Watching Indian waters 24 x 7
Oceans are multi-dimensional battle-space — air, on-surface and underwater — where threats can emerge from any space.International maritime forces around the world, are now massively investing in ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems for amassing actionable and in-depth information of combat-zones. ISR networks involve functioning of various sensors with integration and analysis of comprehensive information which is critical for decision making, effective planning and execution of maritime operations. Vitally, these systems are indispensible for maritime forces inestablishing substantial mechanism for maritime domain awareness (MDA).
The Indian Navy has a credible operational doctrine and security architecture in the Indian Ocean Region, keep watch on adversaries' moves,utilisinga reliable force of ISR sensors that involve an array of maritime and national assets which includes pace borne, airborne, shipborne, ground and underwater systems.
Spaceborne sensors …
Cartosat-2 image courtesy ISRO
Like other modern navies, the Indian Navy too has spaceborne sensors for maritime security and surveillance of the waters. Jointly with the IAF and Indian Army, the Indian Navy wields a constellation of space-based sensors under the newly established ‘Defence Space Agency’. The constellation encompasses HysIS, high-resolution X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-based RISAT-series (RISAT 2&2B), electro-optical CARTOSAT-series (primary Cartosat-2 series—see image) and IRNSS (Navic) satellites. The Navy leans on these joint space assets for imagery, locations and navigation in unfavourable weather situations in the immediate Indian and the larger Indo-Pacific Oceans. While the GSAT-7 Rukminiprovides precise communication amongst Indian Navy establishments, aerial and surface fleets, it supports the Navy’s high-speed networked fleet at sea.
In the future, a more advanced GSAT-7R will replace the Rukmini to augment sensor-to-shooter connectivity for the Indian Navy. Moreover, DRDO-built EMISAT, a SIGINT satellite, sustains the Navy’s electronic surveillance capabilities in the IOR. ISRO plans to launch more LEO-based satellites (like Emisat, Cartosat and RISAT) that will deny sea shelters to the Pakistan Navy or the PLA-N in the Indian Ocean region.
… and Coastal Surveillance Network
After the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, it was imperative to establish a 24x7 watch mechanism across the massive 7500 km coastline.The Indian Navy, alongside the Indian Coast Guard and Bharat Electronics Limited have been working to construct the Coastal Surveillance Network that integrates some 84 ground radar stations, 46 under phase I and 38 in Phase II. Besides, 32 more radar systems would be installed in friendly Island nations by the Indian Navy and BEL to augment India's surveillance spectrum. The Seychelles, Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will get combined radar stations in their coastal areas. The Indian government has also recently sealed an MoU with Bangladesh for installing 20 such radar systems in littoral areas of Bangladesh, these stations to be jointly operated by the Indian and Bangladesh Navies. Eventually, all these sensors sites will be supervised by the Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region under Information Management Analysis Centre at Gurugram in the NCR.
Air, Surface and Underwater Surveillance
Dornier 228 (photo: Angad Singh)
Indian Naval Aviation has various aircraft types employed for the purpose: Dornier 228s, Ilyushin Il-38 Sea Dragons and Boeing P-8Is for medium and long-range surveillance and maritime reconnaissance tasks in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. These special aircraft are variously fitted with 360o surveillance multi-mode radar and (the Il-38s and P-8s) with magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) systems for detecting, monitoring and locating hostile surface and underwater objects in the waters. For short-range operations, the Indian Navy helicopters, includingof Sea King Mk.42s, Ka-31s and Ka-28s, Chetaks and naval ALHs are assigned tasks which include traffic monitoring and sea observation missions.
P-8I (photo: Angad Singh)
Eight Boeing P-8Is are presently the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the Indian Navy’s long-range MR/ASW force with four more tobe shortly inducted. 10 additional P-8Is are sought which, along with 24 multi-mission MH-60R Seahawks being contracted for the Indian Navy, will further empower maritime surveillance superiority, in line with operational doctrine of the Indian Navy in the IOR.
