to provide the right support at the right time and at the right place. They no longer will rely on ‘historical’ data. Rather, they will have realtime, predictive information to make intelligent decisions and optimise force readiness. Global wireless communications will provide soldiers the capability to reach and ‘see’ virtually anywhere on the battlefield or in the world. A seamless logistics

system that ties all parts of the logistics community into one network of shared situational awareness and unified action can be achieved only in an environment dominated by global, wireless, assured communications. Many worldclass commercial companies have reduced inventories significantly and now rely on real-time information, coupled with rapid transportation, to meet customers’ demands. Today, a large number of communications satellites orbit the earth for commercial use of global wireless communications for both voice and data. These types of communications systems are being developed for a global commercial market, but have broad applications for military use at the strategic, operational and tactical levels for supporting a modern force in tomorrow’s army.

> Best business practices -

Methodologies and applications used in private industry that elevate a commercial enterprise above the competition are referred to as ‘commercial best practices’. Best practices enable leading-edge organisations to deliver world-class standards of performance to their customers. These best practices and standards of performance have generated much interest within the army logistics community, which is constantly being asked to do more with less. RML, as a precursor and roadmap to the Objective Force, could be accelerated greatly by investigating and embracing many commercial logistics best practices. Integrated supply chain management, industry’s changing view of logistics, electronic commerce, automated identification technology, direct vendor delivery, load optimisation, outsourcing and smart simple design are all examples of commercial best practices that could be very useful in helping the army achieve the RML.

> Shrinking defence budgets -

Due to the shrinking defence budgets the world over, there are political compulsions to reduce the number of people in military. Instead of reducing the number of combat forces, the military generally gets reorganised by reducing the logistics capability. Unfortunately, these support forces are often the key to sustaining the dominant combat power of fighting forces. In the civil industry, emergence of commercial best practices took place because of downsizing and a hunger for profitability, or doing more with less. So it stands to reason that there could be a great deal of benefit to army by implementing these best practices of the commercial sector.

Requirements of future logistics support

1) Future logistics support must enable aggressive reduction in the manoeuvre sustainment footprint with fewer vehicles and leverage reach-back capabilities. Ideally, combat forces are empowered by logistics, not encumbered by it! Army logistics in future will have to become more agile in order to cope with the demands of dynamic RML support to the agile and mobile combat forces. Logistics agility involves the following:a) Structural agility - Structural agility will be accomplished through total integration of all the components of army, incorporation of support teams from other services, and industry partners of army. Logistics task forces need to be able to scale up and down in size, as well as in technical expertise. Personnel, teams and units from all components should be capable of deploying and moving independently to an in-theatre rendezvous location. b) Physical agility - It enhances the ability to deploy and manoeuvre

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

> Evolution of NCW - Army

<< RML is fast logistics. All logistics managers in the supply chain need to think several steps ahead, all the time. Real-time, 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-aweek operations will be the norm >> the operational infrastructure of the distribution-based logistics system. Distributionbased logistics depends on an integrated, intermodal network of information systems, distribution platforms, and automated materials-handling equipment. The logistics units and personnel operating this network must be able to manoeuvre the component systems and control the movement of the distribution platforms on the fly without degrading the throughput of sustainment to the fighting forces.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

c) Mental agility - It refers to attitude. RML is fast logistics. All logistics managers in the supply chain need to think several steps ahead, all the time. Realtime, 24-hours-a-day, 7-daysa-week operations will be the norm. Additionally, many of the initiatives in the Revolution in Business Affairs that streamline and improve logistics, acquisition and financial processes contribute to this new, heightened agility.

d) Acquisition agility - In order to keep pace with the fast-changing demands of NCW, the acquisition system must support rapid and flexible access to a wide range of commercial sources of supply. The agile acquisition system also will be crucial to designing, building and fielding the advanced systems and modernisation packages. Reduced development cycles will provide state-of-the-art technology to the

field forces at a price the nation will be willing to pay. 2) Increased ability to handle tremendous volumes of transactions and the ability to amass, analyse, and control large quantities of specialised data to improve efficiency, accuracy and reduced costs while providing faster, more reliable and convenient services. 3) The future logistics environment requires a continuous interaction among requirements, technology and capabilities. On the one hand, we need to match technology with known logistics requirements; on the other hand, leadingedge technology may present opportunities that the warfighter has not even considered. 4) Future logistics systems need to have reduced logistics footprint. The number and type of weapon systems needed by land forces in the battle space to hold and dominate terrain will change, and so will the operational and tactical logistics requirements. Adequate logistics footprint, as an RML tenet, is not just about reduction, it is also about balancing the right size, the right amount, and the right knowledge to do the job in supporting 21st century operations. It is the result of a reduced logistics demand, more lethally efficient weapons, IT that focusses directly on warfighter, a seamless logistics system that allows for streamlining redundant support functions and organisations, and a transformation from a supply-based to a distribution-based logistics system. The logistics footprint of the future will need to ensure a more precise balance between ‘Just in Case’ and ‘Just in Time’ with a goal of ‘Just Enough.’ Developments in Automatic Identification Technology (AIT) integrated into GIS, and an interface with industry will enhance automated tracking of assets throughout the world.

Focussed logistics – the way forward

Focussed logistics is the fusion of logistics information and transportation technologies for rapid crisis response; deployment and sustainment; the ability to track and shift units, equipment and supplies even while en route, and delivery of tailored logistics packages and sustainment directly to the warfighter. Distribution within the theatre focuses on establishing distribution management structure and battlefield architecture to maintain visibility and control over the pipeline. The end result of establishing a distribution management structure will be efficiencies gained in transportation and the requisition pipeline, and decreased theatre stockage objectives. To implement the concept of focussed logistics, the logistics fraternity need to lay emphasis on four areas: a logistics data network, a responsive distribution system, a robust modular force reception capability, and an integrated supply chain. A high speed logistics data network coupled with application software on GIS platform will provide not only in-transit visibility in real-time but also total asset visibility. This will allow commanders to adjust resupply operations while en route, determine supply and maintenance requirements and act appropriately before the critical time, and make the current distribution system truly responsive. Role of GIS in logistics planning can be highlighted as under:1) GIS based transportation logistics and real-time tracking - Army logisticians have to coordinate the movement of large number of military vehicles, freight, equipment, and personnel throughout the length and breadth of the theatre of operations to support military strategy and tactics. GIS enabled application ensures the following:-

> IT in conjunction with GIS

> GIS based system generates

highly detailed maps useful for troop and cargo transport. Maps can identify optimal routes and display an array of static and dynamic features, including road and weather conditions, schools, hospitals, bridges and waterways.

> System can also track vehicles/

shipments in real-time and even pinpoint the exact location and content of any shipment. Alerts are provided if cargo deviates from a charted course.

> GIS based system also caters to

emergency response capabilities by illustrating the effects of hazardous materials and/ or explosives on a geographic area through state-of-the-art modelling tools.

> Internet mapping capabilities

of such a solution also enable to move from a transportation data display tool to a global system for effective decision making, logistics and asset management.

> A single interface to visualise

assets critical to security such as airports, dams, water plants, bus and commuter rail lines and facilities, nuclear power plants, and power grids. This common operating environment can help in improving response time and minimising fatalities during emergency situations and global deployments.

