geointelligence may june 2014

8/11/2019 GeoIntelligence May June 2014

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Vol. 4 Issue 3 MAy june 2014

RNI NO. UPENG/2011/37063 ` 100 US$ 10ISSN 2277 3126

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G E O I N T E L

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5

Technological and organisational changes in the last three decades haveresulted in a Revolution in Military Affairs which has transformed armedforces the world over. No longer is it mere numbers that will decide theoutcome of a con ict. State-of-the-art surveillance systems providing real-time

intelligence enable commanders to take quick decisions, conveyed through robust, securecommunications to networked troops and platforms with precision guided weapons.Whether on land, at sea, in the air, space or cyber space, each element of this sensor,decision maker, shooter cycle relies heavily on GIS. In simplistic terms, GIS can be statedto be a system of hardware, software and procedures designed to support the capture,management, manipulation, analysis, modelling and display of spatially referenced data.

Unlike earlier days, the modern battle eld will have no xed or clearly de ned

boundaries. The enemy can attack targets well in-depth using his air assets and stand-offweapon systems. This is all the more true in the case of attacks by non-state actors suchas terrorists and insurgents. There is, therefore, a need for comprehensive surveillanceto gather intelligence about enemy and own dispositions and movements. Similarly, to

be able to launch a surprise attack and destroy enemys critical infrastructure, troopsand weapon systems, we should have real-time information regarding their location.Situational awareness is achieved through integration of all Intelligence, Surveillance(sensors deployed on ground, at sea, in the air and in space) and Reconnaissance (ISR)along with their spatial context.

The selection and acquisition of targets and attacking them with precisionweapons is the nal phase of the cycle. Weapon technology today has

developed to a stage where a small target can be attacked from large distances by a precision weapon system, ensuring maximum punishment without therisk of any collateral damage. For this to be successful, the real-time relative

positions of weapon systems and targets are essential to compute the ight path of an attacking weapon system. Same is true when designing an effectivedefence system against enemy attacks.

Logistics is an essential requirement of warfare, from the movement of troops,supply of food, fuel, ammunition, to the repair and maintenance of weaponsand equipment and transportation and treatment of casualties. Decisionsregarding location of logistics infrastructure and facilities in the supply chainneed to be based on geospatial information. Transport plans can be optimised

based on availability of geospatial information regarding routes, traf cability,obstacles, vulnerability to enemy action, etc. Providing ef cient logisticsupport in fast paced mobile operations is a challenge for which accurategeospatial information is a prerequisite.

Thorough knowledge of terrain has always been of importance to defenceforces. This was earlier restricted to maps, varying in scale, detail and vintage,with suspect accuracy. Aerial imagery and remote sensing have revolutionisedthe techniques of map making. Geospatial information in the form of digitalmaps and satellite imagery are available to commanders today enabling themto take decisions in a digital battle eld environment.

E d

i t o r i a

l Geographical Information SystemsEnable Combat Operations

Lt Gen (Dr) AKS Chandele PVSM, AVSM (Retd) Managing Editor

[email protected]


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NEWS

Senstar Unveils New RangingFence-Mounted Sensor Senstar has unveiled FlexZone, a newstate-of-the-art ranging fence-mountedsensor. With three meter location accu-racy, FlexZone enables exible zoningthrough software. Compared to non-rang-ing systems, FlexZone reports remarkablyfewer nuisance alarms while maintaining

a high probability of detection, said thecompany. It can detect and localise multi-ple simultaneous intrusions and providesmany features that speed installation time.End users demand better performance when securing their critical sites, but wantto reduce their total installed cost. oachieve this objective FlexZone supports600m (1,968 feet) of sensor cable perprocessor, creates zones through software,and carries power and data on the sensorcable to dramatically reduce the costs of

supporting infrastructure for large sites,added the company. Furthermore, for smallsites FlexZone can provide one box solution with up to 4 zones reported by local relays.Installers want a speedy risk-free instal-lation process and FlexZone delivers this with numerous ease-of-use features suchas pre-installed openings with cable glands,convenient USB connection for setup, anda single software setup tool for all phases ofthe installation, it further claims.

Lockheed Martin to SupportReconnaissance AircraftSystemTe US Air Force Life Cycle Management

Center has awarded Lockheed Martin aforeign military sales contract to supportthe Republic of Koreas Peace Kryptonreconnaissance aircraft system. Tecontract is valued at approximately USD9 million. Te Peace Krypton system

is used for tactical intelligence andcomprises militarised business jets andground stations that process data fromthe aircraft.Lockheed Martins sustainment workscope involves maintenance of theaircraft eet, which includes spare andrepair parts, as well as providing supportand test equipment for both the aircraftand its xed and mobile ground stations.Te company will also provide softwaredevelopment and software upgrades

as needed to modernise thereconnaissance system.

Exelis Completes Transmitter Assemblies for GPS III SatellitesExelis has completed and tested sixtransmitter assemblies, which are integralpayload components for the rst in a seriesof the next generation of GPS III navigationsatellites. Te navigation payload trans-mitters carry high-powered GPS signalsfrom space to Earth, benetting military,

commercial and civilian users. o ensurethe space vehicle navigation payload meetsperformance requirements over the mis-sion life, Exelis subjected the transmitterassemblies to a rigorous test programme which includes random vibration, pyro-shock and thermal vacuum testing whichreplicates space-like conditions that enve-lope the launch vehicle, deployment andon-orbit environments.GPS III is a crucial programme for the US Air Force, affordably replacing the aging

constellation of GPS satellites currentlyin orbit. Compared to prior GPS vehicles,GPS III satellites are expected to deliverthree times better accuracy, provide up to

eight times more powerful anti-jammingcapabilities and include enhancementsthat extend spacecraft life 25 per cent

further. Tese satellites will also carry anew civil signal designed to be interop-erable with other international globalnavigation satellite systems, enhancingcivilian user connectivity.

DigitalGlobe Introduces 50cmTRUEDigitalGlobe has introduced the productname 50 cm RUE for its highest resolutionsatellite imagery products. Te satelliteimages have a resolution better than 50

cm at nadir (directly overhead) and deliver

Courtesy: Exelis

Courtesy: DigitalGlobe


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L-3 Linkabit IntroducesEmbeddable NCW ModemsL-3 Linkabit has added two newembeddable modems to its net-

work-centric waveform product line. TeMPM-2000 NCW IP modem delivers fullmesh, SACOM-on-the-move networking

in a compact form factor designed to beinstalled in combat vehicles. Te MPM-2500 NCW board set provides full-mesh,ad hoc networking to manpack andsuitcase satellite terminals. Both mo-dems offer the capabilities of L-3s DISA/ ARS RA-certied RMPRM-1000 NCWmodem. With our new NCW modem andmodem boardset offerings, we are able to provide em-beddable, low-SWaP NCW to any termi-nal, as well as the lightest, most powerful

modem capability on the battleeld, saidElissa Seidenglanz, Senior Vice Presidentof Division Operations and Deputy Gener-al Manager of L-3 Linkabit.

