By Milind Kulshreshtha
To search and track a hostile target more than water, in the air or undersea is the pretty foundation of any maritime warfare. Indian Navy recognized the possible of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) at the starting of the 21st century when two variants of fixed wing UAVs, Searcher and Heron had been inducted from Israel in 2002. The key part of these UAVs was unmanned ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) maritime missions in a multi-mission/multi-payload configuration. The UAVs had been capable of carrying numerous payloads onboard, like electro-optics (Day/Night operations), marine radars, ELINT (Electronics Intelligence) systems and so on. The UAVs employed onboard SATCOM (Satellite Communication) for Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) ranges and had been capable of giving OTHT (Over- The-Horizon Target) information. The Heron MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) was capable of more than 24 hours of flight time and could attain altitudes up to 45,000 feet.
UAVs Control by Warship
At any provided time, Indian Navy designates a sea going trial platform for testing of indigenous systems like sonars, torpedo tubes and so on. in the actual atmosphere. One such indigenous Leander class warship was also fitted with UAV Advance Ship Control System in a Port and Starboard configuration, with a communication information-hyperlink to UAVs and an interface with the ship’s external V/UHF communication gear. The essential things like an uninterrupted UAV handle information-hyperlink with the ship, regardless of the ship’s continuous roll and pitch, was particularly developed. In this scheme, it was planned that as soon as launched from the shore Naval Air Station, the handle of the UAV shall be passed more than to the warship at sea for the ship’s ISR mission and UAV handle passed back to the shore unit for additional recovery on land right after finishing the mission. However, the need to have for such a specialized arrangement has been overcome mainly by the advancements in the digital communication systems, which provide a significantly larger bandwidth for shipborne operations, even devoid of direct handle of the UAV by the ship.
Presently, Indian Navy is exploring the induction of Naval Shipborne Aerial System (NSUS). The deck launched tactical UAVs (fixed wing or rotary wing) would be generally a desirable function for the naval warships to obtain regional ISR potential and for a closer air cover against enemy attack. Once organised more than the sea, the NSUS UAVs can provide the air cover to the fleet’s warships and actively participate in the Combat Air Patrol duties.
Beginning of Combat Drones Era for Indian Navy
After two decades of prosperous exploitation of the surveillance UAVs, Indian Navy is at the juncture of upgrading its Squadrons to the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs). It is the significantly needed way ahead in the quickly evolving geopolitical circumstance in the area. The UCAVs have the potential to search out targets on the higher seas and destroy the chosen hostile targets. The UCAVs can also stealthily penetrate the enemy air space with an explosive payload (like missiles, guided bombs and so on.).
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The UAVs presently in operations with the Navy have navigation/handle options combined with specialised sensors, primarily aimed at attaining precise surveillance more than the enemy territories. However, UCAVs go a step additional than only surveillance, and bring in a new dimension with their weaponised capability to engage Air to Surface (land/water) and even Air to Air targets. UCAVs with their onboard missiles and laser guided bombs. UCAVs like SeaGuardian have multi-mission configurations capabilities for maritime ISR, Anti-submarine Warfare, Surface Warfare and SAR (Search and Rescue) operations. The Anti-submarine operations are carried out by means of two to 4 sonobuoys which can be launched from air. Once in the sea water, these sonobuoys get started to function in active/passive mode and all the underwater noise picked up is transmitted back to the UCAVs onboard receiver for processing and extracting the intelligence (like submarine signature). It is reported that the OEM is contemplating equipping the drone for anti-mine capabilities in the future upgrade and this shall make the navigation of ships in waters infested with surface mines safer.
Today, even although the military UAVs are not particularly anticipated to comply with civil airworthiness regulations as detailed by the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization),nonetheless, the Sea Guardian UAVs comply to a comparable minimum level of airworthiness for fixed-wing aircrafts for flight in nonsegregated airspace with minimal or no restrictions. Such big UAVs are fitted with an automatic Obstacle Collision Avoidance program and SeaGuardian additional comply with the STANAG-4671 (NATO’s airworthiness typical for Unmanned Aerial Systems). The UAVs also have been regarded as protected for civil operations (Disaster Management activities) with their onboard collision avoidance radar and handle systems.For India, this shall make the UCAVs protected to operate more than land and in the congested industrial air routes closer to the shore (like for Mumbai harbour defence and so on.).
UCAV Interoperability
The legacy UAVs had been created more as payload carrying aerial machines with Ground Control Stations controlling the UAVs by means of V/UHF or Satellite hyperlinks. Each variety of UAVs employed their personal proprietary encrypted telemetry and communication (such as video) hyperlinks. Thus, UAVs from unique sources of provide are not interoperable (for options like use of one single Ground Controller to handle varied UAVs in airetc.). However, SeaGuardian UAVs have been created to comply with the STANAG 4586 NATO Standard Agreement for interoperability. STANAG 4586 defines the Interface Protocol, information components and message format for inter-program communication. India shall do nicely in future by requesting this function in the negotiations. UCAVs becoming procured from General Atomics could be a excellent get started point for India to get started such an initiative for greater jointness with NATO typical gear becoming procured from US or even French Rafale Fighter jets. It is a matter of time when IAF shall be exploiting the UCAVs as component of the fighter jet assistance units in the strike formations and the interoperability can come to be the missing hyperlink for this potential. This also shall make certain that current UCAVs generally stay upward-compatible with the next generation UCAVs. Further, as is knowledgeable for the duration of the UAV flying, many Ground Stations operating close by can result in Electro-magnetic Interference and Compatibility (EMI/EMC) troubles and can be a result in of security concern. The UCAVs could nonetheless have to be tested in India for its future operations in a war zone or a contested airspace (due to jamming gear operating).
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The SeaGuardian’s developed capability to communicate with manned aircrafts is a function India can additional discover for future joint operations with Naval Maritime Patrol aircrafts and IAF fighter jets. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) inside the flying drone units and its Ground Control Station (GCS) shall be important for the Target Identification/Designation, Target Tracking and effective autonomous Attack manoeuvres to engage the target(s). It is also anticipated that the operations of UCAVs by India shall spur the improvement of a robust anti-drone technologies by the Industry.
Conclusion
For the Indian Navy, High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UCAVs operating from Andaman and Nicobar Naval base to hold an eye on the Western Pacific with a battle-hardened SeaGuardian UAVs shall be one of the pivotal gear for India’s preparedness. The UCAVs shall play an vital part to shape the next skirmish with any hostile nation which India could face either on land, air or at sea. A ‘Ladakh’ surprise at sea is one thing India can not afford and requires to be ever vigilant in the Indo-Pacific.With the induction of UCAVs like SeaGaurdians, Indian Navy’s UAV Squadrons have a important part to play in the peace time itself to hold the India’s interest and safety protected on higher seas, ahead of any threat reaches closer to the Indian shores.
(The author is a Strategic Analyst and C4I professional. Email: [email protected] Views expressed are private and do not reflect the official position or policy of TheSpuzz Online.)