> Ability to organise, manage

and track military personnel and cargo and the status of the sensitive shipments.

2) Deployed visibility - There are two challenges to tracking assets

in a military environment. First, to constantly have a permanent view of the location of the assets, and how they are moving. Second, to be alerted if they deviate from their prescribed route, especially if they go into a dangerous area. The in transit visibility of assets, total visibility of assets and inventory is achieved by Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology integrated with GIS. Important features of in transit visibility are:i) RFID tags are placed on cases and pallets of goods with the purpose of tracking material throughout the supply process. RFID data is then fed to various stakeholdersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; systems across the supply chain to achieve a good measure of visibility for supplies, stocks and assets. ii) Initially, RFID required an infrastructure to be put in place locally in the form of RFID readers. The new lot of tags are able to form themselves into ad hoc mesh networks that transmit data to each other. In this kind of network, the last tag in a line transmits all the data to back-end systems which manage the data. iii) Next generation wireless technologies will improve and enhance mesh networking technologies which will reduce the size, weight and power requirements of the tags and improve firmware to support data encryption. This will allow mesh to expand into new areas to support new logistics requirements, including a number of new marshalling areas and yards. iv) Mesh tags are placed on vehicles and can talk to other tags in their vicinity which cuts down on the typical investment in RFID infrastructure. Tags have been coupled with terrestrial tracking devices to provide a hybrid or dual-mode system. They take advantage of cheaper terrestrial

networks when they are available and then switch to satellite communications when they are out of range of the terrestrial networks. v) Inductive systems that use magnetic fields in lieu of radio waves were adapted years ago for applications such as submarine communications systems and in recent years have been applied to tracking systems. Magnetic fields are not stopped by anything, including steel and liquids. In harsh environments, magnetic tags perform better when there are difficulties with RFID because they can be completely encapsulated. Magnetic tags operate at low frequencies and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use much power.

Conclusion

With an overriding constraint of massive budget reductions, logisticians are striving hard to provide soldiers with everything they require. Given the probability of future defence budget cuts, logisticians currently have a time-constrained window of opportunity to set the agenda as to what the next generation resources-constrained logistics system will look like and how it will operate and how it can best provide 21st-century support to joint and/or coalition-based, expeditionary force in light of the broad spectrum of potential conflicts they may face. A budgetconstricted future could very well demand a new and a very different way of providing defence logistics.

Brig AS Nagra (Retd) asnagra55@gmail.com

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

technology helps in providing a fully secure, web-based multicomponent display, reporting and analysis application able to monitor military cargo across the transportation networks and overseas.

INTERVIEW

‘We want to expand our footprint in India’ << Recognised throughout the world for its communications and aviation electronics solutions, Rockwell Collins is hopeful of bagging a number of defence projects in India. It says its products are compatible with the unique requirements of the Indian armed forces. Alan C. Tribble, Manager, Government Systems Marketing – Asia Pacific, International & Service Solutions, Rockwell Collins, tells us more... >>

Q. Can you brief us about the solutions that Rockwell Collins is offering to India?

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Rockwell Collins is a manufacturer of communication and aviation electronics. We have been in the communications business for over 75 years and have evolved overtime to be more of an aviation or avionics manufacturer; but communication is our core business. Today, we are offering software defined radios (SDRs) that operate across the four spectrums of communication. What we are offering in India is the ability to take that software-defined radio platform, put Indian unique waveforms onto it along with the cryptographic algorithms, and turn it into a uniquely Indian solution.

ALAN C. TRIBBLE Manager, Government Systems Marketing – Asia Pacific International & Service Solutions, Rockwell Collins

Flex-Net Four radios

What are the programmes that you are presently pursuing with Indian armed forces? We do have some active business in India. For example, we have a contract with ECIL for providing Electronic Counter-Counter Measure (ECCM) technology to be integrated into a radio it is building for Indian forces. We have also been selected, as part of the Selex team, for the Network Centric Operational Prototype System (NCOPS) programme. We have done a number of No Cost No Commitment (NCNC) demos for the Indian Navy wherein the FlexNet radios have been a key element. We are hoping to get the contract within the next few months. For the Air Force, we have proposed the software-defined radio programme

<< One of the advantages of SDRs is that you can programme them either to be the next generation SDR or to talk backwards to the legacy existing radios >> as part of the Tata SED team. Here, we are again offering our FlexNet capability, but this time in an airborne radio. We are hoping to do a NCNC demo for that in March. These are the two active proposals that we have in evaluation right now. In addition, we are tracking a number of army programmes such as the Battle Management System (BMS), Tactical Communication System, etc.

Are the software defined radios (SDRs) that you offer compatible with the legacy radios that are presently being used by Indian armed forces? Certainly. One of the advantages of SDRs is that you can programme them either to be the next generation SDR or to talk

backwards to the legacy existing radios. So most radios in the market would have the standard voice communications without encryption and that would certainly be something that our radios should be able to support.

Given the unique environment in which Indian Army operates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; high altitude, inhospitable terrains, etc., - are the solutions that you offer compatible with the requirements of the soldier on ground? This is one of the unique challenges that a system like FlexNet is designed to work through. Whether a soldier is operating in a mountainous environment or in an open environment, FlexNet is designed to do very well in all kinds of situations.

Can you tell us about the Mobile ad hoc Networking (MANET) systems that Rockwell Collins is offering? We have a product called Subnet Relay or SNR. It is offered as a router. When SNR is attached to a legacy radio, it forms a mobile ad hoc network. We also have a FlexNet product which is a true SDR, and

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Rockwell Collins and Thales Communications have a cooperative agreement to jointly develop and market the FlexNet family, composed of the FlexNet-One and FlexNet-Four radios for vehicular solutions and also the FlexNetWaveform for high data rate ad hoc networking applications. As an example of recent success, Rockwell Collins is delivering 250 FlexNetFour radios to Sweden.

does mobile ad hoc networking as well. The difference, however, lies in the tactical environment that they are designed to operate in. The customers for SNR are typically naval customers who do not operate in the presence of, what I call, fast movers such as fighter aircraft at low altitude. They don’t have too many possible jammers; hence it is easier to form a network because the network tends to be stable due to less interference. FlexNet, in comparison to SNR, is designed to operate in a ground mobile environment in the presence of jammers, so it does frequency hopping. That is, if the adversary figures out the frequency that you are using for transmitting, he is likely to jam it. In order to avoid a situation like that, FlexNet hops several hundred times a second. At the same time, there are a lot of processing differences in how FlexNet sets up the MANET. It tries to do things as efficiently as possible, for example, nodes that enters and exits rapidly so that the network responds to those changes in as near real-time as we can get. FlexNet is what we have offered to the Indian Navy and the Air Force and we hope to offer it to the Army as well for networking of their forces.

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What kind of demand do you envisage for MANET in India?

I think there is a strong demand for MANET in India – we are witnessing that from the army, navy as well as the air force. It is certain that MANET is here to stay. We just need to understand exactly how we can best fit our Indian customers.

