March 30, 2009
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By Centre for Land Warfare Studies |
A conference titled ‘Firepower India 2009’ was held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on 30-31 Mar 2009, under the aegis of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) and India Strategic Defence Magazine (www.indiastrategic.in). The seminar focussed on contemporary and emerging weapons technologies. It was attended by senior serving officers, members of the strategic and scientific communities, representatives of the industry and the media. The inaugural address was delivered by Lt Gen Noble Thamburaj, PVSM, SM, ADC, VCOAS. Lt Gen K R Rao, AVSM, VSM, Commandant, School of Artillery, Devlali, delivered the keynote address. The seminar was held in three sessions over two days and the valedictory address was delivered by Shri Shekhar Dutt, SM, Dy NSA and former Defence Secretary. In his welcome address, Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd), Director, CLAWS, pointed out that this was the first major tri-service seminar being held on firepower. Drawing attention to the fact that there is a need to generate massive firepower asymmetries on the future battlefield through ground-based and aerially delivered firepower and ballistic missiles, which continue to remain the currency of power, he said that the seminar is designed to take stock of India’s firepower capabilities and point to future requirements. Highlighting China’s large inventory of ballistic missiles lined up against Taiwan, he pointed out that many of these may be redeployed to Tibet in case the Taiwan issue is resolved or in case of a future conflict with India. Air Marshal Ashok Goel (Retd), CEO of India Strategic, said that India Strategic was committed to initiate debate on futuristic technologies. He pointed out that comtemporary systems available through the Soviet Union, relevant in the late 1960s and 1970s, played a decisive role in the 1971 India-Pakistan War. The armed forces should get the best possible capabilities in accordance with their requirements now. Inaugural Address: VCOAS The VCOAS stressed the current operational design which is no longer to fight sequential battles but to deliver multi-dimensional firepower to maximise shock and disruption, employing direct firing weapons, UAVs, attack helicopters, aircraft, missiles and rockets, alongside fully networked, combined arms teams of manned and unmanned ground systems. He emphasised that firepower should be viewed as a joint concept which includes effects delivered by land, air and maritime weapons. He underlined the need for acquiring deep and persistent surveillance capability that can create real-time or near real-time ‘situational awareness’ of the area of interest. He dwelt on using a layered system of sensors and the need to network the sensors, shooters and the decision-makers, so as to shorten the OODA loop. The VCOAS also highlighted the need to develop an indigenous rocket system of the range of 120-150 kms to enable surgical strikes on high-value strategic targets with minimum collateral damage. He expressed the hope that valuable lessons would emerge from the discussions. While addressing the media on the sidelines of the seminar, the VCOAS complimented DRDO and BrahMos scientists and stated that the Indian Army had accepted the BrahMos Block-II for introduction into service after the successful tests in March 2009. Keynote Address: Commandant, School of Artillery, Devlali Lt Gen K R Rao, Commandant, School of Artillery, noted that the development of Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles and the ability to exploit space for military purposes has the potential to shift the balance with adversaries. He underlined the fact that China, with the fast pace of infrastructural development in Tibet, is a potent threat to India while Pakistan will continue to collude with China and will focus on enhancement of its arsenal of force multipliers to offset any conventional superiority of India. Citing strategic dislocation of the enemy as the objective, he suggested that the current force structuring and employment doctrines should be revamped to provide firepower asymmetries which not only achieve supremacy in the battlefield, but also offset the lack of adequate numerical superiority of other arms. Enumerating the major issues related to achieving firepower asymmetries, he stressed the need for the following:- Lt Gen Rao said that issues such as the effectiveness of PGMs in densely forested mountains and in snow bound high altitude areas and whether missiles can be employed in a tactical role similar to that of the artillery need to be examined in detail. He also flagged the need to arrive at the optimum mix of precision munitions with the air force and the army and the potential inter- and intra-Service force-restructuring in terms of delivery systems, sustenance systems, command, control, communications and intelligence networks. He highlighted the potent firepower capabilities of the Artillery Divisions which exponentially generate non-linearity and asymmetries making a definite case for the raising of more Artillery Divisions for the Northern and Eastern theatres. Referring to the acquisition and employment of lethal force multipliers, he said that there is a need to improve the integration of our military strategists and planners with their counterparts in the Government. SESSION I: GENERATING FIRE POWER ASYMMETRIES IN FUTURE CONFLICTS Chair: Lt Gen Vinay Shankar (Retd), former DG Artillery Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd) underscored the fact that even though the current trend is towards sub-conventional conflict, conventional conflict cannot be wished away due to unresolved territorial and boundary disputes with India’s neighbours. Manoeuvre in mountains is restricted and in the plains, deep manoeuvre is not possible due to the nuclear overhang. Therefore, future wars will be limited in aims, objectives, application of force levels and time frame. Only a joint AirLand campaign with massive firepower asymmetry will enable the achievement of military objectives. Brig Kanwal dwelt on the conceptual aspects of modern artillery firepower wherein trend lines have changed from manoeuvre to attrition, from neutralisation to destruction, from “dumb” to “smart/intelligent” munitions and linear operations to