Confederation of Indian Industry
Indian Army
2012
TACTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
ICTEC CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
08 – 09 Nov 2012
Manekshaw Centre, Swarna Jayanti Marg, New Delhi, India
2012
MESSAGES
It is pleasure to learn that the Corps of Signals
and Confederation of Indian Industry are jointly
organising DEFCOM-2012. The theme of this
year’s DEFCOM- “Tactical Communication Systems: ICTEC Challenges and Opportunities” is
indeed timely and relevant.
Resurgent India has a dominant role in world
affairs. Towards this, the Indian Armed forces
have a great responsibility in keeping our borders secure. The Corps of Signals on its part has
to harness the Information, Communications,
Technology, Electronics and Cyber (ICTEC) resources to ensure an overwhelming Information
Superiority at all times.
The Corps has always looked towards indigenous efforts for its modernization and growth.
AREN, ASCON and AWAN systems are fine examples of our indigenous capabilities and strengths.
They are a shining testimony to the collaborative
and complementary relationship between the
Corps and the Academia, DRDO, DPSUs and the
Indian Industry. However, this is a field which
grows at a very fast pace and we have to work
hard to remain in contention.
The Corps of Signals is looking at the future
with its Tactical Communication Systems (TCS),
Defence Communication Network (DCN) and
Network for Spectrum (NFS). These systems
will not only usher in greater self reliance but
also ensure Netcentricity and Information Dominance.
I extend my best wishes to the Indian Army
and CII for fruitful discussions at the Seminar
and successful conduct of the DEFCOM 2012.
New Delhi
29th Jun 2012
(A.K. Antony)
RakshMantri
he Modern battlefield environment is intensely
fluid, rapidly changing, asymmetric and lethal.
In such an operational environment, real time
information obtained from sensors and surveillance devices helps commanders make quick
and sound decisions to exploit forces and weapons at their disposal effectively.
For smooth and seamless flow of information, there is a need for communication networks to be highly mobile, secure against all
forms of attack, interoperable, resilient and survivable. Communication systems must, therefore exploit the strength of ICTEC to enable netcentricity.
Adequate and appropriate measures also
need to be taken at the design stage to ensure
effective utilization of spectrum and bandwidth
without compromising on the quality and scales
of communications. We need to expand our R&D
capabilities to compliment the indigenization
process to enable us build our own standards
and protocols and prevent embedded malwares
corrupting vital systems.
The Industry clearly has an important role in
this process and must become the flag bearer of
our indigenization effort and initiative.
I compliment the Corps of Signals and CII for
selecting such a contemporary futuristic subject
for DEFCOM 2012. The inclusion of Electronics
and Cyber to ICT is indeed thought provoking
and requires serious deliberations. I wish them
success in the conduct of DEFCOM 2012.
New Delhi
28th Jun 2012
(M. M. Pallam Raju)
Raksha RajyaMantri
Communications have always been considered
as critical factor in battle. However in the modern age of network centric operations and agile
force application, they have emerged as a force
multiplier.
As we start exploiting network based applications, the demand for real time flow of information and its volume will increase manifolds.
To keep pace, modern military communication
systems will require networks to be interconnected more efficiently and seamlessly. This must
finally translate into one integrated network of
networks covering the strategic, operational and
tactical domain. A user must be able to move
through this vast network using a single identity.
Plug and Play capabilities must be built in to enable efficient regrouping, redeployment and projection of forces.
At the same time, military networks must be
hardened against electronic and cyber attacks
with adequate redundancies to make them resilient and survivable. In addition, the challenge of
spectrum and bandwidth management must be
addressed at the network planning stage.
DEFCOM 2012 with its theme of ‘Tactical
Communication Systems: ICTEC Challenges and
Opportunities’ underscores the urgency required
to address the challenges and threats affecting
the Military communication networks.
I wish Corps of Signals and CII all the best for
a successful conduct of DEFCOM 2012. Lessons
drawn from the seminar must be well documented for future reference and guidance.
New Delhi
29th Jun 2012 (Bikram Singh)
General
Chief of the ArmyStaff
TACTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS: ICTEC CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
2012
TACTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS:
ICTEC CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Communications play a decisive role in military
operations both during war and peace. In the early
21st Century, communications were voice centric,
primarily point to point with limited grids providing
restricted mobility and partial redundancy. Till recent
past tactical communication nodes would leap frog to
set up and maintain a communication grid in the wake
of advancing formations with access being extended to
deployed command and control elements using field
cables. Combat Net Radio working in broadcast mode
with limited data handling capability extended the
last mile connectivity for mobile elements. As a result
in a grid that was predominantly voice centric , data
communications on the move were practically nonexistent.