How much of your revenues are contributed by the defence sector – both at international level and in India? Majority of our business is with armed forces. Today, Rockwell Collins, at the corporate level, is roughly split into government systems business and commercial systems

<< Whether a soldier is operating in a mountainous environment or an open environment, FlexNet is designed to do very well in all kinds of situations >>

Collins has become a global international company. However, in India, it is much more of what I would call a minimal technical compliance, lowest cost provider. We are used to not only meeting the bare minimal requirements, but also exceeding them. Thus, it is a different environment that we have to adjust to, a cost-sensitive environment.

How do you overcome challenges like the bandwidth or big data? Those are challenges in any market that you go to. Usually, world over, similar bands are reserved for military communication. But within high-frequency (HF) bands, the bandwidth signal that you are allocated is smaller, so we just adjust the bandwidth to be in accordance with the requirements of that country.

business. About 60 per cent of our business is with government customers. In India, it is not as big as we would like it to be. We are committed to the Indian market. We currently have 500 employees in the Hyderabad center and we hope to make it 600 soon. So, India is a market in which we would certainly love to expand our footprint.

What kind of challenges are you facing in India? We are used to operating in a different business environment in US. Our US customer is, what I call, the best value provider. Cost is not always the last deciding factor when they have a requirement for a new system. If a vendor offers some unique capability which brings an advantage to the customer, even if it costs a little bit more, that’s ok with them. So we have been operating in an environment of best value mentality. This is how Rockwell

Talking about the big data challenge, we know everybody wants more data. We offer what we call the FlexNet-Waveform (FN-WF) which provides over a megabyte per second of data to users. This includes all standard forms of data. The radio is capable of encapsulating any type of IP data. The high bandwidth, high data rates are, I think, one of the distinguishing features of our radio. The fact that it does mobile ad hoc networking is another distinguishing feature. We offer high quality SDR products that one can tailor as per the requirements of the user.

What next can we expect from Rockwell Collins? Rockwell Collins is always interested in investing in future. So, we are continuously trying to reinvent ourselves. We have got a very robust commitment to internal research and development funding. I know the future is going to be great. I can’t tell you exactly what it is because it isn’t here yet, but we intend to be ready.

EVENTS

International Armoured Vehicles 2013

February 5-8, 2013 , Farnborough, UK www.internationalarmouredvehicles.com

Aero India 2013

February 6-10, 2013 Air Force Station Yelahanka Bengaluru, India www.aeroindia.in

Marine West 2013

February 13-14, 2013 Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA, USA www.marinemilitaryexpos.com/ marine-west.shtml

IDEX 2013

February 17-21, 2013 ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, UAE www.idexuae.ae

Fourth International Missile Defense (BMD) Conference and Exhibition February 26, 2013 Airport City, Israel www.technologies.co.il

Underwater Defence and Security 2013

February 26 – 27, 2013 Royal Navy Dockyard , Portsmouth, UK www.underwater-defence-security.com

Avalon 2013 Australian International Airshow February 26 – March 1, 2013 Geelong Airport, Victoria, Australia

www.airshow.com.au/airshow2013/index.html

MARCH Heli Expo 2013

March 4-7 Las Vegas, Nevada,US www.rotor.com/Events/HELIEXPO2013.aspx

LIMA 2013 – International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition March 26-30, 2013 Langkawi, Malaysia www.lima.com.my

APRIL Global Security Asia 2013 April 2-4, 2013 Sands Expo & Convention Center Singapore www.globalsecasia.com

LAAD 2013

April 9-12, 2013 Riocentro, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil http://laadexpo.com.br/english/

Offshore Patrol & Security 2013

April 23-25, 2013 Old Dockyard, Portsmouth,UK www.offshore-patrol-security.com

Counter Terror Expo 2013 April 24-25, 2013 Olympia Expo Center, London, UK www.counterterrorexpo.com

SPIE Defense & Security 2013 April 29 – May 3, 2013 Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, Maryland, United States http://spie.org/x6776.xml

MAY IMDEX Asia

May 14-16, 2013 Changi Exhibition Centre Singapore http://imdexasia.com/

Heli Russia 2013

May 16-18, 2013 Crocus Expo Center Moscow, Russia www.helirussia.ru/en/index.html

JUNE Soldier Technology

June 11-14, 2013 Olympia Conference Centre London, UK www.wbresearch.com/ soldiertechnologyeurope/home.aspx

ISDEF

June 4-6, 2013 Tel-Aviv, Israel www.isdefexpo.com

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

FEBRUARY

Courtesy: wikipedia

COMBAT HELICOPTERS

HAWKS IN THE AIR

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<< Gone are the days when helicopters were meant to ferry soldiers or cargo. Today, they are used for a number of purposes - right from reconnaissance to dropping bombs to clearing landing zones or saturating infiltration routes. The future of helicopters is anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guess >>

he combat helicopters can be classified into two categories - the armed helicopters/ gunships, and the modern day dedicated attack helicopters (AH). Both are military helicopters, wherein the armed helicopters are normal utility, cargo or reconnaissance modified with weapon mounts for defence against and attacking targets on the ground. The purpose of modification could be field expediency during combat as well as the need to maintain helicopters for missions that do not require weapons. In fact these are basically the Multi Role Helicopters (MRH) which can transport troops as well as carry basic armaments in terms of machine guns/ rockets/ missiles

depending on the type of mission required to be undertaken. The AH on the other hand is specifically designed and built to carry weapons for engaging targets on ground and air with special emphasis on anti-tank role. The weapons include machine guns, cannons, rockets and guided missiles for air-to-ground and air-toair engagement. Modern day AH have two main roles - provide direct and accurate close air support to ground troops, and anti-tank role to destroy enemy armour. Specialised armed helicopters flying from ships at sea are equipped with weapons for anti-submarine and/ or antishipping operations. A number of countries are today looking at acquiring MRH for their armed

forces due to the changing nature of conflict, specially related to counterinsurgency and counter terrorist operations. A befitting example is the employment of modified Black Hawks by the US in Operation Neptune Spear (Geronimo). COMBAT HELICOPTERS The concept of combat helicopters evolved with the French during the Algerian and first Indo-China wars (1954-62) in the form of modified armed helicopters. The first use of armed helicopters by USA in large scale combat operations was in Vietnam. Until Vietnam conflict, military helicopters were mostly used for troop transport, observation and casualty evacuation. These helicopters while flying missions often came under

During 1960s, the Soviet Union also felt the need for armed helicopters and modified the military MI-8 troop transporter helicopter with weapon pods for rockets and machine guns. This subsequently led to the development of a dedicated armed helicopter/ gunship, the MI-24, which saw active action in Afghanistan during 1980s. India on the other hand, had earlier MI-8 and Ranjeet (modified Cheetah helicopter), fitted with machine guns fired from the side doors. Presently, the MI-17 and Lancer (Cheetah helicopter) are modified for armed role capable of mounting guns and rockets. With the armed helicopter/ gunship concept battle proven, began the development of dedicated AH with the primary aim of engaging tanks. The late 1970s/ early 1980s saw the advent of AHs 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 relevance of these dedicated AHs due to increased cost over gun ships, the 1991 Gulf war put at rest these doubts. Fleets of Apache and Huey Cobras dominated Iraqi armour in the open desert during the war. In fact, the Apaches fired the first shots of war destroying early warning radars and SAM sites with hellfire missiles. The Soviet operations in Afghanistan during 1979-1989 saw the emergence of the MI-25/ MI-35 AH, a variant of the MI-24. India has in her inventory the Russian MI-25/ MI-35 AHs which are vintage , though certain amount of