NEWSminimum 5 m CE90 accuracy. Although,DigitalGlobe has been delivering true 50cm imagery since the last ve years, thenew product line was created to informcustomers about the quality of images.

Te satellite imagery provider claims tobe the only commercial provider of native50 cm satellite imagery, according to anofficial blog. Tree out of the ve satellitesin DigitalGlobes constellation are capableof collecting imagery at 50 cm resolutionor better, and with WorldView-3 ready tolaunch this summer, the company believesthat it will be able to collect imagery downto almost 30 cm resolution.

US Awards 20 New Defence

ContractsTe Department of Defense, US, has award-ed a total of 20 separate defence contracts worth USD 618.4 million combined. Someof the companies which have received thecontract are extron Marine Land Systems,Zimmer US, BAE Systems, Boeing andBlack and Veatch Special Projects. Lock-heed Martin Aeronautics, exas, has beenawarded a USD 6,882,489 rm-xed-pricemodication (P00026) to contract (FA8615-10-C-6051) to develop, deliver and install

20 advanced countermeasure electronicssystem-system integrity (ACES SI) retrotkits, modify 24 radar warning receivers andprocure three electronic warfare memoryloader veriers for F-16C/D (16 Cs and4 Ds) Block 52 aircraft. Tis award is theresult of a source-directed/sole-sourceacquisition and is 100 per cent foreignmilitary sales for Egypt.Indus echnology, US, is being awarded apotential USD 21,797,616 indenite-deliv-ery/ indenite-quantity, cost-plus-xed-fee

contract to support the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacics (SSCPacic) Radio Frequency and NetworkSystems Support Division to provide satel-

lite communications, radio frequency andnavigation systems support services. Tethree-year contract includes two, one-yearoptions, which if exercised, would bringthe potential value of this contract to an

estimated USD 36,825,493.

CAE Wins Series of ContractsCAE has announced that it has won aseries of contracts valued at more thanUSD 127.48 million to provide a range oftraining systems and services for globaldefence customers. Tese include fourP-8A simulators sold to Boeing for theUnited States Navy, a contract to providean SW4 helicopter simulator for the Polish Air Force, various contracts to provide the

German Air Force with a range of trainingsupport services, and a contract to providelifecycle support and maintenance servicesfor PWNs AW139 simulator in Malaysia.

Lockheed Martin BagsContract for 7 and 8 Satellitesof GPS III

Te US Air Force has awarded LockheedMartin Space Systems of Denver a contractmodication worth USD 246 million for

the seventh and eighth satellites in the

next-generation GPS III positioning, navi-

gation and timing constellation, accordingto the Pentagon. Work on the seventh andeighth GPS III satellites is expected to becompleted in April 2018 and October 2018,

respectively. In February, the DefenseDepartment announced it was awardingLockheed Martin USD 14 million to orderlong-lead components for the spacecraft.Te GPS III satellites are designed to pro-

vide more accurate navigation signals thatare also more resistant to both intentionaland unintentional interference. Te rstGPS III satellite is expected to be launchedin April 2016, two years later than originallyplanned, due to a number of glitches in-cluding difficulties by subcontractor Exelisin developing the main payload.

Courtesy: Lockheed Martin

Courtesy: L-3 Linkabit


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Elbit winsContract toSell UAVs toBrazilElbit Systems

has received acontract fromBrazilian AirForce (FAB) to sellHermes 900 UAVto the country.Brazil will usethe Hermes 900,along with its

existing Hermes 450 UAVs, to provide security for the 2014 FIFA World Cup soccertournament in June. Te medium-altitude UAV which can y at up to 30,000 feet will be equipped with a new and advanced intelligence gathering system and can

carry nearly 800-pound payload. It can be guided from the same ground stationthat controls the smaller Hermes 450. Te UAVs are expected to provide Brazil witha unique solution for intelligence missions, border protection, perimeter controlof infrastructure and critical sites, as well as Safe City programmes and large scaleevents, said the company.

SAIC wins Contract for Anti-Submarine WarfareSensor SystemsScience Applications InternationalCorporation (SAIC) has been awarded

a contract by the Avionics Department(AIR-4.5) at the Naval Air SystemsCommand, US, to provide technicaland scientic research, development,integration, analysis, assessment, andtest and evaluation of its Anti-Subma-rine Warfare (ASW) sensor systems. Temultiple-award, indenite-delivery/indenite-quantity contract has a ve- year period of performance, and a totalcontract ceiling value of approximatelyUSD 50 million available to all awardees.

AIR-4.5 develops advanced sensors andsystems that support a variety of aviationmissions. Most of the sensors will be airdeployed via manned or unmanned air-craft, but ground, surface and underseadeployable sensors may also be included when mission driven.Under the contract, SAIC will provideplanning, coordination, technologydevelopment, systems denition, systemsacquisition, systems integration, modi-cation, and product support for manned

and unmanned platform avionics andsensors in support of the AcousticSystems Division and the Electro-Opticsand Special Mission Systems Division.

Additionally, SAIC will provide thedevelopment and modication of ASWsensor systems and the equipment usedto develop, integrate, test and evaluateavionics systems.

Harris to Supply FalconIII Radios to InternationalCustomer PictureHarris Corporation has received USD 82million in orders from an internation-al customer for radio communicationsystems that enable enhanced commandand control and real-time situationalawareness. Te nations armed forces areacquiring Falcon III RF-7800H widebandhigh-frequency (HF) and RF-7800V

very-high-frequency (VHF) radios in

handheld, man-portable, vehicular andtactical base station congurations.Tese systems provide wideband tacticalnetworking to the edge of the battleeld,as well as interoperable line-of-sight andbeyond-line-of-sight voice and data com-

munications. Te systems allow forcesto communicate securely and more im-mediately with their command structure,enabling more informed decisions.Our secure tactical communicationproducts and system solutions enablearmed forces to deploy quickly and man-age missions in real time. Te Harris solu-tion allows headquarters staff to monitorand coordinate forward operating units,dismounted troops, vehicles and airborneassets. Tese systems have applications

in a wide variety of scenarios; includingcorps-sized maneuvers, border controland disaster relief, said Brendan OCon-nell, President, International business,Harris RF Communications. According to the company, the radio isthe rst to enable users to send imagesand other battle management data overhigh-frequency beyond-line-of-sightenvironments faster than they couldthrough satellite communications.RF-7800H is 20 per cent smaller and

up to 10 times faster than legacy HFradios and is fully compatible with widelydeployed Harris Falcon II HF radiosand accessories.

