Modernisation of the Indian Infantry
DRDO’s F-INSAS (Future Infantry Soldier as
a System)
It is important to note that in
21st century conflict situations not only will operations be increasingly
inter-agency involving greater applications of ‘all elements of national
power’, but our adversaries will also endeavour to employ hi-tech irregular
forces against us. If we can achieve soldier modernisation within the Security
Sector and network this cutting edge at the national level, we can be sure to
win future conflict situations. Modernisation of the infantry has not been given
its due in past decades. This must be treated as an ‘emergent’ requirement in
consideration of the emerging threats within and surrounding the country
especially considering the rate at which terrorists are achieving
sophistication.
Advancements in science and technology are converting
fiction to reality. This, coupled with advent of space wars, cyber, laser,
plasma, electro-magnetic and precision guided munitions tend to make armies
forget the infantryman – big ticket weapon systems overshadowing the cutting
edge foot soldier. Having invaded Iraq
and Afghanistan,
US forces discovered this and underwent course correction post an army level
study focused on this very issue.
Advancements
in science and technology are converting fiction to reality…
The fact is that right from the advent of warfare to
the present and beyond, the importance of the infantryman can hardly be
overemphasized, no matter what advances in robotics are made in the distant
future. The man behind the machine will continue to be important. Conflict
situations such as terrorism, asymmetric and fourth generation wars have
heightened this importance.
When the Indian Army introduced Modification 4B for
the Infantry a decade and a half back, it was based on previous studies/reports
incorporating operational experience with particular reference to fire power,
surveillance, communications and night capability. However, the completion of
this modification pan infantry took many decades because of the advent of
insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
that sucked in bulk of this equipment. Then there was the added requirement of
equipping the Rashtriya Rifles battalions also with such equipment since these
units were permanently deployed in counter-insurgency environment. Resultantly,
just about three-four years ago, Modification 4B has been fully implemented in
all infantry units. Here again, the scaling for equipment like night
surveillance equipment required much to be desired. Over the years, the
requirements of survivability in counter-insurgency and counter terrorism,
mobility, mine/Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) handling and battlefield
management also have acquired heightened focus.
Pertain to DRDO’s F-INSAS (Future Infantry
Soldier as a System)
Today’s conflict situations require a transformed
soldier capable of dealing with hi-tech war that will be short and intense plus
contending with fleeting opportunities including by terrorists/non-state
actors/state sponsored non-state actors, who are getting more and more
sophisticated. The infantryman must be a
man-machine-technology mix, a weapon platform with adequate firepower,
self-protection, night fighting capability and mobility. He should have the
ability to ‘see’ the enemy much before he himself gets spotted and be networked
to the required level, enabling him to effectively respond to any situation in
or near real time. (Great: But this platform happens to
be a human being and NOT a machine; what all can he carry, march and then fight
and outmaneuver the ebemy!!) HS
Present
Unfortunately, there is little to talk of indigenous
R&D in equipping the infantry soldier. The Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) record in this context has actually been abysmal to say the
least. The 5.56 INSAS rifle developed after an excruciatingly long period of 15
years was hardly comparable to modern assault rifles. With continuing faults,
the government has finally approved import of some 66,000 assault rifles for
the infantry, plus some 44,000 carbines amongst other items. Assault Rifle
apart, the DRDO has not even been able to produce an appropriate carbine and
light machine gun, latter having framed miserably during trials. The night
vision devices produced by the DRDO, though with 100 per cent imported
Infra-Red (IR) tubes are far bulkier and heavier than foreign ones. Even in
terms of clothing and bullet proof jackets, the quality that DRDO provides is
generally first from the rock bottom.
Today’s
conflict situations require a transformed soldier capable of dealing with
hi-tech war…
Eventually, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has
approved of a new
assault rifle, 5.56mm caliber and a new generation carbine. The
assault rifles under consideration were the Heckler & Koch, G 36 modular
5.56mm assault rifle (German), the Beretta 70/90 (Italy), SAR 21 of Singapore
Technologies, XM 8 (USA), Steyr A3 (Austria), Tavor TAR 21 5.56mm and IMI Galil
7.62mm from Israel, Arsenal AK-74 (Bulgaria), Herstal F-2000 (Belgium) and SIG
SG 551 (Switzerland) among others. Incidentally, the Army had already trial
evaluated 17 assault letters from 11 countries including the likes of Heckler
& Koch and Steyr A3 (Austria) way back in 1980 but then the DRDO was given
these 17 weapons who then produced a poor weapon like the 5.56 INSAS rifle
after 15 years. This should be a matter of shame for the DRDO but as usual is
glossed over with no one accountable.