simultaneity of engagement. He also outlined the equipment philosophy of Indian Artillery with 155 mm as standard calibre, light weight towed 155mm and 120mm mortars for the mountains, 52-calibre 155mm (towed, wheeled and self-propelled) for the plains, Grad, Pinaka and Smerch MBRLs and conventionally armed Prithvi SSMs and BrahMos cruise missiles for strategic engagements. He made the following recommendations to generate asymmetries of firepower:- AVM M Matheswaran, AVSM, VM, AOC, HQ Maritime Air Operations AVM Matheswaran observed that non-linearity has rarely been possible or has been very limited in the Indian context. In the nuclear environment of the sub-continent, low intensity conflict and terrorism leading to incidents like 9/11 and 26/11 are likely to be the norm. As far as war-fighting on the sub-continent is concerned, the number of lives lost may not be a defining parameter, but loss of territory is unacceptable. In practical terms, it is hard to define the nuclear threshold of the adversary. There is, therefore, a need not to be unduly concerned about the nuclear threshold and retain the boldness and wherewithal to wage a full-scale war. AVM Matheswaran noted that the maturation of aviation and space technologies, and the seamless integration of aerospace. He highlighted the exponential increase in lethal capabilities that directly impact the conduct of war. Technology allows the integration of land, air and sea in a unified war. The third dimension also engenders information, reach, precision, penetration, command and control, which enables the armed forces to move away from massing towards appropriate networking and the optimal use of aerospace power. Technology, thus, is not a master, but an enabler for the fulfilment of policy objectives through war. To achieve material preponderance and definitive asymmetry, there must be a balance between technologies and force employment, aimed at an integrated unified war. Constraints and pitfalls in the development of firepower are mainly in the form of own policy limitations, import restrictions and global arms control regimes. Thus, the strategic roadmap should include a capability development process, a technological roadmap that decreases vulnerability of dependence on imported technology, in-house strategic think-tanks for technological mapping and the development of weapons keeping in mind time and capability factors. Brig Rahul Bhonsle (Retd) – Role of Direct Firing Weapons Brig Bhonsle emphasised that for moving from innovation to integration to creating asymmetry, Indian operational plans need to be based on conventional, sub-conventional and Line of Control engagements. Technological advances which enable direct firing platforms to be integrated with surveillance systems such as the LORROS, TI IOE and Mira Sight (Milan) greatly enhance direct firing asymmetry. Discussion Points · Nuclear weapons are political weapons that are meant solely for deterrence. Practitioners of military art and science should not be constrained by notional red lines. SESSION II – BALLISTIC AND CRUISE MISSILES AND MISSILE DEFENCE SYSTEMS In his special address, Vice Admiral Anoop Singh traced the advent and development of missile technology since the 1950s up to the present and also reviewed the regional scenario with respect to missile capabilities. He noted that in the history of warfare, the development of military technology had never been as rapid as it has been in the last five decades, with phenomenal surges in missile technology and intrusions into outer space. He termed the growth in missile technology as revolutionary, not merely evolutionary. Vice Admiral Anoop Singh pointed out that ballistic missiles are the ultimate manifestation of deterrence. The introduction of ballistic missiles resulted in an arms race in both numerical and technological terms as the number of missiles, their reach and payload have come to represent the power of a nation. Defence against ballistic missiles is difficult due to limited reaction time, speed and lack of predictability. At the same time economics have much to do with the proliferation of missiles. He expressed his concern over the geostrategic environment around India where Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), including nuclear and missile proliferation, are an acute and worrisome reality. India requires credible defence against these threats, which must include ballistic missile defence assurance and offensive defence by way of retribution in line with the declared doctrine. There is also a need to enhance surveillance capability against ballistic and cruise missiles. India’s Prithvi and Agni missiles have come to represent national pride and national power. In the cruise missile category BrahMos is a path breaking development. The Vice Admiral said that the development of missile technology is in India’s strategic interests. In his opening remarks,Air Marshal Asthanacategorised missiles into six categories. He added that the production, development and export of Ballistic missiles by 32 countries worldwide necessitate the development of Ballistic Missile Defence by India. Vice Admiral A K Singh highlighted the concept of four layered BMD surveillance comprising satellites and long, medium and short range radars and noted that India requires a layered surveillance and defence system, including missile interception technology. He pointed out that a missile is most vulnerable in the boost phase and the terminal phase and not so much during the cruise and re-entry phases. Therefore, it is the first phase and the last phase which decide the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system. He also referred to ballistic trajectories which may be normal or depressed or lofted to make it difficult to intercept. He highlighted how it is a costly venture to develop ballistic missiles and cruise missiles and pointed out that the BrahMos company had been unable to bring down the cost of its supersonic missile to that of the US Tomahawk (approximately US $800,000). Cmde Ranjit Rai (Retd) Cmde Ranjit Rai expressed despair at the absence of a well-articulated defence strategy in India. He was also concerned about the lack of collaboration between the three services and ISRO. He highlighted the importance of developing a terminal homing seeker in a missile system. He said that India is a satellite power and that the