US Army to Accelerate Geoint Analysis with Esri TemplatesEsri has provided a revised set of custom-ised templates to the US Army for use withits distributed common ground system-ar-my (DCGS-A). Featuring maps, analyticcapabilities and other visualisation tools,

the easy-to-use templates are designed tohelp geospatial engineers, intelligence ana-lysts and geoint imagery analysts to rapidlymake products to support requests fromcommanders. Working in collaboration with analysts and specialists at the US ArmyIntelligence Center of Excellence at FortHuachuca, Arizona, Esri staff rened thetemplate requirements and also custom-ised them to match the DCGS-A workows.Te DCGS-A is the armys primary systemfor posting data, processing information,

and disseminating intelligence, surveil-lance and reconnaissance (ISR) informa-tion about the threat, weather and terrainfor intelligence analysts and commanders.

Courtesy: Elbit

Courtesy: Harris


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Exelis Bags USD 1 Billion Contract for Combat RadioExelis has been awarded a ve-year indenite delivery, indenite quantity(IDIQ) contract by the US Army Contracting Command to provide radioappliqus capable of running the Army Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW). Te

contract has a potential ceiling of USD 988 million and also includes veone-year options that can be exercised at the Armys discretion. Te appliqu will host SRW, a waveform developed by Exelis which operates in the UHFand L-Band frequency ranges and provides an affordable second channelsolution to Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS) vehicular radio installations.Te initial Exelis offering on this contract is the SideHat, a radio specicallydeveloped for the vehicular electromagnetic and physical environment ex-perienced on the battleeld. Exelis designed SideHat to easily integrate withSINCGARS, the primary tactical communications backbone for the US Army with nearly 600,000 elded. SINCGARS with SideHat and SRW provides asystem solution with up to four-channels (2 SRW and 2 VHF). It provides

dismounted soldiers the ability to communicate both voice and data tomounted soldiers in vehicles within a larger network.

The Global C4ISR Marketto Reach USD 93bn by 2019 A new report called C4ISR Market(Command, Control, Communications,Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance,Reconnaissance, Land Systems, Airborne

Systems and Naval Systems) (2014-2019)by MarketsandMarkets, has revealed thatthe global C4ISR market is expected toregister a CAGR of 2.28 per cent to reachUSD 93.04 billion by 2019. Te reportprovides market analysis of the globalC4ISR market over the next ve years. Itcontains the analysis of drivers, challeng-es and restraints impacting the industry.It also discusses the industry, market,and technology trends that are currentlyprevailing in the global C4ISR market.

Some key highlights of the report: the con-tinued requirement for integrated solutionsand interoperability will be the driving fac-tors for the global C4ISR market. Austerityleading to defense budget cuts are said tocontinue at least till 2016 in two major west-ern markets of the United States and theUnited Kingdom. Te major market playersare from the United States and Europe;these players have the technical know-howand are now looking towards the emergingeconomies. ransitioning Markets include

most of the major emerging countries likeurkey, Indonesia, Australia and Brazil. Tecurrent trend of the market is its transitiontowards faster and efficient systems. Temarket will require more consolidationand integration of C4ISR systems across all

platforms to gain competitive advantage. Airborne Systems will have the highest theCAGR across all platforms and will accountfor 40 per cent of the market share in theforecast period. Tere will be an increasingdemand in UAVs, sensors, synthetic aper-

ture radars, mobility solutions, biometrics,geospatial solutions and cyber security.Unmanned systems will present a largegrowth area for C4ISR technology.

Serco bags ElectronicSurveillance Systems ContractSerco has won an indenite-delivery/indenite-quantity, cost-plus-xed-feecontract to support the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacic (SSCPacic) Security Systems Branch, US.

Serco will provide life cycle sustainment,integration, acquisition and technicalsupport for anti-terrorism/force protec-tion for Naval Electronic Surveillance Sys-tems to Department of Defense agencies.Te USD 46 million three-year, multipleaward contract vehicle includes two one- year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the potential ceiling valueof this award to approximately USD 77million. Tis is one of the three contractsawarded; and each awardee will have the

opportunity to compete for task ordersduring the ordering period. Te compa-ny will support systems that provide thecapability to receive/transmit orders,receive and process information intosituational awareness displays, support

command decision processes and com-municate electronic data to multi-service,multi-agency nodes across the entire allhazards/all-threats spectrum of ashoreand aoat operations. Many systems areconsidered mission critical and are life

and safety support systems.

NGA Joins GitHub, Offers Codeto Help Disaster ResponseTe National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has joined GitHub, a popular socialnetwork that allows programmers to col-laborate and share computer code betweenusers. Te network allows developers tomodify, distribute and perform work on thecode either to improve NGAs product, orfor their own use. Participating on GitHub

will make it possible for other organisationsto benet from the agencys developmentefforts. NGA hopes to reap benets ininnovation, creativity, and the power of afar-reaching community of programmers who approach the development of the pro-gramme from different perspectives.NGA began by sharing its code for GeoQ,a tool the agency developed to assist withHumanitarian Assistance and Disaster Re-covery (HADR) efforts. Te tool was furtherrened in partnership with FEMA and has

since begun to be used as the backbone ofa shared disaster response solution acrossthe US government and rst-respondercommunity. Its critical we identify more ways to be innovative, reduce costs andintegrate efforts across the intelligence

Courtesy: Exelis


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Boeing Adds Live Video-tagging to Geospatial

Data Management ToolBoeing has upgraded its DataMaster ge-ospatial data management software withreal-time text-tagging of live streaming video, improving situational awarenessfor defence and intelligence communitycustomers. Tis new capability, along with other updates in the latest version ofDataMaster, will result in faster catalogu-ing and retrieval of data and more robustand precise analytics of imagery, video,maps and terrain, said the company.

DataMaster 5.3 software upgrades, avail-able to new and current customers of theproduct, include the following features:Real-time text-tagging of live-stream video footage for better le management,cataloguing and sourcing; Support for32-bit Geo-referenced agged Image FileFormat (Geo IFF) and National Imageryransmission Format (NI F) data im-proving precision and ability to handlemore data types; Streaming of and imageformat conversion to JPEG2000 images

as well as JPIP (JPEG 2000 InteractiveProtocol) streaming for improved imagereview; Expanded metadata support forGeo IFF and NI F imagery.

