As major armed forces of the world move towards network-centric warfare, it is time to understand the communication and networking of the armed forces and the preparedness. Today all devices and weapon platforms are interfaced thorough data-links and share information at very high speeds. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shortening the decision-making loop.
Quick and secure communications are critical for all operations. A large amount of data is flowing from different sensors. It is important to integrate the data and to make it meaningful, actionable information for the user and decision-maker. The networks must not only have last mile connectivity but also increase situational awareness at all levels without causing information overload.
Lastly, the networks must be robust to withstand and recover from an electronic warfare or cyber-attack. Clearly there is a close play of technology and operational requirement.
Network Centric Operations
In 1996, US Navy Admiral William Owens suggested a concept of a ‘system of systems’ wherein intelligence sensors, command and control systems, and precision weapons enabled enhanced situational awareness, rapid target assessment, and distributed weapon assignment. It finally evolved into ‘electronically teamed warfare’, integrating and synchronizing capabilities across the various armed forces.
The requirements of network-centric warfare are a robustly-networked force with better information sharing, collaboration to enhance the quality of information and shared situational awareness, supporting self-synchronization, and in turn, greatly increasing mission effectiveness.
Net-centric operations allow considerable freedom of action for combat troops and with more decentralized approaches to Command and Control (C2). The proposed system will be unable to network all the units into a self-forming, self-healing network.
Tri-Services DCN
The Department of Telecom and the Ministry of Defence worked closely to lay out many thousands of route kilometres of optical fibre cable connecting a large number Indian Air Force, Army and Navy stations.
An exclusive defence band and Defence Interest Zone was set up along 100 km of the international border, where spectrum has been reserved only for use by the Armed Forces.
The Defence Communication Network (DCN) is a tri-services project to create an ultra-modern communication network that will allow the three services to share data, intelligence information and situational awareness. As of April 2020, BSNL has laid down a 57,000 km long OFC network. Since many of the Indian Armed Forces bases are located in remote areas they would be connected with DCN using satellite links or microwave radio. It ensures network centricity across the three services. The project is fully indigenous.
IACCS
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has its own secure and fully integrated Air Force Network (AFNet), operated and managed digital information grid, making it a net-centric combat force.
The AFNET has been operational and growing since its inauguration in September 2010. The IAF also continues to have the old tropo-scatter-based network for partial back-up. In addition, it has a stand-alone satellite communication network.
The IAF was the first to complete this gigabyte digital information grid. AFNet incorporates the latest traffic transportation technology in form of IP (Internet Protocol) packets over the network using Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS). A large VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) layer with stringent quality of service enforcement will facilitate robust, high quality voice, video and conferencing solutions.
The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), an automated command and control system for all IAF operations, rides on the AFNet. This integrates all ground-based and airborne sensors, AD weapon systems and C2 nodes.
Civil radars have also been integrated to create an integrated Air Situation Picture for various operators. It acts as a force multiplier for intelligence analysis, mission planning and control, post-mission feedback and related activities like maintenance, logistics and administration.
A comprehensive design with multi-layer security using encryption technologies, intrusion prevention systems is in place. It is capable of transmitting data from space-based platforms, fighter aircraft sensors, video from unmanned surveillance aircraft (UAV), pictures from airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) to decision makers on the ground, weapons systems operators and providing intelligence inputs from remote areas.
Applications include situational awareness, collision avoidance, ground collision avoidance, with each aircraft performing the role of a GPS satellite, so that anyone in this loop, irrespective of GPS being denied, would be self-sufficient in determining the time, space and position.
Indian Army’s Akash Teer
Indian Army’s Air Defence Control and Reporting System (Akash Teer) is being designed and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL). Akash Teer will integrate the Indian Army’s sensors, and weapon systems. Ultimately one day the system will have hand-shake connectivity with the network of the other two services through pre-designated protocols to form a seamless master network, which will fully integrate the full spectrum of air operations by any of the forces.
