>> Technology / operations Almost Invincible Israel’s ...continued from page 8 antenna rotation. The radar detects a wide variety of low RCS targets such as low flying fighter aircraft, low velocity ultra-lights and UAVs. The radar provides accurate target measurements of velocity, range, azimuth and elevation angles. The ELM-2026B VSHORAD can be deployed as a local air defence system providing early warning and target track to surface-to-air weapon systems.
ELM-2080 - Green Pine Radar System The ELM-2080 “Green Pine” radar system is a transportable ground-based, multimode solid state phased array radar. Incorporating ELTA’s vast experience in surveillance and fire control, the “Green Pine” radar is designed to autonomously detect and simultaneously track dozens of tactical ballistic missiles from long ranges, under allweather conditions and in the presence of undesired echoes.
ELM-2084 - MMR The ELM-2084 is a mobile S-Band multimission radar (MMR) family implementing an advanced 3D active electronically steered array (AESA) supporting modular and scalable architecture. The MMR family supports artillery weapon location and air defence operational missions and provides optimal solutions for short, medium and long range missions. The ELM-2084 features high redundancy, graceful degradation, high reliability and very high availability.
ELM-2106 ATAR Medium Range Tactical Air Defence Radar The ELM-2106 ATAR (Advanced Tactical Acquisition Radar) is ELTA’s fourthgeneration 3D Tactical air defence radars.
It Reflects ELTA’s 35 years of experience in tactical military radars. The ELM-2106 ATAR System is a 3D solid state L-band medium range tactical radar with Active Electronically Steering Array (AESA) in elevation. The radar detects a wide variety of low RCS target such as: low velocity ultralights and UAVs. The ELM-2106 ATAR can be deployed as a local air defence system providing warning and target designation to surface-toAIR weapon systems including MANPADS. The system can also be deployed as gap filters for supporting C3I centres for AIR Traffic Control (ATC). THE ELM-2106 ATAR has been field proven, operating in noisy and high-clutter environments.
ELW-2085 - CAEW - Conformal Airborne Early Warning & Control
ELM-2106NG - ADSR - 3D Tactical Air Defence Radar
ELTA’s integrated mission suite, with a powerful command, control and communication system, supports a variety of operational missions such as: long-range air surveillance; airborne C4I for air & naval operations; airborne command & control post; network-centric warfare operations and communication node. This long-range, large cabin,4-engine turbojet military transport aircraft, supports a comlpete and high performance AEW&C suite. The IL-76 provides exceptional cabin space for the operator’s crew including a large rest area for additional operators. The ELW-2090 IL-76 AEW&C aircraft can be air-refuelled for extending mission time.
This 3D portable radar detects a wide variety of flying platforms including low level high-speed fighter aircraft, hovering helicopters, low ultra-light aircraft and UAVs. The radar provides accurate range, azimuth and elevation angle measurements for each target, differentiating between aircraft and helicopters and classifying the helicopter type according to its blades returns.
ELL-8388 3-D Multi-Mission Ground ESM/ELINT System ELL-8388 is a modern advanced 3-D ESM/ELINT surveillance system for tactical and strategic intelligence collection and air defence support. This integrated system has the unique capability of creating a 3-dimensional situation picture by providing location and dynamic tracking of airborne, shipborne, and mobile/fixed ground-based emitters.
The long-range, high performance, multisensor AEW introduces a new level of performance to airborne early warning, tactical surveillance of airborne and surface targets, and the gathering of signal intelligence. The ELW-2085’s four sensors are: Radar, IFF, ESM/ELINT and CSM/ COMINT. A unique fusion technique continuously cross-correlates data generated by all sensors: this data is combined with an automatically initiated active search by one sensor for specific targets detected by other sensors.
ELW-2090 - Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C)
Elbit’s Proven Experience A supplier of advanced artillery systems for over 25 years, Elbit Systems Land and C4I has proven experience with large variety of artillery guns, launchers and mortar types,
advanced integration capabilities with various types of radios and artillery sensors, and a deep understanding artillery processes, ballistic computing and battlefield management.
Air Defence and Mortar Services There are Platform Upgrades – comprehensive upgrade of existing platforms, including C4I, fire control and navigation systems. Truck Mounted Guns – artillery modernisation for heavy and light platforms utilizing existing towed, track, or mounted guns improving effectiveness, accuracy and survivability. Autonomous mortar – automatic movement mortar system, fully integrated with C2, fire control systems, navigation, positing and communication, and leveraging existing platforms.
High Repetition Range-finders The ability to measure the range-to-target at high repetition rates is critical to improving air defence systems’ operational capabilities. Elbit Systems Electro-optics - Elop’s (Elop) cutting edge eyesafe, high repetition rangefinders upgrade the capabilities of the full range of anti-aircraft weapons.