Airbus Defense and SpaceLaunches WorldDEM Airbus Defense and Space hascommercially launched WorldDEM, aDigital Elevation Model (DEM) whichprovides pole-to-pole accurate coverage.Te new model is based on data acquired

by the high-resolution radar satellites er-raSAR-X and anDEM-X which produce aglobal DEM at HR E3 level. WorldDEM offers a standardised globalDEM with no regional or national borderdivides. Tis homogenous coverage willequip defence customers with a new levelof precision for military applications,mission planning and operations, said thecompany. For commercial aviation, thenew model will provide improved inputdata for a range of ight systems. Beyond

aviation and defence applications, the newmodel also has a wide variety of potentialuses in oil, gas and mineral exploration,in addition to serving as high-quality basedata in the eld of ortho-rectication ofaerial or satellite imagery.

Harris Inks Satellite BroadbandContract with US Navy Te US Navy has awarded Harris Corpora-tion an eight-year contract valued at up toUSD 133 million to provide shipboard ter-

minals that give crews access to high-bandwidth voice and data communications.Harris will provide up to 120 terminalsin addition to the 70 terminals alreadydelivered since 2008 under the indenitedelivery/indenite quantity CommercialBroadband Satellite Programme (CBSP)Unit Level Variant (ULV) contract. Te newaward brings the total potential value tomore than USD 250 million through 2022.Te programme provides worldwide, com-mercial, end-to-end telecommunications

services to the Navy. Te 1.3-meter Harristerminals offer X-band operation over ex-isting military satellites, and the option ofmilitary/commercial Ka-band operationfor future deployed satellite systems. Teysupport essential mission requirementsand provide high-speed Internet accessand video communications on small com-batant and support ships. Harris terminalsalso are used onboard Navy amphibiousassault ships.

CACI to Provide LifecycleSupport of C4ISR Systems to USCACI International has been selected asa prime contractor to provide lifecycle

sustainment, integration, acquisition,and technical support for Naval Elec-tronic Surveillance Systems (NESS) tothe US Navys Space and Naval WarfareSystems Center Pacic (SSC Pacic)Security Systems Branch. Te three-year,multiple-award contract has a base value

of USD 42 million and includes two one- year options for a potential ceiling valueof USD 71 million. Tis is one of threecontracts awarded; each awardee willhave the opportunity to compete for taskorders during the ordering period. Tiscontract represents new work for CACIand expands its presence in its C4ISR(command, control, communications,computers, intelligence, surveillance,and reconnaissance) market. Under theterms of the contract, CACI will provide

lifecycle support for Anti- errorism/Force Protection (A /FP) electronicsurveillance systems to the Depart-ment of Defense and other governmentagencies such as the Department ofHomeland Security.

Xyratex Unveils New Additionto Data Storage Solutions Xyratex, a Seagate company, has unveileda new addition to the ClusterStor familyof High Performance Computing (HPC)

and Big Data engineered storage solutions the ClusterStor Secure Data Appliance(SDA). Designed to meet government ICD503 and Cross Domain Solution (CDS)requirements, the ClusterStor SDA solutionprovides multilevel security capabilitiescombined with the industrys fastest storage

Courtesy: Xyratex

community and all of government. Its anew way of thinking for us, and it is exactlythe kind of thing we need to be doing, saidNGA Director Letitia Long.GeoQ provides workow managementand integrates imagery and analysisfrom multiple sources, such as photos

from smartphones and news broadcastfootage, to help identify disaster areasand extent of damage. It enables ana-lysts to review imagery from differentsources simultaneously, rather than se-quentially, which results in faster dam-age assessments and better prioritisa-tion of limited rst-responder resourcesin a time-sensitive environment. Webuilt GeoQ on all open-source frame- works to make it easily shareable withour mission and response partners. Tis

allows them to integrate the softwareinto their own visual display systems. What were hoping for now is to sparkinteraction with the GitHub communi-ties to improve the code. As long as youhave access to the Internet, you can bea part of the solution, said Ray Bauer,echnology lead for NGAs Readiness,Response and Recovery team.


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performance and largest data capacityavailable today for productivity criticalHPC and Big Data applications. Te newClusterStor solution features end-to-endintegration, management and world-classsupport providing unmatched capabilityand investment protection in addition to

the new multilevel security enhancements.ClusterStors innovative modulararchitecture enables linear performancescalability from several gigabytes persecond (GB/s) to over a 1.0 terabytes persecond and exible data storage capacitydeployments ranging from tens of tera-byte ( B) to over 25 petabyte (PB) of datastorage capacity, all managed within asingle global name space.Te ClusterStor SDA is ideally suited formission critical government applications,

such as Geospatial imagery capture which requires high performance ingestrates, massively parallel data access tosupport intensive data analysis andlarge data storage capacity archive, saidthe company.

US Navy to Purchase Virginia-Class Submarines fromGeneral Dynamicshe US Navy has awarded General Dy-namics Electric Boat a contract valued

at USD 17.6 billion for the constructionof 10 additional Virginia-class subma-rines. Electric Boat is a wholly ownedsubsidiary of General Dynamics. hemulti-year Block IV contract enablesElectric Boat and its industry teammate,Newport News Shipbuilding, to proceed with the construction of two ships per year over a five-year period. he 10thship to be procured under this contractis scheduled for delivery in 2023. Virginia-class submarines are designed

from the keel up for the full range of 21stcentury mission requirements, includ-ing anti-submarine and surface ship warfare and special operations sup-port, according to the company. Tesesubmarines are said to excel in littoraland open-ocean environments and cancollect intelligence critical to irregular warfare efforts with advanced intelli-gence, surveillance and reconnaissancecapabilities. Unobtrusive, non-provoca-tive and connected with land, air, sea and

space-based assets, these versatile andpowerful vessels are a core componentof the Navy eet and support nationalsecurity interests.

Arcturus UAV Unveils LongEndurance UAVs Arcturus UAV has recently revealed devel-opment efforts on their JUMP-25 andCA-25 long endurance UAVs. Te JUMP-

25, vertical takeoff and landing capable, will have a larger fuselage and wingspanand more powerful V OL and tractor mo-tors than the recently announced JUMP-15 and JUMP-20 models. Te CA -25 willbe a larger version of the companys -20catapult launched UAV. Te new JUMP-25 and CA -25 UAVs will integrate CloudCap echnologys new ASE500.ASE500 is believed to exceed thecapabilities of the venerable L3 Wes-cam MX10. It is a 10 inch, 27 lb. imaging

payload that provides an All-HD, fullyintegrated solution utilising ViewPointactical PED software with market lead-ing SWaP, said the company.In addition to the ASE500, the new air vehicles will be capable of simultaneouslycarrying other payloads such as the WGSEuropa SIGIN package and the ArtemisSlimSAR. Tis marks the rst time thata ier II UAV has offered this level ofhigh-performance, multi-payload capa-bility. Arcturus will use Cloud Cap tech-

nologys new Piccolo III autopilot with tri-ple redundant IMU and auxiliary missionpayload processor. Te new JUMP andCA air vehicles will be integrated with

Arcturuss compact, portable groundcontrol station which allows control ofthe companys air vehicles. Enduranceon a fully loaded CA -25 is estimated at14 hours. With a light payload endurance will stretch to 20 hours. JUMP-25 carrying

the ASE500 has a planned endurance of12 hours. Heavier load outs are optional. Arcturus JUMP air vehicles take off andland vertically with quad rotors mountedto the wings. JUMP air vehicles require norunway or launcher for operation.