upgrading has been carried out to make them night capable. COMBAT HELICOPTER ARMAMENT SYSTEMS The most common weapons are machine guns and rockets for use against soft targets on the ground and for self-defence while transporting troops over conflict areas. While armed helicopters have mostly used direct firing weapons with bombs considered more appropriate for fixed wing aircraft, certain armed helicopters have successfully lent themselves to use with heavy bombs. The US Army used the Chinook helicopters for dropping bombs to clear landing zones and saturate base camps and infiltration routes during Vietnam War. Armed helicopters today can also be fitted with mine dispenser/ mine clearance systems. The system is composed of racks on both sides of the helicopter for up to 40 canisters. Each canister contains six anti-tank and one anti-personnel mine. The rapid air borne mine clearance system is another armament sub-system where the intended targets are naval mines. The system comprises a single modified, 30mm cannon for targeting and neutralising mines in shallow depth, and is fitted on the US naval black hawk helicopter. The AH on the other hand, carries guns, rockets and guided missiles, both air-to-ground and air-to-air. The gun is normally a 20mm/ 30mm weapon and is located in the chin of the helicopter. The gun provides suppressive ground fire while the AH carries out its antitank mission. The unguided aerial rockets complement the short range gun and the long range anti-tank missiles. The rockets are cheap and effective as an area weapon. The rockets can also be used to attack and destroy soft ground targets that are not vulnerable to anti-tank missiles like depots and anti-aircraft gun sites. In emergent situations, they could also be used in the airto-air role. Today, there are rockets

with submunition warheads which can disperse a number of grenades/ bomblets over specified target areas. The air-to-air missile system is basically to counter the threat from other AHs and is more of a defensive armament system. The anti-tank guided missile is the main punch of the AH. The advent of fire and forget missiles is the greatest asset of the AH which increases its lethality. The hellfire missile on the Apache AH is in this class. The carriage of the armament and type will depend on the mission and area of operations. The combat helicopters will have to be fitted with counter measures suite to include radar and missile detectors, infra-red jammers and chaff and flare dispensers, depending on the degree of threat perceived for their own defence and survival. MODERN STATE OF the ART AH Modern day AH have been further refined and the American Apache Longbow (AH 64D) demonstrates many of the advanced technologies being considered for deployment on future AH. The Longbow Apache AH is an upgraded version of the AH 64A Apache and is the most sophisticated AH in the world today. The Longbow AH has a radar dome atop the main rotors which facilitates firing of hellfire missiles in full fire and forget mode, allowing the AH to stay masked behind terrain as it acquires and engages targets. The earlier Apache had to pop up to scan the battlefield leaving it exposed or had to rely on target data from other sources such as scout helicopters. The Longbow armament consists of 30mm cannon, 70mm rockets, longbow hellfire missiles and stinger/ sidewinder air-toair missiles. It has the Honeywell integrated helmet and display sighting system with state of the art counter measure sensors. The Russians have also developed the state of the art AH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ka-50 and MI-28. This decision was taken after their experience in Afghanistan with the MI-24 AH, which was

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heavy fire resulting in the need for arming them. The Huey UH-IC troop transporter was modified with stub wings attached to its fuselage and kitted with machine guns and rockets. The other helicopters modified as armed helicopters were the Sikorsky and Chinook CH-47. This was a quantum jump from the manned door fitted machine guns of the earlier versions of armed helicopter.

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basically an armed helicopter and hence not suited for a typical AH role. Ka 50 is the world’s first coaxial, single seat AH. MI-28, on the other hand, is roughly equivalent of the Apache Longbow but without command and control linkup. It has a 30mm chain gun, Ataka antitank missile and rocket pods for S-8 and S-13 rockets. The Ataka is an improved version of the Vikhr anti-tank guided missile fitted on the MI-25/ MI-35 AH. It also has in its armament the Igla/ Vympel airto-air missiles. The other dedicated AH operating in the environment are the Italian Augusta Westland’s AW129 (Mangusta), Bell helicopters’ Viper (the latest version of Huey Cobra), Eurocopter’s Tiger and the latest formidable entry of the Chinese Z-10 (Zhising). As per reports, China is also in the process of developing another AH, Z-19. Its first prototype is reported to have flown in December 2010.

MULTI-ROLE CONCEPT The multi-role concept for helicopters evolved during the Vietnam war but was subsequently taken over by the requirement of dedicated AH as an anti-armour/ anti-tank weapon system due to the threat posed by them. However, the nature of wars has undergone a major change in the last few years with emphasis on nonconventional operations. World over, the armed forces are looking at this concept and requirement of MRH especially for counterinsurgency and counter terrorist operations. The MRH is basically a utility/ troop carrying helicopter built with provisions for armament fitment or duly modified for the same. The MRH can be fielded for roles such as ground attack, air assault, cargo, surveillance and troop transport. The size of such helicopters is generally between cargo and light observation helicopters. The basic armament on these helicopters would generally be restricted to guns and rockets, however airto-ground and air-to-air missiles are also reported to be a part of

<< The attack helicopter is specifically designed and built to carry weapons for engaging targets on ground and air with special emphasis on anti-tank role. The weapons include machine guns, cannons, rockets and guided missiles for air-to-ground and air-toair engagement >> armament of some MRH, primarily putting them in the class of armed helicopters. All these helicopters are also fitted with self protection suite to include features such as missile approach warning system, threat warning equipment and chaffs/ flare dispensers. Some of the MRHs in service in different countries are US Marine Bell UH-IN Twin Huey, Augusta Westland AW-139, German Army’s NH-90, US Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk and Russian MI-17 (all versions), etc. The US with its experience in Afghanistan has embarked on a programme to develop four variants of different sizes of MRH. India has MI-17 IV/V, Navy’s Sea King; and the armed version of Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) is likely to be fielded soon. INDIAN SCENARIO The ALH, Dhruv is already in service with the armed forces. The weaponised version of the ALH called the ALH weapons systems integrated (ALH WSI) - Rudra, is currently undergoing weapons integration. Rudra is fitted with the more powerful Shakti engines being manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in collaboration with French Turbomeca. The engine has also been trial evaluated for high altitude operations on the utility

ALH. Basically, Rudra is a new generation armed helicopter duly modified for fitment of all types of weapon subsystems which can be fitted on a modern day AH. It needs to be noted that it also falls in the class of MRH. Rudra has a 20mm gun turret, 70mm rockets and the mistral air-to-air missile. The integration firing for the above subsystems has already been successfully carried out. However the anti-tank missile, Helina, the air version of Nag being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is still not ready. Helina, once developed, is stated to be a fire and forget missile with 7 kilometers range and would compare with the Hellfire missile. To meet the interim requirement, the Army has already carried out trials for a suitable anti-tank missile and in contention are the French PARS-3 and Israeli Spike-ER. The Ministry of Defence’s decision with regards to the selection is awaited. HAL has also embarked on the development of the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). The LCH is using the technology of the ALH and its configurations, except the fuselage which is streamlined and suitably modified for tandem seating of pilot and weapons system operator with adequate armour protection. The weapons and systems will be same/ similar to the Rudra. The above approach has an inherent advantage as most of the critical systems have been proven either on the ALH or the Rudra. An indigenous AH like the LCH is a step in the right direction as it can be tailored to suit the terrain and climatic conditions of one’s area of operations. The first flight of LCH took place in March 2010, and the AH is likely to enter service by 2014. The LCH once fielded should compare well with Eurocopter Tiger, Italian Mangusta and Bell Huey Cobra as it is in the same weight class. In the MRH class, the Navy is already looking at replacing its vintage Sea

