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Current Issue: July 2009

New Commandments

True to the pattern discernible in the earlier stations of his long political career, Defence Minister A K Antony is committed to his new mission too. In his second inning in the same slot, he has issued some new commandments in his ministry. Last month Antony asked officials from production and R&D departments to shape up their functioning to meet delivery schedules of weapons and platforms for the armed forces to enable them to face the national security challenges. The Minister named Defence Secretary Vijay Singh as the chairman of the high-level committee to draw up a roadmap for implementing the P Rama Rao Committee report for restructuring the Defence Research

and Development Organization. The Rao report has recommended an overhaul of the DRDO's organisational structure, apart from calling for providing it a say in the country's defence procurement. It has also recommended that the DRDO should restrict its work to some critical capabilities and let out its labs to other scientific organisations to carry research and development in the other areas. Antony has also decided to carry out a review of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) annually, instead of the current practice of doing so biennially.

Eye in Sky

Committed to fulfilling its futuristic needs, the Indian Air Force has now already got inducted its first AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) into it. With this platform into the Air Force, India has joined an elite group of air powers in the world. As observed by Defence Minister Antony, while dedicating the newly-inducted AWACS in the service of nation at a special ceremony held at Palam airbase on May 28, India needs to maintain eternal vigil in the present security scenario and safeguard its strategic interests and economic assets. The induction of the system has given impetus to its long-standing operational

requirements. It would provide IAF a high degree of situational awareness, enabling it to dominate the air space. The veritable "eye in the sky," fitted on an IL-76 platform, will help detect aerial threats at long ranges at all altitudes, in all weather conditions, providing adequate warning and their timely neutralization. The system will also enable out defence forces to graduate to the next stage of network-centric operations.

Pertinently, the IAF has always been aware that in future air operations have to be conducted at a very high tempo and in real time . It already has a very robust network - AFNET - integrated with the IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System) and ODL (Operational Data Link). The AWACS will be forming an extremely important component of this command and control structure.

Specialists from India, Russia and Israel have worked jointly to build this complex aviation platform. One hopes there will be the timely delivery of remaining two platforms into the Force.

A Cutting Edge

Bharat Electronics limited (BEL), Bangalore, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) and Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) deserve applause for having successfully developed "SHAKTI" Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS) and dedicated to the Indian Army last month.

Project SHAKTI is the first among the various Combat, Command, Control and Information (C31) systems being fielded in the Army. It is a network of military grade tactical computers automating and providing decision support for all operational aspects of Artillery functions from the corps down to a battery level. The system is also designed to seamlessly integrate with .

overall C31 grid. Project SHAKTI will be the hub centre of the fire power resource component of the corps combat potential. The major functions that the systems can perform are : technical fire control for accurate delivery of fire power at the right time and place; tactical fire control for optimum utilization of available resources; fire planning; deployment management to ensure timely and speedy deployment to achieve maximum fire densities at critical area; operational logistics management

Waiting-in- Wings

One of the finest naval officers Vice Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma is waiting in wings to take over as India's new Chief of the Naval Staff on August 31. Currently Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Verma would replace Admiral Sureesh Mehta on the latter's retirement on that day. Born on November 14, 1950, Verma was commissioned on July 1, 1970 into the Executive Branch of Indian Navy. During his long and distinguished service spanning nearly 39 years, he has served in a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. Verma's Sea Command includes Leander class Frigate "Udaigiri", Guided Missile Destroyer "Ranvir"

and the Aircraft Carrier "Viraat". Before taking over as FOC-in-C, Eastern Naval Command, he was Vice Chief of the Naval Staff at the Naval Headquarters. Verma is an alumnus of Royal Naval Staff College, UK and Naval War College, USA. He has instructional experience at National Defence College as Senior Directing Staff and at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also commanded the Naval Academy at Goa. One hopes the Navy would perform better under his command. The 26/11 witnessed it in a bad shape.

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