Global Military Satellite Marketto Grow by 3.7% Between2014 - 2024Reportlinker.com has unveiled a newmarket research report called Global

Military Satellite Market 2014-2024 . Tereport published by Strategic DefenceIntelligence, provides readers with adetailed analysis of both historic andforecast global industry values, factorsinuencing demand, the challenges facedby industry participants, analysis of in-dustry leading companies and key news.Some of the factors from the report are: Te global military satellite market is

expected to experience a growth of 3.74per cent during 2014-2024;

Communication satellites segmentis expected to dominate the militarysatellite market with a share of 51.6 per cent;

Northrop Grumman to Deliver FlightPro Gen III Computersto US Navy Te Navy has awarded a low-rate initial production contract to Northrop Grummanto deliver FlightPro Gen III mission computers for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y MarineCorps helicopters. Te USD 10.6 million contract will provide the Navy with mission

computers for H-1 helicopter ight tests, systemintegration laboratories and training. Te FlightPro

Gen III mission computer is capable of integratingadvanced mission, weapons and video processingcapabilities into a conduction cooled, high perfor-mance airborne computer, said the company.Te latest model, FlightPro Gen III, features thenewest computing technology in multiple parti-tioned, 8-core PowerPC-based processors. It offers

increased computing resources and an extended lifetime due to long-term productsupport from suppliers, according to a spokesperson from the company. Te fullyqualied mission computer is easily congurable for different system requirementsby leveraging commercial off-the-shelf technology, model-based software designand an open systems architecture. Te computer can provide a partitioned comput-

ing environment to customers around the world and is compatible with rotary- andxed-wing aircraft as well as unmanned aerial systems. Te Marine Corps is plan-ning to incorporate Gen III computers in all future aircraft.

Courtesy: Northrop Grumman


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Te militaries are increasingly depend -ing on commercial satellite serviceproviders for their additional bandwidth needs.

Te report also provides an in-depthanalysis of the following: global militarysatellites market size and drivers, detailed

analysis of the military satellite marketduring 2014-2024 including highlights ofthe demand drivers and growth stimula-tors for military satellites. It also providesa snapshot of the spending patterns andmodernisation patterns of different re-gions around the world. It offers insightsinto technological developments in themilitary satellites market and a detailedanalysis of the changing preferences ofthe defence ministries around the world.

General Electric and ANSYSEnter into Strategic Partnership ANSYS and GE Aviation have established anew joint technology collaboration agree-ment that will help solve future engineeringchallenges and drive product developmentprocesses in a world of smart products andbig data, said the company. Both organi-sations recognise the value of cutting-edgeresearch and are jointly aligned in theirdesire to spur innovation by creativelyapplying simulation to the manufacturing

and industrial space.Te two will work together over a range ofapplications to establish forward-lookinganalysis techniques that leverage expertisefrom both parties. In the rst project underthis agreement, ANSYS and GE Aviation will investigate industry data to create newengineering best practices associated withthe accurate analysis of some of GEs coreindustrial products. Projects may includesimulation of system-level product perfor-mance, enhanced by live data, to predict

overall system efficiency and maximiseproduct life.

AirWatch Software to Operateon US Department of DefenseNetworks AirWatch recently announced that theDefense Information Systems Agency(DISA) Field Security Operations (FSO)has released the AirWatch MDM Software6.5 Security echnical ImplementationGuide (S IG) Version 1 for immediate

use. Te certication validates that Air- Watch, one of only two S IG-approvedmobile device management (MDM)providers, meets the security restrictions

Russia to Sell S-400 MissileSystem to ChinaRussia will sell its S-400 air defence guid-ed missile system to China, accordingto reports. Te sale is expected to giveBeijing an edge in the airspace of theaiwan Strait and over islands in the EastChina Sea. Export sales of the systemmay not begin until 2016. China is saidto have been interested in acquiring theguided missile system since 2011. It isnot clear though how many systems Chi-

na wishes to acquire but reports say thatit wants enough systems to equip two tofour battalions.

BEL to Invest USD 100 M in EW Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) is planningto invest USD 100 million over the next

ve years for developing electronic war-fare products. BEL will jointly work withDRDO for the project.BEL manufactures and supplies a rangeof products, including radars, electronic warfare system, missiles and sonars, etc.,to the armed forces. Te company togeth-

er with DRDO and ECIL has developeda mobile integrated electronic warfaresystem Samyukta . Te system is used forsurveillance, direction nding, analysis,interception and jamming of all commu-nication and radar signals.

Astra Air-to-Air MissileSuccessfully Test FiredIndias rst indigenously developedBeyond Visual Range (BVR) AirtoAirmissile AS RA has been successfully test

red by the Indian Air Force (IAF). De-signed and developed by DRDO, AS RApossesses high Single Shot Kill Probability(SSKP). It is an all weather missile withactive radar terminal guidance, excellentECCM features, smokeless propulsionand process improved effectiveness inmultitarget scenario making it a highlyadvanced, stateof theart missile, ac-cording to DRDO.Astras successful launch from the Su30combat aircraft is a major step in missile

aircraft integration. Extensive ight test-ing that has preceded the air launch wasindeed a joint effort of DRDO and IAF.Tis will be followed by launch againstactual target shortly. Many more trials areplanned and will be conducted to clearthe launch envelope. Weapon integra-

India Successfully TestsNuclear-Capable MissileIndia has successfully

test-red its indigenouslydeveloped nuclear-capablesurface-to-surface Prithvi II mis-sile, as part of a user trial by the Army. Te missile, having a rangeof 350 km, is capable of carrying500 kg to 1,000 kg of warheads.Te missile is thrust by liquidpropulsion twin engines anduses advanced inertial guidancesystem with maneuvering trajec-tory. Prithvi-II is the rst missile

to be developed by DRDO underthe countrys Integrated GuidedMissile Development Programme.

required for installment on Departmentof Defense (DoD) networks. S IG-ap-proval demonstrates that AirWatchprovides government customers withsolutions that follow mobile code riskcategories and usage guides. According tothe company, adding that these standards

conrm that AirWatch implementationis consistent with DoD cybersecuritypolicies, standards, architectures, securitycontrols and validation procedures.