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT While jet fighters are in their fifth generation, the helicopters are still strutting around with the same old airframes for the last several decades, with mostly upgrades to their credit. The Apache BlockIII is a vivid example of the same even though 26 new technologies have been incorporated in the upgraded version. However, the new generation helicopter platforms are now featuring the latest advances in aeronautics giving military helicopters improved flight performance. These platforms are also weapon systems that the incremental technological and technical progress have taken to the highest level. This offers the new generation machines unprecedented capabilities -lighter and stronger materials of construction, increased autonomy, more powerful engines, reduced acoustic signatures, more accurate navigation systems, enhanced data acquisition and protection systems, and more effective weapons and munitions. Designed as weapon systems integrating multiple functions, helicopters will have to become truly modular, making it possible to change part of the system without affecting overall integrity. The concept of modularity is likely to increase, especially with the emergence of multirole machines. In terms of data acquisition, day/ night observation and detection

capabilities will increase and become more diversified especially with respect to information sharing and cooperation with other aircraft and UAVs. Target engagement capabilities with regards to weapon range and precision is likely to remain the focus of future development. With sub-conventional operations gaining ascendency around the world, helicopter survivability will assume greater significance. Advances in stealth, such as reductions in radar, and acoustic signatures offer major results in this area, as does the development of early detection/ jamming countermeasure capabilities. Aerial navigation today has become an art which nears to perfection. Both external navigation aids and onboard systems help navigate any aircraft over thousands of miles with such accuracy that could only be imagined a few decades back. Pilots today have various navigation aids that help them take off, fly and land safely. These include the Inertial Guidance System, Long Range Navigation (LORAN), GPS, weather radar, Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and the Terrain Awareness Warning System (TAWS). The TAWS is very significant for the combat helicopters which, most of the time, have to fly very low in the Nap Of the Earth (NOE) mode during operations. Some of the above technologies are already being incorporated in the development of Eurocopter’s X2 and X3, and Sikorsky’s X2 coaxial compound helicopter as technology demonstrators. The main emphasis is on speed, stealth, reliability and survivability. In fact, in its demonstrative flight, Sikorsky’s X2 achieved a speed of 287 mph, a major leap from the current standard helicopter speed. Its military version, Sikorsky S-97 Raider is stated to be the future light tactical helicopter of the US

military. Finally, the development of innovative concepts, along the lines of V-22 Osprey (tilt rotor technology) could generate fresh momentum in the utility/ logistics domain. The V-22 is already deployed in Afghanistan and was instrumental in the rescue of a downed US pilot in Libya last year. The US is looking at a joint heavy lift Rotorcraft platform designed to enter service for all three forces by 2030. Another area of future development is helicopter UAVs. Two avenues are already being explored and implemented in different countries – UAV-helicopter cooperation, and development of rotary wing UAVs. The K-Max helicopter UAV is currently deployed in Afghanistan for logistics and is proving to be quite a hit. CONCLUSION The combat helicopters whether armed, dedicated AH or MRH will be extremely relevant in future conflicts which will be at short notice, of short duration and high intensity with emphasis on depth battle. The battle proven Apaches from their anti-tank role in Iraq have got into infantry support role against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The MRH is playing and will continue to play a pivotal role in future conflicts, more so in special operations. With the Rudra and the LCH being indigenously developed by HAL and likely to enter service in the coming years, the Indian armed forces will have formidable and state of the art combat helicopters in their kitty – a useful force multiplier which can turn the tide in battle.

Lt Gen Balli Pawar (Retd) ballipawar@yahoo.com

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

King fleet - in fray are American S-70 Bravo and Eurocopter’s NH-90. HAL is also looking at the development of 10-12 ton class of MRH for the requirement of armed forces in a joint venture with a foreign based company like Eurocopter or Sikorsky. However, no major headway has been made in this project as yet. The Army is keen to acquire this class of helicopters and has suitably called it the Tactical Battlefield Support Helicopter (TBSH). This will enhance its lift capability in the Tactical Battle Area as well as utilisation for special operations.

FUTURE MAIN BATTLE TANK

Are combat vehicles still relevant?

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<< Combat vehicles are an essential requirement of army in combat operations. However, the changing dynamics of warfare are rendering traditional vehicles irrelevant for modern conflicts. India too needs to change with the times >>

he Indian Army through the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and DG Acquisition has shown various degrees of interest to indigenously develop combat vehicles for the Indian Army, the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) and the Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT). The projects are tripping at every step and seem no closer to becoming operational than they were at conception. It is important to question minutely the

structure of such a programme both strategically and commercially. Some of the uncomfortable questions that arise are discussed below. These are ambitious and complex projects with massive capital investment requiring very advanced technological capability. Is there any strategic context in which these and other expensive and complex weapon systems fit as part of a coherent whole?

Does Indian private industry have the financial appetite for such investments without an assured return, or the level of technology to undertake such complex development? The Arjun project experienced serious budget overruns and repeated delays which resulted in a development time of over 40 years. A complicating factor was that advances in technology and the threat environment in the intervening years led to multiple

The FICV is slated to be a USD 10 billion project. After issuing calls for expression of interest asking Indian companies to bid, the project seems to have stalled and the way forward delayed. While private companies had spent much time and money on preparing bids which did not fructify, such cases effect the credibility of the armed forces. Do we as a nation need to undertake such expensive projects? Has the MoD and the Army given enough thought to the context in which such weapons will be used? Even if they are required, do they form part of a coherent national strategy and complementary force structure? Is the technological demand of the Army realistic or just catalogue dreaming? Against this backdrop, it is vital to analyse the future of these fighting vehicles in the Indian context.

The strategic context

In the absence of public debate and a systematic analysis of our security concerns, India does not have a declared strategic security doctrine which can direct a balanced development of the armed forces. As a result, the government allots funds independently (as opposed to a consolidated fund) to each of the armed forces; each arm separately spends such funds mostly to retain and expand their turf and to gain national visibility rather than to enhance combat-effectiveness in a balanced and complementary manner. Today, there is no critical examination of the necessity, relevance or complementarity of the many weapon-systems

