Nick_S wrote:That was truly a highly informative post sir. Thank you for your useful contribution towards helping others who just want to understand certain things.
My dear sweet heart, when you comment on a topic, you can do either of the following things -
1. Research the topic and based on the same come up with certain POV and back it up.
2. Ask others about it.
3. Give your POV based on your knowledge base.
But if one were to go by the content of your post(s), there is nothing of the above. If it is learning that you seek, there is no evidence of the same. You have passed a judgement without even bothering to spent 5 minutes on Google which could have thrown up some results. Writing 'Just my 2 cents' does not absolve you of this basic courtesy which you need to extend to others when you participate in the forum.
And since your plank of argument against AH-64 is WRT to network centric operations of the IA (and Services), here are some pointers. Please do go through them a little bit in detail and share your learning wit others as well.
1. You posted (or, Cross-Posted) the video of IAF Iron-Fist fire power demonstration. But did you bother to see the whole of it? If you had, you would have seen the example NCW in IAF. In that video, a UAV picks up presence of certain 'Camps' and relays the information back to the Master Control Center. The MCC relays the information to 2 x Mirage-2000 for bombing the targets. While ex-filtrating, an AWACS pics up 2 x F-16 of PAF and vectors the Mirages to intercept them.
Does the above sound good enough for NCW for you?
2. Another point - Did you see the live streaming of UAV images during the same firepower demo? Apart from the intelligence gathering element, that is example of real time Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) for which otherwise IAF will have to risk high performance jets.
3. IA is in various stages of implementing various Tactical Command, Control, Communication and Information (TAC C3I) systems. Here is a list of those:
- CIDSS (Command Information Decision Support System)
- ACCCS (Artillery Command, Control & Communication System)
- BSS (Battlefield Surveillance System)
- ADC&RS (Air Defense Control & Reporting System)
- BMS (Battlefield Management System)
There is reason Army is pushing for inducting more and more UAVs in the system. These UAVs can pass real time information to the ground exploitation systems which can then pass the same to other airborne platforms.
4. Indian Army has been validating various NCW related equipment and techniques and capability during various exercises. Here are some excerpts:
http://intellibriefs.blogspot.in/2007/0 ... ntric.html
These were but some of the elements of Exercise Ashwamedha that 25,000 Indian Army troops were engaged in along an 80-mile long and 40-mile wide front in the scorching heat of Rajasthan's Thar Desert. Pallu is located some 400 km from state capital Jaipur.
'We fight to win. What we are aiming at is to validate our network-centric warfare capabilities and night fighting capabilities,' the Indian Army chief, Gen. J.J. Singh told reporters here Wednesday on the penultimate day of the five-day drill.
'We have progressed reasonably well in both areas in validating our concepts,' a very pleased looking Singh added.
Network-centric warfare means the ability to convey information in real time through satellite imagery, UAVs (unarmed aerial vehicles) and battlefield radars from the scene of action to the highest level of command and vice versa to facilitate quick decisions in an evolving situation.
Night vision devices like handheld thermal imagers, the TISA integrated fire control system of the T-72 main battle tank (MBT) and the LORROS long-range radar light up a battlefield like day and enable effective counter-action against advancing forces.
'The exercise will enable the integration of surveillance systems and night vision devices with the weapons systems of the army and the air force,' Brigadier Amarjeet Singh, the army spokesman for the exercise, explained.
'The aim is to integrate the various fighting elements so that combat power is optimised and simultaneous and concentrated attacks can be staged at several points along a front.
5. Here is an interview with DG Information Systems of IA. Please read through it:
http://www.spslandforces.net/story.asp?id=220
Here is an excerpt:
SP’s: How is the Indian Army visualising the transformation to this type of warfare? What is the type of framework (intra and inter-service) involved and what are the types of projects initiated in this regard? How is partnership with the private industry functioning in the field?
DGIS: Advancements in the field of ICT during the past over a decade mandates transformation of Indian Army into a network-centric force. The overall concept of a net-centric Indian Army envisages convergence of ‘shared situation awareness’ and ‘decision support tools’, aimed at shortening our observe, orient, decide and act (OODA) loop. The Army is currently in the process of enhancing net enablement, and the frameworks needed to integrate disparate projects have already been accomplished. In the Indian Army, besides automating the operational aspects, greater effort is now directed towards the training to enhance exploitation of the net-centricity in our peacetime functioning as well. The private industry is actively involved; directly (in MIS project) and indirectly through development agencies (OIS project) and greater association from industry is on the cards with the categorisation of certain important automation projects in ICT domain, as ‘Make’ projects.
SP’s: What is the current status of Indian Army’s command, information and decision support system (CIDSS) which involves the development of the artillery command and control, and communication system (ACCCS); air defence control and reporting system; electronic warfare system; battlefield surveillance system (BSS); battlefield management system (BMS); and futuristic infantry soldier as a system (F-INSAS)?
DGIS: As brought out in Question No 1, automation of operational information system is currently at various stages of development and fielding. Automation of operational system is being concurrently pursued right from soldier level upwards to strategic level. Moreover, all these systems are being evolved in an integrated manner. As a result, fully integrated operational information system is expected to be fielded as per the priorities w.e.f. 2015.
Nick - there is enough body of knowledge on BRF if one were to seek the same. There are article on BR itself on this topic. As I said earlier, little bit of research never hurt anyone.