Courtesy: Hindu Jagruti


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USD 83 million, within the Italian SoldatoFuturo programme. Te company will beproviding Software Dened Radio (SDR)portable terminals and M-NVG ( acticalMobility Night Vision Goggles) to the Ital-

ian Army. Te Soldato Futuro programme,currently being developed with the Italian Army, will lead to the complete modern-isation of the systems and equipment ofsoldiers, aligning their operating capacities with the requirements of current and fu-ture scenarios, said the company. Te rst

supply consists of 2726 radio SDR Hand-Helds through which the Italian Armyslight infantry troops will be equipped withnew wideband communication systems.Te SDR, which represents the mostcutting-edge synthesis of radio and Itransmissions, is a new-concept platformable to host various waveforms interop-erable with systems already in use andfuture ones, as per the company.Te second acquisition concerns 2726M-NVG night vision goggles, a third-gen-

eration binocular device developed toprovide state-of-the-art equipment for thenocturnal tactical mobility of the FutureSoldier. Tis apparatus has been designed

tion with ejas Light Combat Aircraft will also be done in the near future, said Avinash Chander, Secretary Departmentof Defence R&D and DG, DRDO.

Indian Institute Unveils Autonomous Underwater

Vehicle

A new prototype of the AutonomousUnderwater Vehicle (AUV) Matsya 3.0 hasbeen unveiled by students and faculty ofII -Bombay. Priced at Rs 22 lakh, this thirdedition of AUV is equipped with a geo lo-cator. Te maximum depth that the vehiclecan reach is 150-feet. Matsya 3.0 can beused for surveillance, marine research anddebris reconnaissance puposes.

UK Awards Bowman RadioLogistic Support Contract toGeneral DynamicsTe Ministry of Defence, UK, has award-

ed two ve-year contracts to GeneralDynamics UK to support the Bowmanradio system used by UK armed forcespersonnel. General Dynamics UK willprovide design, engineering and logistic

support for the radio system that is used byservice personnel across the British Army,Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Bowmanradios allow personnel on land, at sea andin the air to communicate on operationsaround the world. Te radios use anencrypted frequency to share intelligence

and increase situational awareness andhave seen extensive service in Afghanistanby troops on patrol, on Royal Navy shipsduring relief efforts in the Philippines, andby the Royal Air Force when providing airsupport to land operations.

France, UK Sign USD 827 Million Anti-Ship Missile DealBritain and France are going to devel-op new anti-ship missiles in a USD 827million project. MBDA is reported to have

been awarded the contract. Te company will produce the helicopter-mountedmissiles which utilise sophisticatedhoming technology to attack small andmedium-sized targets. Te Royal Navy ofUK plans to use the missiles on its new Wildcat helicopters. Te deal is seen as asignicant step in joint working on com-plex weapons between the two nations.

UNOSAT Releases Report onGlobal Maritime Piracy

UNOSA has released a global report onmaritime piracy. Te report is said to con-stitute the rst global geospatial analysison the issue. What started with identify-ing captured ships, delivering humanitar-ian assistance and other goods using sat-ellite imagery later expanded to regionalgeospatial analyses for the western IndianOcean. Te current report assesses piracyat the global level. Tis research includesdetailed geospatial analyses, while relat-

ing ndings to complementary factors,including references to specic examplesillustrating the complexity of the piracyissue. Te report also covers the nancialaspects of global piracy, as well as anti-pi-racy activities and future outlooks in achanging meteorological climate.Te work takes into account studiesfrom different sources, such as UN sisteragencies, academia, insurance industry,shipping companies, European Commis-sion and the World Bank.

Selex to sell Radios, Night Vision Gear to Italian Army Selex ES has won two contracts worth

Courtesy: DNA

C o u r t e s y :

S e

l e x

Courtesy: UNOSAT

Courtesy: General Dynamics


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NEWS

to display all the information and map dataprovided by the Command and Controlsystem on the eye-piece.Te goggles also feature an integratedcamera able to return the observed sceneto the Command and Control system.

Hardware and software developments areexpected to provide the soldier with yetfurther functions and for individual navi-gation, with the idea of further improvingmobility in low-visibility conditions.

South Korea SuccessfullyTest-fires its Long-RangeBallistic MissileSouth Korea is reported to have devel-oped a long-range ballistic missile toboost its defence against missile threatsfrom North Korea. Te missile has a range

A SIA PACIFIC

of 500km and is scheduled to be deployedin forces in 2015. Te missile develop-ment forms part of follow-up measuresafter the revision of missile guidelines bySouth Korea and the US in 2012.

Northrop Grumman Partners with DSTOTe Australian Defence Science andechnology Organisation (DS O) andNorthrop Grumman have signed a stra-tegic alliance to conduct collaborativeresearch in a range of advanced defencetechnologies. Under the agreement, thetwo will collaborate on projects of mu-tual interest and DS O will have accessto Northrop Grummans specialiseddefence knowledge.

Tis agreement is a further demonstra-tion of our commitment to Australia andto the defence organisation. NorthropGrumman has signicant experiencein C4ISR, electronic warfare and un-manned systems. Weve seen signicantdevelopments in these areas in recent years and they will continue to transformdefence forces around the world, saidIan Irving, Chief Executive, NorthropGrumman Australia.

Australia to Buy Drones fromthe US Australia is likely to purchase drones fromthe US. Te eet, to be based in Adelaide, will be used for maritime surveillanceand commercial purposes. Te drones

are currently being tested by the US navy.Te number of UAVs to be purchased is yet to be determined.

Te MQ-4C riton drones can cruise ataltitudes up to 55,000 feet and can remainairborne for up to 33 hours. Its size iscomparable to a small aircraft with a wingspan of 131 feet.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

THE WORLD OF GEOINT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

GEOSPATIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS LAUN www.geointworld.net - A Resource Portal for the Global Geoint Community

ONLINE!NOW


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TacSat Razor Antenna Weighing around 1kg, the acSat Razor Antenna provides front-lineforces with robust, lightweight, on-the-move, high performance, andtactical satellite communications. It uses patented product designto offer a rapid deployment antenna in the UHF tacsat band. It isdesigned specically for physically demanding battleeld conditions.

Innovative and patented construction and deployment technol-ogies make it easy and quick to deploy; and able to be operated in ahands free mode, keeping troops both ready for action and fully in-formed. Te acSat Razor Antenna can be simply attached to the sideof a standard military rucksack. Alternatively, it can be mounted ona standard tripod or camera spike or on a vehicle using a magneticmount. Users simply pull a strap to launch the antenna from its hous-ing. Te antenna is withdrawn back into the container by pulling thesame strap in the other direction. A modular construction facilitatescleaning and eases of repair in the eld. Te acSat Razor Anten-na reduces time to deploy; and eliminates the soldier down timeincurred by less effective ergonomic designs. It is environmentallyqualied to Mil Std 810-G and is IP68 rated for water immersion.