<< Before building an armoured force, it is necessary to understand the probable national threat in the foreseeable future and evolve a doctrine to employ forces in this context >> stridently demanded by the forces. Therefore, all items of the wishlist become ‘strategically necessary’ and ultimately receive sanction – just like the FMBT or the FICV. However, due to the ever changing dynamics of conflict, are combat vehicles as we know them, still relevant? There is a considerable truth in the statement that “generals invariably fight the previous war.” Many believe that armour alone can be the fundamental and singular means of achieving military objectives. In the midst of ongoing conflicts around the globe, two important aspects are generally ignored or softpedalled: First, most of the recent conflicts have been asymmetric. They have involved forces which have the latest in advanced technology, and also adversaries whose weaponry and tactics are technologically-challenged. Second, none of these conflicts has experienced victory which has been swift, decisive or cheap. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are testimony to this. In the former, overwhelming use of combat vehicles has yet to make a decisive difference, and in the latter, the use of combat vehicles is seriously limited. Conflict in India is largely in two spectrums: counter-insurgency and the asymmetric combat, as interpreted by the conflict in Kashmir against Pakistan. In both cases, an expensive resource such as combat vehicles is quickly rendered

irrelevant. Besides, to counter our advanced technological capability, a potential adversary can quickly shift into asymmetric mode – marginalising the high technology that combat vehicles bring. Iraq is a case in point, where massive armoured forces were deployed but were at a disadvantage in asymmetric combat. The US, with a far more responsive system, had to rapidly switch from conventional armoured fighting vehicles (tanks and ICVs) to armoured vehicles more suited for asymmetric combat like the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle and armoured Humvee. This was done at a huge cost. Before building an armoured force, it is necessary to understand the probable national threat in the foreseeable future, evolve a doctrine to employ forces in this context, particularly cost intensive armoured forces, and then build a balanced and coherent force to achieve the aim with minimum cost and maximum flexibility of deployment. There is no denying the fact that we do need an armoured force in certain context and as deterrence, but such a force must be balanced so as to achieve the planned result at a minimum cost. Tanks and ICVs, in isolation, do not make for a complete and effective force, synergy is obtained through coherence. For a mechanised force to be effective, it must have an equally agile combat support system like self-propelled artillery, command posts and logistics. It is important to remember that a coherent force is generally more effective and can achieve better results with smaller forces at a lesser cost.

Historical review

In India, western equipment dominated the equipment profile till the mid sixties. American and British tanks served us well until the 1965 war. The first indigenously

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revisions of requirements by the Army. While the government had sanctioned USD 2.8 million for the initial design in May 1974, DRDO spent USD 54.6 million by 1995 on development due to changing requirements and inflationary cost increases, today the cost is many times more. Besides, DRDO does not have shareholders to answer to.

made tank, the Vijayanta, proliferated as the MBT, remained in service till about a decade ago. It was plagued with lack of quality control during manufacture resulting in a loss of reliability which its British predecessor, the Vickers, did not suffer from. However, the ensuing politicoeconomic climate brought in a distinct Soviet bias towards combat vehicles which remains to this day. Notwithstanding the political requirement, Soviet equipment was robust and soldier-proof, ideal for the Indian environment. Today, the tank fleet consists of T-72 and T-90 tanks, whereas the BMP-2 is the backbone of the mechanised infantry. After the 1971 Indo-Pak war, India has not used massed armour in conflict. However, the Army has since been embroiled in low intensity conflict and combat vehicles have seldom been used. Does this question the design and employment of combat vehicles as we know today? The Americans in Iraq have found that after the shooting war was over, they had to rapidly switch over to MRAP vehicles. If India’s primary foreseeable threat remains low intensity conflict, should she not look at fighting vehicles that can be better adapted to this form of warfare?

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan Jan – feb Feb 2013 2012

Technology

A principle similar to Moore’s Law is applying itself to our combat vehicle acquisition process where technology is advancing faster than our acquisition cycle. The user insists on incorporating emerging technology during the development which further retards the programme. The outcome of this technology creep is a delayed programme and an unsatisfied user. Coupled with poor quality control leading to low reliability, the user is unwilling to accept indigenously developed weapon systems. Arjun is a classic case of this problem.

<< Unless there is a fundamental revamp of the acquisition process, we are unlikely to get combat vehicles to meet emerging threats and adapt to situations in real-time >>

Another outcome of technology creep is the reluctance to acquire equipment for retro-fitment. The acquisition process is so overtaken by advances in technology that very little or nothing is acquired. Due to this, combat vehicles have been night blind for decades, a potentially lethal situation should we go to war. This problem applies to ammunition, upgrade in weapons and protection. Combat vehicles are ossified in the technology that they were bought in. The Government of India has stated that it wants to incorporate private industry in such programmes in ‘Make Indian’ projects. The FICV bids were in an advanced stage when they were scrapped for very low credibility reasons. As brought out earlier, combat vehicles are very complex systems, the technology for which is not available in India. Most private players have teamed up with foreign manufacturers in an attempt to acquire technology at great cost. Frivolously cancelling such projects has cost dearly to private industry, making them reluctant to come forward time and again to bear such losses. Repeatedly cancelling bids, technologically incompetent officers and lack of realistic Request For Proposals (RFPs) and slow processes have begun to signal to manufacturers that the government and the armed forces are not serious. The recent case where a

helicopter supplier has declined to extend his commercial bid is a clear example of this. The outcome of all this has been that not a single high tech weapon system for the army has ever been made in India. Even in relatively low tech equipment, the armed forces are unhappy with the design and quality control.

The acquisition process

An archaic and possibly flawed acquisition process both at the government and the Army level has resulted in an acquisition paralysis. The problem at the government level is that a very rigid system has been set up ostensibly to prevent corruption, but in reality, it allows no decision making at all. The government cap on FDI at 26 per cent inhibits foreign manufacturers from supplying cutting edge technology for such low returns. There is a move to allow greater FDI in defence to ‘wholly owned’ Indian companies; however in this age of globalisation, this would effectively debar most major Indian players. The DPP imposes a liability of 30 per cent offset (or more) on foreign defence suppliers in large deals. This is a considerable amount. But there are those people who opine that the Indian defence industry is not yet ready to absorb such huge offsets, deterring foreign suppliers from participating in big deals. The Army too has its share of the blame in such a situation. Officers ill-trained for such complex jobs are posted to directorates which define the capability of combat vehicles. This results in flawed RFPs which designers and manufacturers, both public and private sector, are unable to meet, scuttling the project at the outset. Trials too are carried out in an unrealistic and often arbitrary manner. Unless there is a fundamental revamp of the acquisition process, we are unlikely to get combat vehicles to meet emerging threats

vehicles are complex pieces of engineering, their maintenance and repair requires specialised knowledge and equipment. Equipment from different sources requires different skills and tools. When acquired from too many different suppliers, the logistics of maintenance becomes a nightmare, particularly when repairs have to be done in combat in the field. A fine balance needs to be maintained on all these aspects.

The Arjun project experienced serious budget overruns and repeated delays which resulted in a development time of over 40 years

and adapt to situations in real-time.

Imports

If making Indian is not an option in the near future, then we have to, as usual, rely on imports. The current work horses, the T-90 and the BMP-2 are good for a few decades more. But we need to identify replacements in a realistic time frame as absorption of a new generation fighting vehicle in operational numbers takes about 10 years. The problem with imports is the very high offset obligations imposed on foreign vendors. Most vendors are unable or unwilling to take on these obligations as they argue that Indian industry cannot absorb such a high value of defence offsets. Bell Helicopter did not take part in a bid for such a reason.