New bullet-proof jackets, ballistic helmets, and boots
anti-mine which were also to have been procured, have not
materialised so far. The infantry is also looking for a man portable
third-generation anti-tank guided missile and under-barrel grenade launchers,
60mm mortars, enhanced range 81mm mortars and thermal imaging night sights for
assault rifles. Bullet proof vehicles and shotguns are being procured for
counter-insurgency operations. Incidents such as the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist
attack have underlined the need to equip all infantry battalions suitably for
rapid reaction. This is being achieved by procuring specialised items for the
Ghatak Platoons (Commando Platoons) of Infantry Battalions. Multi-mode
grenades have been indented with the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)
while ammunition of the Rocket Launcher Mark II is also likely to be procured.
The Infantry is also being provided with Multi Purpose Vehicles (MPVs), Light
Bullet Proof Vehicles (Lt. BPVs), Light Strike Vehicles (LSVs) and additional
snow mobiles.
Pertain to DRDO’s F-INSAS (Future Infantry
Soldier as a System)
The Indian Army’s Future Infantry Soldier As a System
(F-INSAS) program, which is to ensure a dramatic increase in lethality,
survivability and mobility while making the soldier ‘a self-contained fighting
machine’, is based on the Land Warrior system of the US Army and Future Soldier
Programs of other nations. With the intent to retain its strategic autonomy,
self-reliance and indigenisation of the program is being emphasized. Most of
the equipment is being indigenously developed by DRDO independently, as the
prime developer and the system integrator, as well as with private partnership.
The F-INSAS is being developed in three phases; Phase I -(originally scheduled
to be completed by 2012) comprising Weapons, Body Armour, Clothing and
Individual equipment, Phase II – the Target Acquisition System and Phase III comprising
the Computer Sub-System, Radio Sub-System, Software and Software Integration.
The F-INSAS will provide the infantryman with latest weaponry, communication
network and instant access to information on the battlefield. It will include a
fully networked all-terrain, all-weather personal-equipment platform, enhanced
firepower and mobility for the digitalised battlefield of the future. The
Infantryman will be equipped with mission-oriented equipment integrated with
his buddy soldier team, the sub-unit, as also the overall Command, Control,
Communications Computers, Information and Intelligence (C4I2) system. Complete
fielding in all infantry and RR units (some 465 battalions) is planned to be
completed by 2020 or so.
Unfortunately,
there is little to talk of indigenous R&D in equipping the infantry
soldier…
The core systems of F-INSAS comprise helmet and visor,
clothing, weapons and accessories. The helmet is an integrated assembly
equipped with helmet mounted flash light, thermal sensors and night vision
device, digital compass, video cameras, computer and nuclear, chemical and
biological sensors, with audio headsets. The visor is intended to be integrated
and to act as a heads-up display monitor equivalent to two 17-inch computer
monitors. The personal clothing of the infantry soldier of the future would be
lightweight with a bullet-proof jacket. The futuristic jacket would be
waterproofed yet breathable.
The new attire will enable the troops to carry extra
load and resist the impact of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare. Uniform
will also carry solar chargers for charging palmtops and other attached
electronic equipment. It will contain external oxygen supply and respirator
providing protection against gas and smoke and will include flame-retardant,
carbonised viscose undergarments, fire-proof knee and elbow pads, bullet-proof
armoured waistcoat designed to stop a bullet, ceramic armour plates covering
the front, back and groin and an armoured helmet capable of stopping a 9mm
round at close range. The new uniform will have vests with sensors to monitor
the soldier’s health parameters and provide quick medical relief.
Pertain to the French Mini UAV (MAV)
already in service
The weapons sub-system is being built around a
multi-caliber individual weapon system with the fourth caliber attached to a
grenade launcher. These include a 5.56 mm, a 7.62 mm and a new
6.8 mm under development for the first time in India. The Under Barrel Grenade
Launcher (UBGL) will be capable of launching air bursting grenade. The
sub-system includes a thermal weapon sight and laser range finder to provide
the soldier with range and direction information. The Global Positioning System
(GPS) location information will allow the soldier to call for indirect fire
accurately.
