A PEEP INTO THE FUTURE

The challenge for the communication network at the Corps of
Signals is to provide information at the right time at the right place and in
the right form, to enable commanders and staff to take appropriate decisions

'Information
is Power' goes the new age adage. Since times immemorial the requirement of
gathering, processing and deriving viable inputs out of available information
has been the prime concern of humans.This
practice was earlier prevalent only in the Armed Forces but today it encompasses
the Civil Street as well.If proof
was ever required to support the above adage, it is the explosive and
unprecedented growth of the Internet in the last decade or so.The requirement of knowing 'What hails on the other side'
has been there since ages and is probably as old as warfare itself.
The advent of the Information Age has revolutionized communication.
There has been a sea change in the art of gathering, processing, sifting
and disseminating information. Information in all its forms is a key military
resource. Billions of dollars are spent annually by most countries to either
gather or safeguard information assets. Modern warfare is characterized by
highly mobile, swift changing battle scenarios which cover vast areas.
The reaction time available to commanders in changing battle situations
is very limited.The challenge for
the communication network is thus to provide information at the right time at
the right place and in the right form, to enable commanders and staff to take
appropriate decisions.The Corps of
Signals is alive to this requirement of modern warfare and is gearing up to
upgrade its networks to be flexible, robust, secure, and responsive.

Army of the Information Age

The advancement in IT has brought about a sea change in the strategic and
battlefield environment.The Indian
Army today, in tune with the changing times, is itself transforming into an Army
of the Information age.The order
of the day is to build and maintain an Army which uses IT effectively to get the
Force Multiplier effect.

Gone are the days when
only the man behind the machine mattered.In
today's hi-tech warfare it is the synergy of man and technology which delivers
the knockout punch.Modern Armed
Forces need converged and synergized military information systems which act as
enablers for joint operations at tactical operational and strategic levels.
The Corps of Signals is responsible for creating, maintaining and
protecting information infrastructure at all levels.
Thus the Signallers have their task cut out in all future operations.
The aspect of information security in general, and cyber security in
particular, becomes the responsibility of the Corps as the communication
security has always been its bread and butter.

Over the years, the
Corps of Signals has made tremendous progress in adopting cutting edge
technology and suitably molding it to fulfill specific requirements of the Armed
Forces.The Corps has made
excellent progress in the fields of Information Technology and Information
Warfare.It has also been
instrumental in heralding evolutionary changes in the C3I (Command, Control,
Communication, and Information) architecture in the Army with matching interface
with the strategic C4I2 (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Information,
and Information Technology) network to the three services.
This has been a gigantic task involving optimal exploitation of
convergence technologies.Besides fielding these systems, the Corps has also been
conducting quality training in IT for all arms and services to ensure the most
critical aspect of'fusion' of
technology in the organization.

A holistic approach
has been adopted to develop the IT infrastructure in all its dimensions.
A state-of-the-art, broadband, fully redundant and secure backbone
network is under implementation.Also
modern zonal access networks are being established shortly.
Simultaneously, access networks down to the formation/unit level are
being established based on OFC and UHF systems.

In the field of data
networks, as an initial step, an Intranet was established in 2000-2001. This
provided basic Web and E-mail services down to Brigade level and selected static
and training establishments.Since
then many new services are being planned on this network.
While IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is in its nascent stages the
world over presently, a slightly modified version is being implemented by the
Corps of Signals and this would be unveiled during the 13th Corps Reunion to be
held at 1 Signal Training Centre, Jabalpur, from 13th Feb 06 to 15th Feb 06.
This would enable the Army to stream both live and recorded videos using
the Internet Protocol. An Army Wide Area Network (AWAN), a project in an
advanced stage of implementation, shall be the prime data service provider for
the whole Army.It shall usher in
state-of-the-art basic as well as telematic services.Infrastructure is also in place for passage of operational
maps and such like information in near real time.

The Corps of Signals
has not only kept pace with the milestones specified in the IT Roadmap 2008, but
is way ahead in the onerous tasks of taking the power of IT down to the grass
roots level.

An Inevitable Explosion

• The related
  fields of Communications and Information Technology have seen an
  unprecedented growth in the last few days.
  This has had its consequential impact on all facets of society-the
  most affected being the Defence Sector.
  The fact that the revolution in informatics threatens to redefine the
  warfare practices is common knowledge now.
  The term “Information Warfare” is widely used and is a testimony
  to the impending changes at all levels-macro or micro.