space recovery capsule is a great achievement for the military. He added that multi-satellite launch vehicles can also be used to launch missiles. He concluded that the Indian military must be actively involved in issues relating to use of space and must develop an anti-satellite capability. Mr. Thyagaraj spoke about conventional ballistic missiles used in the context of firepower and its political implications. He said that a nation’s needs and capability to generate missile strikes are driven by its geostrategic location and command of intelligence, early warning and guidance. It is important to consider the status of the entity to be attacked, whether it is a state or a non-state actor or a nuclear power as a missile attack may give rise to nuclear escalation. He concluded with the remarks that India’s ‘no first use’ nuclear policy may need to be reviewed in the current geo-political circumstances. SESSION III – PRECISION GUIDED MUNITIONS AND PLATFORMS Chair: Air Marshal B N Gokhale PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) Chairperson’s Remarks There is considerable debate whether technology drives weapon requirements or vice versa. Whatever the truth may be, excessive reliance on technology without checks and balances can be dangerous. The mistaken bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade shows how fatal reliance on technology can be. It is, therefore, important to ensure adequate absorption of technology into the system. Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, CMD, BrahMos Aerospace Citing from Hindu mythology and Indian and world history, Dr Pillai highlighted the Indian contribution to the art of war over the ages. He said that India has to move ahead in the technological field as future wars will be autonomous and net-centric using C4I2 and other advanced technologies. Cyber warfare will aim to defend and destroy the NCW capabilities including space assets. Owing to various technology denial and control regimes such as the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), in 1983 India started its own programme developing missiles indigenously and the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) was launched. Realising the need for indigenous cruise missile technology, India chose the supersonic route to develop BrahMos, which is the first of its kind in the world. BrahMos is a multi-platform cruise missile enabling it to strike from various types of land, sea and air-based platforms, including mobile and fixed ones. It has better speed, kinetic energy and reaction time attributes than the Tomahawk missile. By 2012, BrahMos missile will be mounted on Su-30 aircraft of the IAF. Referring to Indian ballistic missile capabilities, he stated that Agni-III is in the final stage of testing for induction into service. He also mentioned that India should focus on the emerging technologies such as scramjet, hyper-sonic, microwave, under water rockets, anti-torpedo defence system, micro-motors, nano-technology, hypersonic reusable missile and kinetic energy (KE) weapons. Dr. Prahalada, Chief Controller, R&D, DRDO Citing the avowed aim of the DRDO to develop technologies that conform with the operational requirements of the three Services, Dr. Prahlada said that in order to ensure minimum collateral damage, small warheads with high precision are required, which can also be used in urban warfare and for countering terrorists. These warheads would be capable of autonomous target recognition and homing to attack multiple targets simultaneously. They would be modular in nature and can be easily attached to any carrier (missile, rocket, UAV, bomb etc). Expressing his satisfaction with the progress in the field, he said that all the technologies like seekers, control components, warheads, ATR (Automatic Target Recognition), integration, simulation, mission planning and launching, are either already available or under development and will be achieved in the next few years. AVM AK Gogoi : Precision Weapons - The Indian Air Force View Discussion Points · India is developing its own seekers to minimise dependence on other countries so as to reduce a critical vulnerability. VALEDICTORY SESSION Chairperson’s Remarks Valedictory Address by Mr. Shekhar Dutt Reiterating the axiom that “in war there is no silver medallist; either you win or you lose”, Mr. Shekhar Dutt said that firepower contributes tremendously in enhancing defence preparedness. Effect oriented planning, through real time networked approach and 24/7 surveillance to minimise the OODA loop, can make precision weapons more useful. PGMs address the need of modern day strike systems and improved integration and communication can be useful in avoiding friendly fire. In future, smaller but highly effective forces will be required. To address the present day battlefield requirements, the Indian armed forces need to substantially enhance their firepower capability. The armed forces have to develop knowledge, precision, speed and lethality for the efficient use of PGMs which are true force multipliers. PGMs are traditionally thought of as conventional weapons. However, the destructive potential of the current terrorist organisations makes it necessary at times for PGMs to be used in the war against terror. PGMs can be developed using indigenous technology and also by cooperating with other countries. It is highly desirable to change mindsets at all levels of leadership so as to ensure well defined strategies and doctrines. There is also a need to involve academics, scientists and journalists for the wider acceptance of enhanced military capabilities. Concluding Remarks Mr Gulshan Luthra and Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd), said that CLAWS and India Strategic are proud to have hosted the seminar on Firepower and would endeavour to make this a recurring annual feature. Conclusion Firepower India 2009 showcased the current status of the vast spectrum of firepower capabilities, mostly but not solely of the Indian Armed Forces. The seminar succeeded in highlighting the major aspects of doctrinal, organisational and technological changes and developments necessary for India to maximise its firepower potential for a future military engagement. (Report Compiled by Col. MLN Sravan Kumar, Dr. Rajesh Kapoor, Ms. Swapna Kona Nayudu and Ms. Mansi Mehrotra) |
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