Insight

The IT in India’s cruise missile

The Defence Research and Development Laboratory at Hyderabad makes use of IT to redefine weapons systems, says Srinivasa Rao Dasari

For key defence applications, India’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) has been banking on the IT expertise of Cyberabad. IT is being used to integrate the three arms of the defence forces.

For example, radar operations today involve a dozen computers integrated with a radar dish as against a conventional radar, in which a computer was considered to be merely an accessory. Electronic warfare systems are critical components of long-range missile systems and supersonic cruise missiles, light combat aircraft, radars, under-water sensors, combat vehicles and armaments.

The IT-isation of weapons systems

As technology advances, the share of IT in the overall cost of a modern weapons system has grown. Take the case of the BrahMos missile, where 70-75 percent of the cost is accounted for by its IT systems. Earlier, the ratio of weapons system to IT was in the range of 90:10, whereas today it is almost the reverse—the ratio of IT to other components and hardware is in the range of 75:25. After networking all the sections of engineering support services (e-SS), DRDL has turned its focus to Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID), and plans to implement RFID across all its sections over the next five years. As part of the e-SS, DRDL has taken up the implementation of RFID in several key sections such as spares management, maintenance, inventory, documentation, training, record-keeping and networking all its depots.

The organisation has also increased the use of IT applications in inventory and maintenance.

Considering the growing usage of IT applications across different sections right from maintenance and inventory to intelligent missiles, DRDL has doubled its budget allocation for information technology. The IT spend of DRDL was more than Rs 100 crore during the past five years, and it has earmarked Rs 200 crore for the next five.

BrahMos@Mach2

The supersonic BrahMos missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, has a range of 290 kilometres, and can carry a conventional payload of up to 300 kgs at over the twice the speed of sound. BrahMos—an acronym representing two great rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia—can be fired from multiple platforms on land, ship, submarine or plane. The missile can be launched either in vertical or inclined positions covering 360 degrees. It is said to have a variety of applications that give the navy an advantage in combat. The BrahMos is unique because it is the only cruise missile in the world capable of travelling at supersonic speeds over long distances. It is also said to be highly accurate, and can be guided by means of an onboard computer.

Explains Prahlada, Director, DRDL, “IT services are needed by the military. We use IT in areas such as radar, navigation, missile control and simulation. With missiles becoming more technology-based and intelligent, IT applications may be the deciding factor during a future war. Fortunately, we are good at IT, and this will give India an edge over other countries when it comes to intelligent war weapons. We are associated with about 25 leading IT companies, of which Satyam is one.”

Understandably, DRDL cannot furnish details about key projects involving IT applications because they are classified. However, the high attrition rate in the IT industry has had an impact on its projects. “Frequency, guidance, and navigation areas are confidential, and for this reason we prefer Indian IT companies to execute these projects. In some cases, IT companies have deployed their professionals on our campus. At any point of time, about 30 projects are being developed at different centres across the country, though the bulk of the work is done at Hyderabad.”

Grid computing

DRDL has plans to focus on grid computing to utilise surplus memory and technology resources that are available at other organisations. It also intends to tie up with leading research organisations across the world, and has already teamed up with the universities of Hyderabad and Bangalore. In addition, it is exploring ways and means to benefit from an information grid on the lines of the NASA Information Power Grid (IPG), and the British Grid Enabled Optimisation and Design Search for Engineering (GEODISE).

Explains Prahlada, “A grid infrastructure will give us the ability to dynamically link resources as an ensemble to support the execution of large-scale, resource-intensive and distributed applications. Data-oriented applications help us collect, store and analyse data. At present, we have VPN access to seven academic institutions.” Even so, a grid for aerospace engineering linking geographically-separated subsystems will be needed for effective aircraft design.

DRDL has a VPN system that helps its head honchos coordinate and monitor its labs across the country. It uses CAD/CAM to design systems, and transfers these design files to manufacturing facilities. DRDL has developed a state-of-the-art modelling and simulation system that facilitates material processing, forming, casting, forging, sintering, heat treatment, machining operations, welding and brazing. The weapons system simulation model includes low-fidelity, medium-fidelity and high-fidelity options for the variations in different parameters such as human interaction. Simulating a war on a computer before it breaks out lets the military assess potential strategies in the light of the merits of opposing armies. “We can do casting, assembling, testing and modelling on simulations, and have a comprehensive weapons systems simulation with attackers and defenders,” elaborates Prahlada. The computer-based programme knows how missiles work, and DRDL continuously checks its performance.

The organisation uses GPS and Glonass for navigation and guidance of weapons systems, while GPS is used to update and improve Initialise Missile Receiver (IMU) measurements. However, some satellite links will be lost when a GPS jammer is used. To account for this eventuality, DRDL has come out with a conceptual model of a system based on the proven technology of GPS to overcome such risks. As part of this, various key facilities such as the availability of local area positioning in the absence of a GPS signal, and augmentation of the GPS-based systems are ensured. This proposed system will be less susceptible to jammers.

ECIL’s role

The public sector Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) has undertaken a command & control and display software project for DRDL. Known as C-4/ 2 SR, the project will help strengthen the country’s air defence by facilitating multi-radar tracking of air situation scenarios. In this system, information is transmitted via VSAT to a base station from a missile-mounted platform. The encrypted information goes via different frequencies through a satellite link, a redundancy that makes it more reliable. The technology helps identify a target ship and track its movements with great accuracy.

Smart Seeker is an intelligent device that guides missile operation; it is supported by MMIC devices, surface mounted MIL-grade components, an inertial measurement unit interface, and FFT chips. A key feature is that the programme is based on Smart Seeker Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Application-specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs).

The use of on-board computers to control the functioning of weapons has increased the efficiency of destroying targets. One example is the Tomahawk Cruise missile. Once the approximate position of the desired target is programmed, the missile maps out its flight path on its own.

In a war zone, information about the enemy’s position, armaments and troops’ strength is vital. The volume, accuracy and speed at which the data can be gathered and processed into meaningful information has increased, as has the technology supporting it. With these inputs, a battle-field commander can then utilise his forces in the most effective manner.

Export potential

India’s expertise in IT has opened a business opportunity for it in the global arms market. According to industry observers, in the technology-driven weapons market, India is likely to gain an edge over developed countries in the near future. Making modern defence equipment has become a good business proposition as well. India and Russia intend to aggressively market export versions of the BrahMos to friendly third-world countries (to be identified by mutual consent). Officials opine that the business on supplying BrahMos to other nations can grab a major portion of the US $10 billion demand for cruise missiles of this type.

There are three main categories of computer applications in warfare: battlefield management, weapon control and war simulation. DRDL has carved a niche in these areas with its in-house expertise in association with leading Indian IT companies. With this expertise, India can play a key role in the business of smart modern munitions. And take care of itself along the way.