Army’s dream project hits a technical snag

[Contrarian]

Army’s dream project hits a technical snag
Josy Joseph
Monday, June 18, 2007 09:16 IST

NEW DELHI: A wired soldier with a GPS in hand; night vision equipment and bulletproof vests; protected against nuclear-biological and chemical warfare and a light and lethal persona weapon. That is India’s soldier of tomorrow under the dream project, ‘Future Infantry Soldier as a System’ (F-INSAS).

But there is a slight problem for now: The prototypes and concepts conceived by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are a little too heavy for the Army. Sources said the ambitious project ‘Soldier as a System’ has run into time delays over the weight the soldier will have to carry.

The Army has termed the 25-kilogram weight of the entire personal system for the soldier as too heavy. This includes his uniform, the boots, handheld GPS system, night vision equipment, helmet, personal weapon etc.
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The Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune is the lead lab for the project, with active cooperation from several other labs.

When it was planned in 2005, the proposal was to wrap up the first full phase of the project in seven years. But now with the Army’s insistence on further reducing the weight of the systems the project has been delayed, sources admit.

The entire concept behind ‘Soldier as a System’ is to make the infantry soldier in the battlefield more independent and capable of taking quick decisions on his own. He would also have a continuous information flow and backup systems that would help to improve his performance.

According to sources, the Army wants a soldier to carry about nine-kilograms of personal ration and everything together should add up only to 27 kilograms.

So if the DRDO kit is accepted, then the soldier can carry only two kilograms of food items for himself.“Our soldiers cannot carry more than that, and cannot be compared to soldiers from developed world,” says a military source.

Scientists argue that the 25-kilogram (55 pounds) weight of the ‘Soldier as a System’ project is almost similar to the weight of equipment and items of such futuristic projects of other countries.

When the Future Force Warrior project of the US is perfected, the individual soldier load weight would be 40 pounds (18.2 kilograms).
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1104011

 

[joey]

I dont believe in this, because DRDO isnt doing most of the night vision ala boots etc, all private sectors are doing this, The reason behind this project issue is different and has been reported elsewhere a month back.

DRDO is only working on some sensors!! IIRC.

Lemme search the old article.

 

[joey]

I'll paste the article when I find it about the actual issue!!

 

[joey]

The much talked about modernisation of the Indian defence communication system in tandem with the network centric warfare of the coming days is set to take more time, as the armed forces are still not clear on which technology to adopt.

The three services of the armed forces -- army, air force and navy -- of the country are not convinced at all on the present network system being offered by various firms from within the country and abroad, since they are not sure of its operational viability five years down the lane.

"We are not sure about the technology that we are being offered will be as good as it is now five to seven years later," a top official of the Indian Army said at an international seminar on the future defence network strategies here today.

The armed forces want to shift their focus from platform centric to network centric with a seamlessly integrated network infrastructure, which is secure, reliable and interoperable to maximise the combat power.

They are keen to adopt a 'sunrise technology' such that by the time the technology gets adopted by the services it is already the latest.

"Kargil War and Operation Parakaram (the deployment of forces along the border in Pakistan in the wake of December 13, 2001 Parliament attack) have highlighted the need for digitised battlefield," said Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Deepak Kapoor, adding, "Already many steps have been taken and more are in the pipeline."

The Armed Forces, which has set up the 2009 deadline for having Network Enable system and upgrading it to Network Centric by 2012, does not want 'flat system' with all the levels having same kind of communication privileges but a hierarchical one, which is adaptable and meet the need for multiple use.

Indian Air Force also expressing their dissatisfaction about the shortcomings of the present network system stated that interoperability is not possible in today's system and there is time lag that could not be used during real time decision-making scenario.

All the three services expressed their desire to connect each individual soldiers on the frontline with the command area on a real time basis such that the latter is aware of each and every movement of the soldiers and devise a plan accordingly.

It also expressed their wish that the new network system should have the capability to get restored within 50 milliseconds in case of failure.

But these 'high' technological demands from the communication industry have left some of the firms participating in the seminar confused. Few of them stated that in absence of a coherent proposal from the armed forces it becomes difficult for them to devise a new network communication strategy for the forces.

Thus, the decision on selecting a suitable communication technology, which would be secure, real-time basis network centric strategy with interoperability for the defence forces of the country, could still take some time.

the title was on Army/Navy/IAF udnecided but it is actually talking of the F-INSAS project as rest of them are doing fine.

Plus interoperatibility among IAF/Navy/Army can be done first thing needs to be cleared is the prejudice if exists among them! there are always interforce competition over funds to etc.