• Modern day
  warfare encompasses fail proof communications, an efficient command and
  control apparatus, precision-guided lethal weapons, electronic warfare
  means, heterogeneous combat teams, rapid mobility over all kinds of terrain,
  close cooperation of all the three services, digitized maps giving 3D images
  of the terrain and a constant threat of use of mass weapons of destruction
  by the adversary.In times to
  come, the warfare would become far more complex in which communications and
  informatics would play a greater role.

• Our Army in
  general and the Corps of Signals in particular have been at the forefront in
  absorbing the information technology since seventies.
  The state-of-art and exorbitantly priced weapons demand adequate
  knowledge about communications, computers and automation.
  Though these weapons have expert systems built-in by the
  manufacturers, their usage, repair and maintenance demand that we are well
  equipped to handle them.Information
  is rapidly becoming a strategic resource as well as a principal battle
  winning factor.The information
  revolution is a product of advances in computerized information,
  telecommunication technologies and related innovations.
  Out of this very facet is emerging the concept
  of what we term it as “Information Warfare”.

• We have got
  state-of-art tactical networks like AREN since 1989 and strategic networks
  like ASCON since 1991 which have served as well.
  As a part of an evolutionary process, the Corps of Signals is
  constantly planning, executing and upgrading the existing communication
  architectures.As regards field
  architectures, we are in the process of “test bed formulation” for
  state-of-the-art tactical communication networks (TCS 2000) for the field
  forces which would also be the transport network for the C3I architecture.
  As a relating to ASCON, we are at the execution stage for adding
  additional networks as part Phase 3 of its structure : of course based on
  the state-of-the-art ATM technology.In
  addition, planning process is already on the formulation of PMO for
  introduction of a true strategic level Defence Communication Network (DCN)
  covering the complete sub-continent including our areas of interest in the
  Indian Ocean as far as Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  In brief, this will be largely based on Optical Fiber Cable (OFC)
  based again we propose to support it with the ATM technology.

• While the
  proposed modern architectures would take time for desired induction and
  implementation, the Corps with its meager financial and manpower resources
  is constantly expanding and exploiting its architecture with state-of-art,
  commercially off the shelf available communication and Information
  Technology equipment with the right emphasis on value added services like
  data, fax, video and so on.The
  first step as part of its exploitative architecture has been the extension
  of ASCON facility to all the Commands and Corps HQs based on DOT hired OFC
  media : particularly on account of 2/8 Mbps media connectivities.
  The second step has been in the formation of an overlay architecture
  with minimal financial impact to create; firstly, high speed data channels
  for the Army Internet (this facility was inaugurated by the COAS on 15 Jan
  99) and secondly, the same very overlay architecture was utilised for voice
  networking between Army HQs and all the Commands HQs which was inaugurated
  by Signal Officer-in-Chief, Lt Gen P Gokaran, AVSM on 29 Feb 99.
  This very overlay architecture also resulted in the creation of voice
  and data hotlines between the Army Headquarters Ops Room to the Ops Room at
  Udhampur and Srinagar during OP VIJAY.
  The third step towards this architecture is introduction of video
  conferencing between Delhi, Udhampur and Srinagar, the equipment for which
  is under installation.Requisite
  assistance was also given for provision of data channels for ASTROIDS.

• Additional
  connectivities alongwith satellite based overlay architecture were
  introduced on account of our operational requirements during OP VIJAY: of
  course coupled with on going modernisation of the communication architecture
  particularly for Northern Command.Of
  special mention is the establishment of satellite based highway connectivity
  between Leh—Delhi and Leh—Udhampur.
  In addition to introduction of VSATs both for Northern and Eastern
  Commands, equally impressive has been the build up of OFC architecture for
  increased communication and informatic requirements both for local as well
  as trunk informatic necessities.

• Concomitantly
  there have been tremendous improvements in upgradation of our terminal
  equipment with installation of digital exchanges and key telephone systems.
  Signals, therefore, are and will always remain at the forefront of
  technology absorption, exploitation and related upgradation in tune with the
  times for the right king of communication and informatic support for the
  Defence Forces.

Lieutenant Colonel S G Railkar,

Corps Of Signals, Indian Army


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