Virtual Training The Air Defence Simulator (ADS) is a sophisticated indoor training facility that provides a simulated environment for advanced air defence (AD) training. The simulator combines training of short-range AD weapon systems with varying operational scenarios and environmental conditions. The ADS utilizes a powerful proprietary scenario generator that supports a large number of simultaneous entities, including high-fidelity simulation of virtual blue and red forces. SP
Airborne Operations ...continued from page 10
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Photograph: PIB
abroad. While truncated battalion level drops are being practised in Corps level exercises in recent years, the Air Force pilots are observed undertaking reconnaissance on days preceding the drop over the intended drop zone in exercise enemy area in broad daylight – a luxury that will not be available in actual operations. More significantly, the Air Force deploys a heavy vehicle with crew for DZ safety surreptitiously in the exercise enemy area wherein the same task to guide the drop can be easily done by own Special Forces in the area or by an Army DZ Safety officer dropped or infiltrated, as feasible, for the purpose. Though operationally impractical, Air Force continues with such practice to retain its exclusive turf. Then is the question of Air Dispatch. The An-32 is designed to carry 42 paratroopers. If the dispatchers are from the Air Force, it implies wastage of air capacity as two dispatchers of Air Force go back with the aircraft, dropping only 40 paratroopers. This despite adequate Army personnel are trained in Air Dispatch who can dispatch the paratroops from the aircraft and be the last to themselves jump out. In case of the IL-76, which has a four door exit, carriage capacity of four army paratroopers is wasted because Air Force is using four Air Force personnel for air dispatch duties. The cumulative wastage of airlift capacity amounts to 92 army paratroops in case of a battalion group drop on full scale and 68 army paratroops in case of a hard scale drop of a battalion group. The Air Force also rules out paradrops in mountains by night and there appears to be aversion to blind drops by night even in plains. The Air Force deploys a heavy vehicle with crew for DZ safety surreptitiously in the exercise enemy area wherein the same task
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SP’s Land Forces 4/2014
IAF’s C-130J during the Exercise Iron Fist 2013
to guide the drop can be easily done by own Special Forces in the area or by an Army DZ Safety officer dropped or infiltrated, as feasible, for the purpose.
Requirement The requirement for the Indian military is to review airborne operation holistically and work towards jointness in refining operational capabilities and capacity building rather consolidating single service turfs. The Army’s Airborne Training School and PTS, AF, Agra should be merged into a single Military Airborne Training School directly under Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) that would meet the airborne training, combat military free-fall training, heavy drop training and even airborne sports requirements of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Parachute Brigade is the
prime Rapid Reaction Force of the Army and the country, whose employment must be optimised. The US invasion of Afghanistan was spearheaded by troops from US 82 and 101 Airborne Division preceded on ground by Special Forces. A future war with China and or Pakistan may require similar actions; establishment of air head(s), vertical envelopment to seize territory and to outmanoeuvre and outflank enemy locations. This needs streamlining existing procedures, reorganisation, training and joint services procedures. Streamlining of standard operation procedures must also look into reducing attrition through measures like formation flying, reducing length of the airstream and low level drops. Likely drop zones for operations need to be identified, simulated and periodic exercises held to hone our capabilities. In all this, the Para-
chute Brigade must also train for such tasks in conjunction the Special Frontier Force. There is no reason why we cannot undertake airborne drops by night in mountains where plateaus are available. As part of force projection, we must build capability for capturing an airstrip on an island by night through airborne assault. It is not without reason that the Chinese PLA is undertaking high altitude airborne exercises in Tibet including capture of mountain passes. Since 2010, PLA has been rehearsing capture of mountain passes at heights beyond 5,000 metres through armoured vehicles and airborne troops. A Chinese Ministry of Defense report claimed the exercises have been conducted at an elevation of more than 4,500 metres using air and ground troops on high altitude plateaus. We must ready ourselves for conflict with China since posturing of the PLA in our border regions is in line with China’s shifting strategy from continental to peripheral defence in sync with Chinese military doctrinal intent of resolving to fight and win local wars on its borders. In this context, the PLA is engaged in capacity building for faster deployment in high altitudes of the Tibetan plateau. There is no reason why we cannot do similarly. Significantly, China maintains an Airborne Corps albeit primarily to ensure integrity of the country and relies heavily on air landed operations post capture of an air head, even using civil commercial aircraft. We can take a cue from this since a mismatch exists between our paratrooping trained capability and our airlift capability in background of operational requirements and an enlarging China-Pakistan collusive threat. Much work needs to be done in this regard. HQ IDS and Army Training Command (ARTRAC) need to seriously examine above issues. SP