Alternatives

India is very wasteful when it comes to combat vehicles, we acquire and discard vehicles in very short cycles. Except for the US, most countries in the world continuously overhaul, upgrade and retro-fit combat vehicles to extend the life as much

as possible. Upgrading firepower, mobility and protection (the holy trinity of combat vehicle design) is possible and vitally necessary for a fleet to remain contemporary. Our tank (T-72 and T-90) and ICV (BMP-2) fleets are relatively new and capable of tremendous upgrade and refurbishment. More thought needs to be given to this lower cost yet very effective means of upgrading the fleet. But even after that, old equipments can be used alternatively for other purposes as well. The Israeli Army has adapted their Merkava-1 tank as armoured infantry carriers. While we have done this in respect of Soviet/ Russian equipment, speaking volumes of their sturdiness, our indigenous Vijayanta tanks were used for much less time and are today used only for display outside cantonments.

In deciding the course of combat vehicles for future, we need to take a hard pragmatic look at the strategic context and the acquisition programme. We need to conserve precious resources and use them to develop a balanced force rather than just buying tanks and ICVs. Even though combat vehicles have a long time, we should start the process well before the life of the previous one is nearing completion. Something we should do urgently. Winston Churchill had said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The armed forces are not like a limited liability company, to be reconstructed from time to time as the money fluctuatesâ&#x20AC;Ś They are living things. If they are bullied, they sulk; if they are happy, they pine; if they are harried, sufficiently they get feverish; if they are sufficiently disturbed, they will wither and dwindle and almost die, and when it comes to this last serious condition, it is only revived with lots of time and lots of money.â&#x20AC;?

Standardisation

Even though it is necessary to develop alternative sources of supply, this must be balanced with the necessity to keep inventories of spares manageable. Combat

Brig Xerxes P. Adrianwalla (Retd) Chief of CIS & Group Security Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. adrianwalla.xerxes@mahindra.com

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Courtesy: wikimedia.org

Conclusion

STANDARDS

Sharing location information intelligently << The OGC Open GeoSMS Standard provides a platform-independent connection between phones and geospatial services >>

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Cell phones are everywhere, and getting smarter

In 1993, Iqbal Z. Quadir, founder of Gonofone and Grameenphone, was in New York trying to raise money for his first cell phone venture. Writing about his experience, as reported in the book, Abundance: The future is better than you think1, Quadir says, ‘I was told I was crazy. I was thrown out of offices... But I knew what was happening in the western world. I knew cell phones were analog, and they were about to become digital, and that meant their core components would be subject to Moore’s Law2 – so they would continue to get exponentially small and cheaper. I also knew that connectivity equals productivity, so if we could put cell phones into the hands of bottom-of the-pyramid customers, it would translate into their ability to pay for the phones.’ … By 2006, sixty million people in Bangladesh had cell phones. In India, by 2010, fifteen million new cell phone users were being added each month.” Moore’s Law applies to almost all digital technologies, including spatial technologies and Internet access, so in this decade, GPS-enabled smartphones have begun to replace the “simple” cell phones that became so popular in the previous decade. According to a November 21, 2012

The user doesn’t need to know what the numbers mean and the numbers don’t need to be displayed. The OGC Open GeoSMS standard provides a lightweight location encoding format that can easily be read by geospatial applications on all types on all smartphone platforms

But what does the rapid spread of cell phones and smartphones mean for geospatial intelligence? What are the opportunities and what are the threats? If cell phones ‘know’ their location, how can they communicate that location information? How can the location of a cell phone, or the locations of millions of cell phones, be integrated into a larger picture of the world? How can users get the other spatial information they need to make decisions based on their location? Even phones that do not have GPS or Internet access can report their approximate location. Cell phone companies (carriers or operators) can determine the approximate position of a phone – within a kilometer or so – by ‘multilateration’ of radio signals between different cell phone towers.3 The carrier can thus report a cell phone’s approximate location to a crisis center, for example. Also, using text messages or recorded voice messages, a carrier can send location-related messages to one or more cell phones in a particular geographic area. GPS-enabled smartphones report location much more precisely, and they can report location directly to the smartphone user as well as the carrier. The carriers and cell phone manufacturers determine what users can do with their GPS. Often carriers limit user access to free mapping and navigation services so the carrier can charge for mapping and route finding. The general trend, however, is towards open access to

the internet. Smart phones such as the iPhone and phones that use Google’s Android operating system make it easy for app developers to access the latitude/ longitude coordinates provided by the GPS; and thus, through hundreds of available apps, users can access location-based services of many kinds. Communicating location information between different companies’ smartphones, however, has not been easy because until recently there was no standard way to do this. Communicating simple latitude-longitude coordinates isn’t complicated, but computers expect consistency. To ensure interoperability, a standard is required to establish rules such as coordinate order (latitude then longitude), whether these numbers are to be expressed as floating point numbers or degrees, minutes and seconds, whether coordinates are separated by a comma or a space, and so forth. As explained below, it turns out that the venerable SMS standard for text messaging provides a fast, nearly universal, low-bandwidth, vendorneutral medium for conveying location information. The OGC Open GeoSMS Standard provides a standard encoding designed to use this channel. This same lightweight encoding can be used to convey location information attached to photos taken by smartphone cameras. It can also be used to convey location information in machine-to-machine messages, as in vehicle tracking applications or sensor alerts that operate through wireless networks.

OGC Open GeoSMS Standard: Using text messages to communicate location Aware of the industry trends described at the beginning of this article, in Chinese Taipei the government-sponsored Industrial Technology Research Institute’s (ITRI)

Information and Communications Research Laboratories developed a way for SMS-enabled handheld devices to exchange coordinates without manual entry. This specification soon came into wide use by a number of network operators and system integrators in the region, and ITRI brought the specification into the OGC to be made into the OGC Open GeoSMS international standard. ITRI’s specification was developed with an important disaster management application in mind. In Chinese Taipei, dangerous debris flows of rock and soil are common because of steep slopes, unstable soils, earthquakes and monsoons. ITRI’s spatially enabled SMS plays a role in a sophisticated system that was developed for monitoring debris flow conditions and warning towns when a debris flow is imminent or in progress. The monitoring is accomplished using a wide array of sensors that are programmed to send messages to officials and citizens via multiple channels, including Open GeoSMS. Not-for-profit disaster relief organisations such as Ushahidi, InRelief, Sahana and Haiti SDI VGI are implementing Open GeoSMS. The Sahana platform for disaster management was created in response to the 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami. The Ushahidi crowdsourcing crisis information collection and map visualisation application was developed in 20072008 to help with the Kenyan crisis. Sinsai.info (http://www.sinsai.info) (Sinsai means earthquake disaster in Japanese) is a crisis-mapping site that used the Ushahidi platform for response to the Great East Japan Earthquake. It was launched four hours after the earthquake occurred. The Open GeoSMS candidate standard was adopted as an official standard by the OGC’s international membership last

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

press release from Ericsson Mobility, approximately 40 per cent of all phones sold in Q3 2012 were smartphones and the growth of smartphone data traffic is expected to exceed the overall average. Total mobile subscriptions are expected to reach 6.6 billion by the end of 2012 and 9.3 billion by the end of 2018.

year. The lightweight and easy to implement OGC Open GeoSMS Standard facilitates interoperability between mobile applications and the rapidly expanding world of geospatial applications and services that implement OGC standard service interfaces, encodings and best practices. OGC Open GeoSMS is a very simple standard, but it can become a very important standard in the larger framework of standards that support information flow during a crisis – such as standards for registering geospatial information sources, protecting location privacy, allowing access to location data, accessing sensor feeds, and supporting logistics.

