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Modern warfare going digital
Huma Siddiqui
Posted: Monday, Mar 22, 2010 at 2056 hrs IST
: Thanks to new and emerging IT and communications technologies, armed forces of developed countries are logging into an era where modern warfare is not going to be fought in the battlefield, but in control rooms. This is because todays armed forces require a multitude of capabilitiesthey need to be highly networked, and they need to have the ability to be deployed in remote locations at a very short notice. Crucial here is the ability to conduct network-enabled operations, in which high-performance command, control, computing, communication and intelligence (C4I) systems link sensors, fires, formations and units.
It is seen that the flow of information often starts to falter as soon as armed forces start moving. Valuable information generated at battalion level may not reach receivers in timebattlefield intelligence, friendly forces status and locations. In order to overcome this, India has embarked on a comprehensive modernisation of its armed forces. Over the next few years, the introduction of a modern command information system will improve the Indian Armys ability to conduct network-enabled operations. The country is not only seeking to enhance the interoperability of its own armed services, but also its ability to take part in multinational operations. Modern warfare is not going to be fought in the battlefield, but in control rooms, says Vijay Kumar Saraswat, scientific advisor to the defence minister.
Accordingly, the Indian Army is leveraging on the technology offered by private players to develop network centric warfare systems. The most ambitious project being undertaken is the battle management system (BMS), which provides tactical command and communication from the headquarters down to the foot soldiers. Integrating this system involves a lot of networking of data. The project will include the development of sensors, digitally-enabled weapons and information grids which will enable the efficient functioning of the weapons.
Defence ministry officials inform that they have floated tenders for the test project of battle management system. The project aims to integrate the Indian Air force, Army and Navy, a defence ministry official says. One of the recent fully digitised systems integrated by the defence sector is the artillery combat command and control system (ACCCS). The Indian Army has successfully inducted Shakti ACCCS, which is a network of military grade computers which provides decision support for all operational aspects of artillery functions from the corps down to the batteries.
A battle management system is designed for the joint battalion combat team. As such, it accelerates
: mission planning, establishes a common and clear language across all combat elements and distributes and enforces areas of responsibility, separation lines and safety margins. The system automatically updates and distributes intelligence, target information and alerts throughout the battle group and enables flexible planning and operation.
Integrated with on-board networked BMS computers, every platform becomes a networked sensor and a shooter. Weapons can be directed by remote users to sensors, therefore empowering the system with more flexibility. In addition, the system integrates built-in navigation, communications functions, fully integrated with the platform, on-board sensors and weapons.
At a core level, a battle management system provides tactical commanders with a real-time common operational picture from the battlefield and offers a plans and orders facility for the lower and higher echelons. The system enables commanders to rapidly response to situations in the field in an efficient and synchronised way. An accurate, timely situational awareness supports qualified decision making and enhances commanders operational capabilities. Also, the system enhances the security of own forces and minimises the risk of friendly fire through the common operational picture. Sketches of plans can even be drawn directly on the screen and be displayed to other units or to the headquarters immediately.
In addition, a battle management system is ideal for mobile field use.
Designed for ruggedised equipment, the battle management system is suitable for use in the field e.g. on a TabletPC of reduced size and weight with a touch screen. All colours are designed for both strong daylight and night use. The unique user interface provides an intuitive game-like experience with operations that can be performed with only one or two touches on the large buttons.
Boeing last year demonstrated the Vigilare ground based air defence system for the first time outside Australia, the country for which the system is being developed. The Royal Australian Air Forces (RAAF) Vigilare project will combine inputs from a range of platforms and sensors for wide area surveillance and air battle space management. RAAF has identified surveillance and reconnaissance as priority needs.
Vigilare aims to supply these needs through integration of multiple microwave radar, over-the-horizon radar, and air defence systems to provide an accurate wide area surveillance picture, multi-sensor fusion and correlation to aid early classification of hostiles and control weapons to intercept threats.
Germany-based Rheinmetall Defence has entered into a partnership with Tulip Telecom to introduce INIOCHOS V, a vehicle command and control system. Tulip Telecom...
chairman and managing director HS Bedi, says, In near real-time, the system depicts the position of friendly and enemy forces on a digital situation map, together with relevant operation plans. A multilingual man-machine interface assures ease of operation even in high-stress situations. Reports can be transmitted via the message handling system in freely phrased or preformatted mode.
According to Rheinmetall Defence vice-president Seigfried Kroll, various wireless operation modes enable fast, secure and flexible communication. In the high frequency and very high frequency spectrum, the optimised exchange of data requires very little bandwidth, assuring fast, immediate transmission of data even in combat situations. Being modularly expandable, the system can run on virtually any type of commercial or military hardware. It can also be integrated into a variety of vehicles, he explains.
Rheinmetall Defence also has battle management systems for dismounted soldiers. Here too, the positions of friendly and enemy forces are depicted on a portable command computer, together with operation plans. The message handling system features preformatted reports for simplified communication, with infantry-specific content. Interoperability with other command systems is possible and instantaneous exchange of data takes place by means of ultra-high frequency.
General Dynamics of United Kingdom too has a battle management system, which provides secure voice, tactical internet, and advanced situational awareness for armed forces on operations, while delivering vital interoperability with allied forces.
General Dynamics UK is the prime contractor and systems integrator for Bowman, the tactical C4I system for the British armed forces. Bowman delivers a major change in capability over the Clansman family of radios through its security, data capability and reliability against electronic warfare (EW) attack.
General Dynamics vice-president JS Douglas, says, Bowman is a tactical communications system integrating digital voice and data technology to provide secure radio, telephone, intercom and tactical internet services in a modular and fully integrated system.
Arms races have taken many forms over the years. Now and for the foreseeable future, it seems the battlefield information race is on.