VIPER Mounted RiflemanRadio SystemTe Vehicle Integrated Power Enhanced Rieman (VIPER) is a vehicle mount-

ed SRW radio designed to extend the operational range of the SRW networkby providing 20 Watts of amplication. VIPER provides Jerk and Run accessto an installed AN/PRC-154 Rieman Radio or AN/PRC-154A Rieman Radio,providing operators with an instant transition between mounted and dis-mounted operations. VIPER is jointly developed by Tales and Ultralife.

Features and Benefits Continuous transmission of Position Location Information (PLI) enables

situational awareness and blue force tracking Supports hands-free display and external computer interface User-friendly audible Human Machine Interface (HMI), that is, audio indi -

cators for preset, GPS position, and battery status

Actively participates in one talk group while simultaneously monitoring twoother talk groups

Vector Hawk SUASDesigned for versatility and affordability, the newLockheed Martin Vector Hawk addresses a broadset of unique missions and operating needs with-in a single system. It has a gross takeoff weight

of only four pounds and a vertical prole of fourinches. Vector Hawk features fully autonomousight, landing and fail-safes. It is inaudible atoperational slant ranges. Te data link featuresa high bandwidth software dened radio, meshnetworking (including 3G, 4G, and LTE cellular),over-the-air reconguration, and is capable ofemploying a variety of waveforms. With an openarchitecture, recongurable variants, adaptabledata link, and scalable payload, Vector Hawk issaid to be engineered for unmatched capability.Te Vector Hawk can be eld recongured to

multiple missions including xed-wing, verticaltakeo and landing (VTOL), and tilt-rotor ena -bling VTOL with transition to xed wing ight.Te xed wing variants may be hand or tubelaunched, and VTOL and tilt-rotor variants maybe launched from land or water surfaces.

PRODUCT WATCH


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INTERVIEW

Shaping Future

Combat OperationsIntergraph Government Solutions(IGS) helps the US governmentcreate intelligent maps, analysegeointelligence, and transformcomplex data from disparate sourcesinto real-time actionable information.However, understanding therelationships among different sets ofintelligence captured from differentsources based on common time stampsis a real challenge, feels Rob Mott, VicePresident, Geospatial Solutions, IGS

G eospatial intelligence capabilities haveaccelerated over the last 10 years, in particular. In your opinion, what have been some of the majorinnovations?Te rise of commercial off-the-shelf software appli-cations that adhere to open standards for geospatialdata storage and sharing have provided major bene-ts to the defence and intelligence communities. Forexample, our ERDAS and GeoMedia technologies are

built on Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) stand-ards. Tese standards allow users to access a widerange of data and geospatial processes from industry,government and academia. Te exibility to mix andmatch data and capabilities from different sourceshas been a game changer for the intelligence com-munity. Plus, this diversity of technology inherentlyaccelerates further innovation.

Industry standards drive collaboration between theintelligence community and its vendors. What is thestate of this collaboration today?

Tere is a tremendous partnership underway. Inorder to understand the needs of geoint profession-als, vendors require deep technical expertise in manyaspects of the domain. For example, Intergraphhas worked with government customers for morethan four decades to solve difficult problems andultimately evolve the overall tradecraft and technol-ogies. We maintain an enduring partnership withthe National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)and other Department of Defense and intelligencecommunity members of the US, which enables us tostay abreast of emerging trends and requirements.

Trough activities such as joint cooperative researchand development agreements, we forge mutuallybenecial bonds that allow us to gain unique insightinto customer needs and direction. Tis informationdirectly inuences future commercial product designso that those products directly meet the emergingneeds of agencies and end users.

Activity-based Intelligence (ABI) is one suchemerging trend that will shape future combatoperations. What is your view on ABI?It is a very important development. ABIs goal is

to help analysts better understand changes in theenvironment from multiple activities occurring over


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a designated time period. Rather thansimply studying a target to assessdetails of an object or location, ABIreviews transactions and patterns ofmovement and facilitates an under-standing of trends as indicators offuture activities. Letitia Long, Directorof the NGA, calls this an effort to

move into an anticipatory mode .Multiple intelligence (Multi-IN )

fusion is an important component of ABI. Te ability to bring imagery intel-ligence, signals intelligence, humanintelligence, measurements and sig-natures and other sources into an inte-grated analytical environment providesa powerful platform for an analyst todetect trends he or she might not oth-erwise see. Te best solution is for an-alysts to work in an environment that

integrates all these different sourcessimultaneously. Satellite imagery is anintegral piece and may serve as the can- vas on which other dynamic data feedsare displayed. ogether, these feedscombine to create one powerful anddetailed depiction of the real world.

However, ABI is much more thanMulti-IN analysis. A second key ABIfocus is the ability to understand eventsand transactions, both of which havea time element associated with them.

Tis aspect may include collecting dy-namic information, such as unmanned

aircraft system videofeeds. It may also look atchanges in time withrespect to a numberof individual datacollections, which

is a series of stillimages taken overa period of timeplayed backin a cohesivefashion.

Understand-ing the relation-ships amongdifferent setsof intelligencecaptured from

different sourcesbased on commontime stamps is crucialfor ABI analysis. ime-stamped metadata associ-ated with sensor collections iskey for establishing relationshipsamong those collections and forinterpreting additional details aboutunfolding events.

Geoint technologies are essential for

ABI. Do you agree? Yes, they are critical to both analysisand understanding. For instance,products such as ERDAS IMAGINE, which is a state-of-the-art imageanalysis software, are adept at han-dling a wide range of sensor formatssimultaneously, such as electro-op-tical, radar, LiDAR, multispectraland hyperspectral. Tis provides ananalyst with a unique view of an areaof interest and offers insight into pat-

terns of behaviour. As another example, tools such as

our Motion Video Analyst provides thepowerful ability to overlay multiplereal-time video feeds on top of satelliteimages and maps, providing superiorsituational awareness. Tis feature im-proves the ability of analysts to be ori-ented with the environment and activ-ities on the ground they are witnessingthrough the UAV feed.

Online and cloud-based solutionsare also on the rise. How do these

services complete or replace existingcapabilities?Putting up-to-date maps and chartsin the hands of warghters is abso-lutely critical. Harnessing the powerof cloud-based services provides aexible and reliable method for doingso. For example, working in partner-ship with our customers, we havedeveloped a Cartographic Web Ser- vices (CWS) solution, which providesinnovative on-demand map produc-

tion capabilities. CWS allows users inthe eld with hand-held devices, suchas tablets or smartphones, to requestan instantaneous generation of amap product that covers their areaof interest. Tis Web-based serviceestablishes a direct connection toauthoritative data sources, executessophisticated cartographic processes,such as conation, symbol conictresolution and automatic alignmentof buildings to roads, and then gener-

ates and delivers an efficient GEOPDFto the hand-held device.