The
Battlefield Management System (BMS) and F-INSAS programs are being developed
concurrently…
There are reportedly two types of next generation
infantry rifles under development indigenously but a global tender for the
acquisition of new assault rifles and carbines for Close Quarters Battle (CQB)
carbines have been issued.
As for accessories, the soldier will be equipped with
Palmtop GPS device for communicating with other soldiers and locate or generate
maps to find location, and for situational awareness. The palmtop will inform
the soldiers about the location of friendly forces in relation to their own
positions. It will also enable them to transfer messages. Terrain equipment
gears for various specific missions will also be carried. Thermal imaging,
sensors and night vision equipment, currently deployed in weapon systems such
as artillery and Main Battle Tanks will be customised to make them portable for
soldiers to carry in the battleground. Defence advanced GPS receivers,
infra-red sensors, thermal sensors, electro-magnetic sensors and radio
frequency sensors would also be carried.
(IF THE INFANTRY IS TO GET IN TO FUP AND ATTACK IN LINE AS
DONE FROM 1ST WORLD WAR, NO NETWORKING IS NEEDED. INFANTRY SHOULD ATTACK
AND DEFEND FROM A NUMBER OF DIRECTIONS, THEN YOU NEED ALL THESE GADGETS. IF WE
ARE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR 1 TACTICS, NO NEED FOR ANY NETWRORKING)
US War Dogs. Our Special Forces and
Airborne forces have not graduated to this level
The Battlefield Management System (BMS) and F-INSAS
programs are being developed concurrently; BMS under Information Systems and
F-INSAS under the Infantry. The BMS was conceived at battalion/regiment level
pan army (including for the infantry) and comprises communication,
non-communication hardware and software. The lowest level to which the system
will be connected is the individual soldier/weapon platform and highest level
with the Battalion/Regiment Commander. The system will be further integrated
with the Tactical Command, Control, Communications and Information (Tac C3I)
System through the Command Information Decision Support System (CIDSS).
In
terms of clothing and bullet proof jackets, the quality that DRDO provides is
generally first from the rock bottom…
The Directorate General of Information System (DGIS)
is charged with facilitating transformation of the IA into a dynamic
network-centric force achieving information superiority through effective
management of information technology. Quite logically, Phase III of F-INSAS
(Computer Sub System, Radio Sub System, Software and Software Integration)
should be a part of the BMS. However, the Infantry remains adamant that Phase 3
of F-INSAS should be developed by Infantry and not be a part of BMS. A separate
project of software and communication integration by Infantry is retrograde,
delaying overall net-centricity pan army, would incur additional avoidable costs
and defeat the very purpose that the DGIS was created for, considerable work in
the fields of GIS and applications having already been done by the latter in
addition to completing Phase I of THE CIDSS and Battlefield Surveillance System
(BSS).
Squabbling on delimitation between the BMS and F-INSAS
cost a delay to Phase I of the BMS by almost a year. The infantry has been
haggling that Phase III of F-INSAS (Computer Sub System, Radio Sub System,
Software and Software Integration) be developed by them in full or at least
till company/platoon level. Since F-INSAS is to incorporate situational
awareness and GIS, it amounts to not only ‘re-inventing the wheel’ but will
require yet another project to integrate the F-INSAS with the BMS implying
infructuous and avoidable additional expenditure and time. We have not learnt
from similar situations in foreign armies.
Psychotropic (Zombie) Gun under development
in Russia and must be also
under development in countries like China. UK etc.
In the UK,
FIST program for Infantry was thought of for ten years after the BOWMAN
program. In the latter, the C2 system went down to half squad. The Platoon
Commander carries both the BOWMAN and the FIST. In case the section has to
function independently the Section Commander carries both the BOWMAN and FIST.
Separate FINSAS and BMS could lead us to similar situations which should be
unacceptable. FBCB2 was implemented in 1998 in US Army. Land Warrior was
started late, prototyped in 2005 and foreclosed in 2007, leading to Future
Force Warrior (FFW) Program being started. Land Warrior did not integrate with
FBCB2. As a result, FBCB2 is being replaced by Joint Battle Command System
(JBCS) which goes down to the soldier.