With evolution in technology, communications,
surveillance and weapon handling capabilities evolved
rapidly. Simultaneously, the need for real time
battlefield information to assist decision making has also
increased considerably, leading to an explosive growth
in the demand for voice, video and data. The challenge
today is to achieve successful integration of sensors,
shooters and the decision makers thereby enabling
a dynamic, reliable and secure operational decision
loop. It is sought to be accomplished by networking
numerous communications, electronic warfare and
cyber elements using multiple media transparently,
straddling the tactical, operational and strategic
domains. High capacity broadband wireless access
systems are much in demand as tactical access systems
and an overlay of satellites is the accepted norm. A
large number of these elements need to co-exist, interoperate and perform in a hostile, dynamic and dense
operational and electromagnetic environment.
Planning, procuring, deploying and managing this
large array of systems introduces host of challenges.
The frequency spectrum has become crowded and
applications increasingly require larger bandwidths.
Communication and network devices are also
vulnerable to threats in the electronic, cyber and
physical domain. In essence, modern communication
systems that influence the entire spectrum of warfare
across the strategic, operational and tactical domain,
exploit Information Communication
Technology, Electronics and Cyber (ICTEC) as
complex and complementary sub-systems of Military
Communication Networks. Therefore, in order to
effectively leverage battlefield information as a part of
the Army’s transformation process, migration from a
civil oriented ICT Philosophy to a military oriented ICTEC
Philosophy is inescapable. Given the important role
of Tactical Communication Systems in battlefield and
requirement of enabling ICTEC technologies to achieve
transformation of Indian Army into a network centric
force, the theme of DEFCOM 2012 has been selected
as “Tactical Communication Systems: ICTEC Challenges
and Opportunities”. The objective of the seminar is to
enable Defence Officers, Academia and the Industry to
understand user requirements and propose befitting
solutions for the Tactical Battle Area (TBA). The seminar
has been divided into three technical sessions and two
Workshop sessions to carry out the stated objective.
Discussions during the first session on “Robust
Networks for Tactical Communications” will focus on
ability of tactical networks to adapt to rapidly changing
conditions. Use of cognitive techniques across the
protocol stack to optimally utilize the scarce spectrum
and dynamically adapt network functionality and
configurations. In addition, issues of interoperability
across heterogeneous networks will be covered. The
second session on “Supporting Netcentric Operations
through Wireless Technologies” will compare constraints
in current commercial 3G and 4G wireless networks with
Software Defined Radio based wireless networks capable
of self-organizing themselves for broadband wireless
access in the TBA. With convergence, tactical networks
increasingly face both passive and active threats.
Measures to make tactical networks secure and robust
against cyber threats to ensure high availability and
resilience will be discussed during the third session on
“Mitigating Security Threats in Tactical Networks”. Human
Capital Management is always a complex and intricate
task. A session on “Human Capital Transformation in
ICTEC Era” will focus on challenges and opportunities in
this field. It will also recognise the strengths of military
veterans who are a valuable, disciplined and trained
force available to the industry
TACTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS: ICTEC CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
2012
TACTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS: ICTEC CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
SCHEDULE
Day 1 - 08 Nov 12
0930-1030h
1030-1100h
1100-1300h
1300-1530h
1530-1730h
2000h Onwards
Day 2 - 09 Nov 12
0900-1100h
1100-1130h
1130-1300h
1300-1400h
1400h Onwards
Inaugural Session
Tea Break
Session I: Robust Networks for Tactical Communications
Inauguration of Exhibition and Lunch
Session II: Supporting Network Centric Operations Through Wireless
Technologies
Session III: Workshop
Networking Dinner
Session IV: Mitigating Security Threats in Tactical Networks
Session V: Workshop
Tea
Session VI: Transforming Human Capital in ICTEC Era
Closing Session
Networking Lunch
EXHIBITION
An exhibition will be held concurrently in which participants from the industry are invited to
showcase their products
PARTICIPANT PROFILE
Following are invited to participate:
• Experts from the industry
• Serving and Retired Officers from Three Services
• Academia and Professionals
• Executives from PSUs and Private Industry
For more information please contact
Confederation of Indian Industry
Defence & Aerospace
Confederation of Indian Industry
249-F, Sector-18, Udyog Vihar,
Corps of Signals
Phase –IV, Gurgaon - 122 015
Tel : 91 124 4014060-67, Fax : 91 124
4014080
Email : [email protected],
Web : www.defcom.in
Indian Army
Director UPAREN
PMO Plan AREN
Room No 613 ,‘A’ Wing, Sena
Bhawan
IHQ of MoD (Army) DHQ PO,
New Delhi-110011
Tele/Fax : 91 11 23018945
Email : [email protected]