Date:14/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/14/stories/2006121411240500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Net-centric warfare capabilities required'

Special Correspondent

Conference on IT in Defence gets under way

Bangalore: Modern-day battlefield requirements and their emerging scenarios, embedded software and information technology (IT) in Defence systems were the focus of attention at the two-day Computer Society of India-organised `National Conference on IT in Defence' that got under way here on Wednesday.

The conference, which was attended by over 120 delegates, including from the Defence forces, the Integrated Defence Staff, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the National Technical Research Organisation and the Advanced Missile Guidance Programme, the scientific community and industry, hopes to evolve solutions and strategies to meet the futuristic advances in battlefield technologies.

Speaking at the inaugural function, the former Scientific Adviser and Director-General of DRDO, V.K. Aatre, said today's main battlefield elements were "sensors (surveillance using radar, avionics, unmanned aerial vehicles and communication), reach (mobility and platform), deny (counter-measures) and destroy (using weapons)."

Comparing modern-day warfare to a spider's web, Dr. Aatre said intelligence gathering was the key objective. "

Space surveillance

Touching upon space-based warfare, Dr. Aatre said space surveillance was the real challenge.

C.R. Chakravarthy, former Director of the Scientific Analysis Group and Chairman of the conference, emphasised that the challenged was to act despite the very small reaction time.