The Indian Navy also exploits AI-based unmanned air systems for real-time actionable intelligence. Operating Israeli-origin Heron and Searcher-II UAVs for near continuous surveillance of waters leading to Indian ports and harbours. The Navy is currently working with the aeronautical Development Establishment on the indigenous Rustom-2long range drone. For long-endurance, high-altitude ISR missions, the IN has been pursuing induction of the General Atomics SeaGuardian.
Il-38 Sea Dragon (Photo: Angad Singh)
With its ship-based sensors and sonars,a 24x7 surveillance mechanism is provided for the Navy in all three dimensions. Frontline warships of the Indian Navy incorporate a suite of sensors including multi-functional air defence and surface surveillance radar, hull-mounted and towed array sonars, optical director systems and electro-optical fire control systems.
The Indian Navy deploys an array of Russian, Israeli, French-origin as also indigenous shipborne air and surface surveillance radars including IAI's S-band MF-STAR, Thales D-band LW-08, Russian Fregate-MAE, Terma's SCANTER 6002, BEL 3D S-band Revathi, etc. Fusion of the high-definition sensors onboard the Navy’s surface ships delivers inputs to augment the comprehensiveair and sea-surface imagesto enhance situational awareness. Onboard active and passive sonars such as the indigenous Humsa-NG, Thales Passive Towed Array Sonar (PTAS) and Atlas Elektronik low-frequency Active Towed Array Sonar (ACTAS), assist navy warships to detect and track lurking submarines in both the shallow and deep waters.
Submarines, equipped with modern sonars (both active and passive) and surface-radars, are deemed as the best intelligence tool with Naval forces. The Indian Navy currently operates a fleet of 16 submarines comprising 14 SSKs, one SSN and one SSBN employed to carry out underwater surveillance and provide crucial intelligence-gathering capabilities to the Navy. INS Chakra, India's nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), is considered as an intelligence force multiplier in the Indian Navy arsenal. The newly inducted Kalvari-class boats, featuring modern detectors and low-observable stealth characteristics like advanced acoustic silencing technique, will further enhance suchcapabilities. It is understood that two midget submarines, primarily for MARCOS special missions, are also in the plans and will be constructed at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL).
The Indian Navy is also keen on acquiring high-endurance Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and two indigenous torpedo-shaped AUVs - L&T Adamya& DRDO's ASV - are being developed for the Navy.
Airborne Early Warning
The Indian Navy operates a number of Kamov Ka-31 early warning helicopters, incorporating a six square metre E-801M OKO Planer array radar, capable of detecting aircraft and surface ships at long-ranges (air targets upto 150 km and surface target of 100-200 km). More than a dozen Kamov Ka-31 AEW&C helicopters are in active service with the Indian Navy with 10 additional systems to be procured from Russia.
Indian Navy Kamov Ka-31 (photo: David Osborn via aame.in)
Arguably, the most important advancement for the Indian Navy's ISR capability will be induction of a 10,000-ton VC11184 ocean surveillance ship that is being built at HSL at Visakhapatnam. The VC11184, equipped with three indigenously developed high-definition AESA sensors (a primary X-band and two secondary S-band), electronics and communication systems, will be the most advanced tracking and surveillance ship in the Navy's inventory. This is being built under a 'top-secret programme' and has the same significance as the advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project under which Arihant-class SSBN boats are being constructed.
Rare photo of the Indian Navy’s future tracking ship VC-11184 “Ocean Surveillance Ship”, currently being built at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd in Vishakhapatnam. (photo: navalnews.com)
All these will support India's multiple initiatives including strategic weapon development, Phase-II of India's Ballistic Missile Defence System, Electronic intelligence instruments and Information Superiority. The Indian Navy will operationalise this missile tracking boat in collaboration with the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), which is directly under the Prime Minister’s Office. Sea trials of the VC11184 are currently “progressing satisfactorily” and the ship will be ready soon for induction into the Indian Navy. At present, only another four nations (the US, Russia, China and France) have such surveillance system in their arsenal. The VC11184 early-warning and airborne assets, will serve as a ‘hefty force-multiplier’ for the Indian Navy, for electronic surveillance and air sanitisation of the Indian Ocean Region.
Atul Kumar