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan Jan – feb Feb 2013 2012

Members of the Open GeoSMS development team, working as GeoThings4, provide Android and iOS apps that, for example, enable Ushahidi users to send OGC Open GeoSMS formated messages as incident reports5. The Android app supports photo sync to enable a user to submit a report first, and then sync their photo with the report when sufficient wireless bandwidth is available6. Another of their apps, ‘Find Me Maybe,’ enables users to submit Open GeoSMS posts to Facebook or Twitter, which is helpful when there is limited access to mobile Internet during a disaster7. A similar free app supports the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) message service8. Another disaster management app from GeoThings attaches a satellite image based on a location provided by an Open GeoSMS query.

As Iqbal Quadir noted, “connectivity equals productivity.” As the GeoThings apps demonstrate, because Open GeoSMS is an OGC standard, it is part of an open standards infrastructure that provides connectivity between many geospatial resources. This openness greatly multiplies the standard’s utility. A message delivered via Open

<< OGC Open GeoSMS is a very simple standard, but it can become a very important standard in the larger framework of standards that support information flow during a crisis >> GeoSMS indicates to a server or client that it is encoded using the well-known Open GeoSMS interface, and thus the location and related information can be easily translated into the OGC Geography Markup Language (GML). GML is a robust and rich specification that enables encoding and communication of any geospatial content. Both an OGC standard and an ISO standard, GML has been harmonised with a variety of other international standards. It has been broadly implemented in both proprietary and open source applications. All the major GIS vendors support the ability to generate and ingest GML documents. In addition to the 39 standards that the OGC has provided so far to the world community, the OGC works with OASIS, IETF and many other standards development organisations to make geospatial information and services an integral and fluid part of the world’s information infrastructure. Such liaison work is critically important in providing a comprehensive interoperability platform for location communication, and for a range of important community uses including emergency response and disaster management. Emergency and disaster management - OGC plays an active role in the OASIS Emergency Management Technical Committee, which works to advance the

fields of incident and emergency preparedness and response. This committee developed the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL) OASIS Standards. OGC members helped define a GML application for use in CAP and EDXL, as well as in other specifications under development, including the Hospital Availability Exchange (HAVE). CAP has rapidly become the alerting protocol that almost all crisis and disaster managers are using or migrating towards. Open GeoSMS works with CAP. Aviation information management - GML is part of AIXM (www.aixm. aero), the international standard for the representation and exchange of Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) data. GML is also part of WXXM, the Weather Information Exchange Model, which has been proposed as a standard for the exchange of aeronautical weather information in the context of a global interoperable Air Transport System. Information security - The recently approved OGC GeoXACML standard represents a spatial extension of the XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) OASIS Standard. GeoXACML provides for interoperable exchange of geospatial information access rights. It also provides a standard policy language to declare and enforce such access rights in a flexible way. Harnessing sensor assets - The OGC’s Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) standards reference CAP and other relevant OASIS alerting standards including the OASIS Web Services Notification (WS-N) and Asynchronous Service Access Protocol (ASAP) specifications. The OGC works with OASIS to harmonise these standards with SWE specifications. SWE standards provide a way to harness the vast array of sensors, fixed and mobile, that can significantly improve situational awareness

includes anti-terrorist activities as well as disaster management and emergency management. There are no clearly defined seams between these activities and activities such as public health, transportation, and infrastructure planning. Open standards that enable crossjurisdiction, cross-community and cross-domain communication are essential requirements in addressing the full range of complex issues facing government, businesses and society today. The OGC Open GeoSMS Standard extends the global geospatial information sharing platform, building the network at its ‘edge,’ increasing the granularity and precision of geointelligence.

for a range of needs such as EM/ DM. Mobile/ Internet - GML can also be used to encode geospatial data for lightweight applications that work at the level of the Internet that underlies the web. This is the case with the GML application schema in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Presence Information Data Format (PIDF-LO) standard for location payloads. PIDF-LO, designed for communicating privacy-sensitive presence information, is being incorporated into numerous other Internet standards, such as those for managing the electric power grid.

The connection to defence and intelligence

Almost every information technology application – planning, emergency response, intelligence, logistics, etc. – involves geospatial information. Almost every asset and every threat, natural or man-made, has a location or an area. Defence, intelligence and public safety systems are diverse and networked, so if personnel are to effectively develop and share awareness of assets and threats, geospatial information and geospatial processing instructions need to be

easily and seamlessly accessed and moved freely between different information systems, including personal communication systems. The OGC Open GeoSMS Standard can provide the geospatial connection between cell phones and a nation’s emergency and disaster management and defence and intelligence information infrastructure, helping to connect individuals to organisations. Preventing and dealing with conflicts in populated areas requires real-time geospatial intelligence focused on the activities of individuals, not platoons. Cell phones are essential resources for communicating with civilian population and with operatives and soldiers. Defence and intelligence organisations and contractors have played an important role in the international process of developing OGC standards, and OGC standards play an important role in their information system architectures. Geointelligence, however, is a function that is critical not only to national defence and intelligence, but also domestic security, which

1 Peter H. Diamandis and Steven Kotler, Abundance – The Future is Better than you Think, 2012, Free Press. 2 “Moore’s law is the observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Moore’s_law 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Mobile_phone_tracking 4 http://geothings.tw 5 http://blog.ushahidi. com/index.php/2012/12/21/ happy-holidays-from-ushahidi/ 6 http://geothings.tw/post/36874012554/ sms-report-with-photo 7 http://geothings.tw/post/35189456432/ find-me-maybe

Mark Reichardt President and CEO Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)

mreichardt@opengeospatial.org

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

Open GeoSMS was developed as part of a disaster management system in Chinese Taipei

Image Intelligence

GEOINTELLIGENCE jan - feb 2013

North Korea is reported to have more than thousand missiles of varying capabilities, ranging from short-range (120 km and above) to long-range (greater than 5,500km). The country is believed to have developed its missile programme from Scuds, which it received from Egypt in 1970s. The following decade saw North Korea build its own Scuds - the Hwasong-5 and Hwasong-6, and a medium-range missile, the Nodong. These technologies are said to have been extensively used by the country in building its long-range missile, Taepodong.

After three failed attempts, North Korea successfully launched the three-stage space launcher version of Taepodong-2, called Unha in North Korea, in December 2012. Taepodong-2 or Paektusan-2 is also a two to three-stage ballistic missile. Even though space launches and missile launches follow slightly different trajectories, the basic technology used in the two is the same. Hence, there is a growing fear among the US that North Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-range missiles can one day target their country. Text Courtesy: BBC

Image Courtesy: 38 North (http://38north.org/) 38 North is a programme of the US-Korea Institute at SAIS (USKI)

North Korea - expanding its missile range

12-13 JUNE 2013 JW MARRIOTT, AEROCITY NEW DELHI, INDIA

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INTELLIGENCE TAKES CENTERSTAGE FOR

NATIONAL DEFENCE & SECURITY THEME GEOSPATIAL – FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR MODERN WARFARE FOCUS AREA Cyber Warfare

Space Weaponisation

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Data

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Image Interpretation and Terrain Modelling

Security and Border Management Effectiveness

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Combat Identification – Increasing Combat

Network Centric Warfare

Data Interoperability

GNSS

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