Modern warfare going digital
Huma Siddiqui
Posted: Monday, Mar 22, 2010 at 2056 hrs IST
: Thanks to new and emerging IT and communications technologies, armed forces of developed countries are logging into an era where modern warfare is not going to be fought in the battlefield, but in control rooms. This is because todays armed forces require a multitude of capabilitiesthey need to be highly networked, and they need to have the ability to be deployed in remote locations at a very short notice. Crucial here is the ability to conduct network-enabled operations, in which high-performance command, control, computing, communication and intelligence (C4I) systems link sensors, fires, formations and units.
It is seen that the flow of information often starts to falter as soon as armed forces start moving. Valuable information generated at battalion level may not reach receivers in timebattlefield intelligence, friendly forces status and locations. In order to overcome this, India has embarked on a comprehensive modernisation of its armed forces. Over the next few years, the introduction of a modern command information system will improve the Indian Armys ability to conduct network-enabled operations. The country is not only seeking to enhance the interoperability of its own armed services, but also its ability to take part in multinational operations. Modern warfare is not going to be fought in the battlefield, but in control rooms, says Vijay Kumar Saraswat, scientific advisor to the defence minister.
Accordingly, the Indian Army is leveraging on the technology offered by private players to develop network centric warfare systems. The most ambitious project being undertaken is the battle management system (BMS), which provides tactical command and communication from the headquarters down to the foot soldiers. Integrating this system involves a lot of networking of data. The project will include the development of sensors, digitally-enabled weapons and information grids which will enable the efficient functioning of the weapons.
Defence ministry officials inform that they have floated tenders for the test project of battle management system. The project aims to integrate the Indian Air force, Army and Navy, a defence ministry official says. One of the recent fully digitised systems integrated by the defence sector is the artillery combat command and control system (ACCCS). The Indian Army has successfully inducted Shakti ACCCS, which is a network of military grade computers which provides decision support for all operational aspects of artillery functions from the corps down to the batteries.
A battle management system is designed for the joint battalion combat team. As such, it accelerates
: mission planning, establishes a common and clear language across all combat elements and distributes and enforces areas of responsibility, separation lines and safety margins. The system automatically updates and distributes intelligence, target information and alerts throughout the battle group and enables flexible planning and operation.
Integrated with on-board networked BMS computers, every platform becomes a networked sensor and a shooter. Weapons can be directed by remote users to sensors, therefore empowering the system with more flexibility. In addition, the system integrates built-in navigation, communications functions, fully integrated with the platform, on-board sensors and weapons.
At a core level, a battle management system provides tactical commanders with a real-time common operational picture from the battlefield and offers a plans and orders facility for the lower and higher echelons. The system enables commanders to rapidly response to situations in the field in an efficient and synchronised way. An accurate, timely situational awareness supports qualified decision making and enhances commanders operational capabilities. Also, the system enhances the security of own forces and minimises the risk of friendly fire through the common operational picture. Sketches of plans can even be drawn directly on the screen and be displayed to other units or to the headquarters immediately.
In addition, a battle management system is ideal for mobile field use.
Designed for ruggedised equipment, the battle management system is suitable for use in the field e.g. on a TabletPC of reduced size and weight with a touch screen. All colours are designed for both strong daylight and night use. The unique user interface provides an intuitive game-like experience with operations that can be performed with only one or two touches on the large buttons.
Boeing last year demonstrated the Vigilare ground based air defence system for the first time outside Australia, the country for which the system is being developed. The Royal Australian Air Forces (RAAF) Vigilare project will combine inputs from a range of platforms and sensors for wide area surveillance and air battle space management. RAAF has identified surveillance and reconnaissance as priority needs.
Vigilare aims to supply these needs through integration of multiple microwave radar, over-the-horizon radar, and air defence systems to provide an accurate wide area surveillance picture, multi-sensor fusion and correlation to aid early classification of hostiles and control weapons to intercept threats.
Germany-based Rheinmetall Defence has entered into a partnership with Tulip Telecom to introduce INIOCHOS V, a vehicle command and control system. Tulip Telecom...
chairman and managing director HS Bedi, says, In near real-time, the system depicts the position of friendly and enemy forces on a digital situation map, together with relevant operation plans. A multilingual man-machine interface assures ease of operation even in high-stress situations. Reports can be transmitted via the message handling system in freely phrased or preformatted mode.
According to Rheinmetall Defence vice-president Seigfried Kroll, various wireless operation modes enable fast, secure and flexible communication. In the high frequency and very high frequency spectrum, the optimised exchange of data requires very little bandwidth, assuring fast, immediate transmission of data even in combat situations. Being modularly expandable, the system can run on virtually any type of commercial or military hardware. It can also be integrated into a variety of vehicles, he explains.
Rheinmetall Defence also has battle management systems for dismounted soldiers. Here too, the positions of friendly and enemy forces are depicted on a portable command computer, together with operation plans. The message handling system features preformatted reports for simplified communication, with infantry-specific content. Interoperability with other command systems is possible and instantaneous exchange of data takes place by means of ultra-high frequency.
General Dynamics of United Kingdom too has a battle management system, which provides secure voice, tactical internet, and advanced situational awareness for armed forces on operations, while delivering vital interoperability with allied forces.
General Dynamics UK is the prime contractor and systems integrator for Bowman, the tactical C4I system for the British armed forces. Bowman delivers a major change in capability over the Clansman family of radios through its security, data capability and reliability against electronic warfare (EW) attack.
General Dynamics vice-president JS Douglas, says, Bowman is a tactical communications system integrating digital voice and data technology to provide secure radio, telephone, intercom and tactical internet services in a modular and fully integrated system.
Arms races have taken many forms over the years. Now and for the foreseeable future, it seems the battlefield information race is on.
Modern warfare going digital