The
new attire will enable the troops to carry extra load and resist the impact of
nuclear, chemical and biological warfare…
Significantly, the FFW program is looking only at the
soldier ensemble to include weapon, protection and integrated helmet. The
future soldier program will not have a radio of its own but JTRS Cluster 5
Radio (Soldier Radio), common to all US soldiers and a common SA and
computer from JBCS. The helmet will have a helmet-mounted display, earphones
and microphone. The system of systems are about integrating systems and
empowering the user. The soldier is only a part of the network; he is not
responsible for the network. Separate F-INSAS and BMS programs will lead to
issues related to inter-operability and integration of systems as the systems
may be developed by different agencies using different platforms.
Maintenance of disparate systems would be required and
it would be difficult to achieve the test-bed of an integrated Combat Group or
Infantry Battalion Group. It would be prudent for the Infantry to only develop
Phases I and II of the F-INSAS, leaving development of Phase III as part of the
BMS especially since the latter also caters for Mechanised Infantry, both in
mounted and dismounted roles.
Future
Continuous focus required in relation to
the infantryman should be to decrease his load, increase his effectiveness and
significantly improve his effectiveness. There is need to not only
hasten the F-INSAS project but also holistically review whether there is a need
to go beyond and meet the soldier modernisation of the entire Security Sector;
all Military, Para Military Forces (PMF), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
and Police units charged with counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist
operations because asymmetric threats need to be met in integrated fashion at
the national level. Then within the army, the BMS is catering for the digitised
battlefield at regiment/battalion level pan army but the BMS does not cater for
Weapons, Body Armour, Clothing and Individual equipment, which actually should
be a part of soldier modernisation pan army since in counter-terrorism and
counter-insurgency, invariably troops other than infantry also get involved in
operations both inadvertently and/or advertently. We should, therefore, be
looking at across-the-board soldier modernisation concurrent to the infantry
soldier.
1 MW Laser Pistol of USA
Mini
UAVs (MAVs) and medium range surveillance devices
are planned for a deeper look into enemy territory by the infantry but
are
apparently delayed on account of these being developed by the DRDO.
Hopefully,
the development will not be as slow and hiccupped as the Nishant UAV.
The US forces have been operating the RQ 11 MAV in Afghanistan
successfully that fits in a backpack. The French also introduced a MAV
for
their Special Forces in 2009. It may be prudent for our infantry to try
out
Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) MAVs concurrent to indigenous
developments.
Our infantry is also contemplating provision of Patrol
and Sniffer Dogs to units/sub units. For decades now we have been using dogs
from Army Dog Units for simple patrolling and sniffing tasks. We should be looking
at specialisation of the type that is in the US forces; war dogs as buddies even
trained in aerial delivery. Our Special Forces and airborne forces need to take
a lead in this.
Mini UAVs (MAVs) and medium range surveillance devices are planned for a deeper look into enemy territory…
There is also a need to start developing futuristic
weapons. The New US XM25 Rifle uses radio-controlled smart bullets and the
gun-sight uses a Laser Range Finder. The DRDO has developed the Laser Dazzler
that will impair vision temporarily to control unruly crowds and there are
plans to develop ADITYA – a vehicle mounted gas dynamic laser-based directed
energy system as technology demonstrator plus a 25-kilowatt laser system under
development to hit a missile in terminal phase at a distance of five to seven
kilometres.
But we should also be looking at hand-held weapons.
The US
already has the 1 MW Laser Pistol and the US Army is to induct Laser Assault
Rifles in the near future. Russia
has announced the development of the Zombie Gun (psychotropic weapon) for mind
control and obviously countries such as US, China
and UK
will not be lagging behind.
It is important to note that in 21st century conflict
situations not only will operations be increasingly inter-agency involving
greater applications of ‘all elements of national power’, but our adversaries
will also endeavour to employ hi-tech irregular forces against us. If we can
achieve soldier modernisation within the Security Sector and network this cutting
edge at the national level, we can be sure to win future conflict situations.
Modernisation of the infantry has not been given its due in past decades.
This must be treated as an ‘emergent’ requirement in
consideration of the emerging threats within and surrounding the country
especially considering the rate at which terrorists are achieving
sophistication.
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