Navy’s Trigun network
Trigun, India’s maritime domain awareness and mission planning using Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics is reaching a high level of maturity. It will be able to track all kinds of merchant ships, warships, submarines and aircraft around India. First Phase was completed in 2012, and the second phase has just been completed. The development has entered third phase which will be completed by 2024. It will then create an integrated naval common operational picture. It will be able to predict location and movements, and suggest courses of action to decision makers.
The Trigun system has been designed and developed indigenously by the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) functioning under the DRDO and is aimed to enhance battle-space transparency with better network-centric warfare tools riding on high-speed data communication systems and their integration.
The integrated picture is not only for use by the armed forces but can also be selectively shared with Coast Guard, customs, intelligence agencies and port authorities, shipping ministry, fisheries departments, on as required basis.
It will be possible to detect and tackle threats emanating from the sea in real-time. Trigun will collect, fuse and analyse information from technical and other sources like coastal surveillance network radars, space-based automatic identification systems, vessel traffic management systems, fishing vessel registration and fishermen biometric identity databases.
India has a Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems (CSRS) network with radars across India, Seychelles and Mauritius and Sri Lanka. India is in advanced discussions with Myanmar to install similar radar systems there, and has also offered these systems to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Maldives.
Chinese Network-Centric Approach
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has always believed that offensive action is the most important requirement for information warfare. It implies destruction or disruption of the adversary’s capability to receive and process data.
PLA could employ information warfare pre-emptively to gain the initiative in a crisis. They would like to target the enemy’s command system. They also believe that this could shorten the war. They have therefore made significant investments in cyber and electronic warfare.
China’s Computer Network Operations (CNO) include computer network attack, computer network defence, and computer network exploitation.
Early ‘electromagnetic dominance’ is part of their strategy. They will supplement this with limited kinetic strikes against key command and control, communication and computers nodes.
The PLA, along with dedicated civil institutions have established information warfare units to develop computer and network viruses. They also have strengthened means to protect friendly computer systems and networks. As part of major military reforms in 2015, the PLA created an integrated PLA Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) comprising space, cyber, and electronic-warfare, aimed to improve their ability to fight what China terms “informationised conflicts”.
Way Ahead for India
Clearly, the secure communications and networks are essential elements of any network-centric operations. Technology has now become a critical tool for war-fighting. Indian armed forces have been working towards building robust networks, but in some areas it is “work still in progress”. This needs accelerating.
Also, ultimately there should be integration, with necessary fire-walls, if required. While separate defence space and cyber agencies have been formed, there is need for integrating them very closely for both capability and operations. The total number of personnel, including civilians involved in cyber operations has to go up. Like the other major powers, India also needs dedicated electronic warfare aircraft.
The Grey Zone is where the action is. It is characterised by intense political, economic, informational, and military competition. The world is constantly seeing “No War No Peace situation”. Cyber supports both capability and vulnerability.
Dependence on networked life has multiplied during COVID. A cyber-attack on the banking system could have more lethal effects than an atomic bomb.
China has been using cyber-attacks for espionage, sabotage, denial-of-service, collapsing an electric grid, propaganda, and economic disruption. India too has been on the receiving end.
Strengthening networks and systems against different viruses and attack methods is a continuous process. India must also become independent for electronic hardware and certainly not import from China. There is a need for regular audit of military networks.
Various departments in India have created Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT). India also has a National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC). These need to be strengthened.
The Indian Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) must use the cyber space to its advantage. They must work closely with space, intelligence and electronic warfare teams, and appropriate formal interface must be established.
DCA must also closely evolve means to use cyber for gathering various forms of intelligence and continuously evolve techniques for offensive action to weaken adversary capability to use networks to their advantage. India is huge computer and software talent. Harnessing own strengths is important. The time to act is now, lest we get left behind.
-The writer is a IAF veteran and Director-General Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS). The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
