Army’s rapid strike ability gets a fillip

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 27

GSAT-6, the military satellite launched today, will allow the Army to ramp up the speed and accuracy of its striking capabilities, besides providing a much clearer real-time battlefield picture.

It will allow a connection among all Army regiments for seamless real-time flow of two-way information, data, videos and even transmission of images captured through night-vision cameras.

In other words, it will connect the last of the soldiers with his commander. A mix of handheld devices and laptops will serve as nodal points. The footprint of the satellite is pan-India, sources say.

Army’s accuracy in undertaking strikes will be enhanced due to seamless integration with attack helicopters and fighter jets of the Indian Air Force.

There will be real-time data and video sharing among tanks on the ground, IAF aircraft in the sky and advancing infantrymen. Commanders on the field and Generals sitting in war-rooms will be seeing the same live pictures as the entire battlefield will be connected seamlessly.

The data will be beamed across laptops using a mix of satellites and radio communication. All this will be done at a very high encryption level so as to prevent snooping.

In August 2013, India launched GSAT-7 (or Rukmini), its first military satellite to keep an eye on the Indian Ocean and Malacca.