Through activitiessuch as jointcooperative R&D

agreements, weforge mutuallybenecial bondsthat allow usto gain uniqueinsight into

customer needs


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LEAD STORY

1 8 | G E O I N T E L L I G E N C E M A Y - J U N E 2 0 1 4

C ombat, by its verydenition, is an eventextra-ordinarily excru-ciating. It is an ultimatecondition that is distinguishable by

its phenomenal characteristics whichdemand, among other undertakings,absolute perfection in marshalling thediverse elements of combat that con-stitute a military force, for example,troops, repower, mobility and intel-ligence. Tus down the ages, GreatCaptains of war have articulated theirstrategic intellect to secure victory,irrespective of the bulk of forces, bythe best orchestration of the resourcesunder their command. In modern

times, developments in Information Warfare have raised the bar of such

Terrain intelligence has always been important for winning a

battle. In this aricle, the writer advocates establishing a repositoryof battle-space geographic information called Military GeospatialIntelligence System (MGIS)

orchestration to such a high levelthat it becomes possible to exploit tothe hilt the individual capabilities ofeach element of the military ma-chine. More importantly, it is possible

now to seamlessly integrate all suchdiverse force-elements into one wholesystem of war-ghting.Military intelligence terrestrial,strategic and tactical has always beenthe most decisive factor in applicationof combat power as well as an enablingtool for the aforementioned bestorchestration of military resourc-es. Within its overall ambit, terrainintelligence - geospatial intelligencein the wider sense as we understand

today has been the pivot of strate-gic, operational and tactical decision

making. In the contemporary period oftechnological explosion, that pivot hasassumed unlimited scope for articu-lation. At the crosshairs of ever-adver-sarial forces across terrains of unique

descriptions, institution of an efficientmechanism for harnessing the proper-ties of geospatial intelligence MGIS must, therefore, be a top priority forIndia. However, to be really effective,that endeavour has to be tailored toIndian conditions and backed up withindigenous competences; the scopeand coverage of GIS as propounded bythe lead militaries of the world, USA,China, NAO and Russia, is neitheraccessible nor sustainable and may

not even be necessary in the contextof Indias technical-industrial-scal


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capacity, and inter alia, her militaryobjectives.

Terrestrial IntelligenceHistory tells us that fundamentalcharacteristics of warfare remain eter-

nal, only the means and methods ofengaging in such endeavours change with the times. Indeed, it needs noemphasis that terrain intelligence, thebedrock of its modern version, geospa-tial intelligence, has always been a keyfactor in planning and conduct of war-fare. Te German XIX Panzer Corpsbreakthrough across the ArdennesForest in 1940, Indias campaign in EastPakistan in 1971 and breakthrough ofIsraels 143 Division followed by 162

and 252 Armoured Divisions acrossthe Suez Canal in the 1973 Yom Kippur War are some examples of the potencyof terrestrial intelligence, just as thecost India had to pay in the Kargil Warof 1999 highlights the consequences ofits neglect. However, it may be interest-ing to cite some stark examples to noteas to how well dynamism in harnessingof terrain intelligence pays in conductof military operations.

In 1847, while campaigning

to capture Mexico City, American forc-es numbering about 11,000 troops un-der the leadership of General WineldScott found themselves confronted, ontwo different anks, with over 36,000Mexican troops under command ofGenerals Santa Anna and Gabriel Va-lencia. A more threatening situation was that the Americans had to negoti-ate over a terrain covered with impass-able drying lakes, marshes and roughlava-elds. Tat was a time when

terrain intelligence gathering was aprocess of manual engineer recon-naissance, an expertise in which the Americans have traditionally excelled.Scott used that expertise to move hisforces through routes which while ac-cording protection through the geo-graphic features of the terrain, obligedthe Mexicans to disperse, only to be de-feated in detail. Te second example isthat of the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, when Indias 11 Corps crossed over

the Ichhogil Canal in West Pakistan a feat of much celebration. 11 Corps

could foresee that possibility when itscouted to obtain geographical detailsand specications of the Canal.

Both these incidents high-light the tactical dividends accruingout of real-time terrain intelligence.

Indeed, there are numerous suchexamples to cite from the Gulf Wars.

MGIS: An Element of ModernCombatBy denition, the role of MGIS isto capture, lter, validate and storeterrestrial information in given for-mats of digitised data for the purposeof quick and accurate integration,manipulation and analysis to build upactionable military intelligence. When

linked to modern communication anddata-transfer resources, MGIS makesit possible to disseminate informationof military value, or its processedform, military intelligence across alimitless expanse of subscriber base.

In the context of this discus-sion, MGIS could be described as oneaspect of military intelligence whichfunctions as a repository of battle-spacegeographic-spatial information. Terepository is an information databank

to cover the terrestrial features of tac-tical and technical relevance as it per-tains to the terrain of intended militaryoperations. When such information isduly analysed with military wisdom, itpermits build up of real-time geospa-tial intelligence of military value. MGIScompliments the other aspect of mili-tary intelligence, namely, strategic andtactical information system formallyreferred to as the Military OperationalIntelligence System (MOIS) which

covers force build up, weapon andequipment capabilities, deploymentand movements. o remain current, andtherefore relevant, both these aspectshave to be operative in a continuum oftime, space and contents of stored infor-mation. MGIS, when skillfully integrated with the MOIS, stitches a wholesomemilitary intelligence picture at near-re-al points of time, thus indicating theopponents likely motive. Tis, in turn,imparts dynamism to the practice of In-

telligence Preparation of the Battleeld(IPB). As we are aware, efficient IPB re-

duces uncertainty and allows focussedapplication of combat power to counterthe opponents most likely course of ac-tion. It empowers military planners infactoring force-deployment, precision weapon engagement and tactical ma-

noeuvres to shape the battleeld in tune with the situational changes. Te pro-cess of operational decision making isthus promoted. MGIS is therefore a fore-most decision support system which,by perfecting the quality of intelligence,assists military commanders and staff toengage in combat with a very high de-gree of assurance.

A word of caution here. Giventhe hype it generates among the laymanenthusiasts who tend to ascribe roman-

tic possibilities to GIS, it may be notedthat neither the concept nor the processis unique. Whereas the volume of con-tents captured, its accuracy and speed

The role of MGISis to capture,lter, validate and

store terrestrialinformation ingiven formatsof digitised datafor the purposeof quick and

accurateintegration,manipulation andanalysis to buildup actionablemilitary

intelligence


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LEAD STORY


of retrieval, collation and analysis, inte-gration of inter-disciplinary informationand near-real time access across a wideuser-base are the distinguishing aspectsof modern MGIS as compared to its old-er, menial versions; acumen of militaryscience and art remains the ultimatearbitrator in war, as ever. In other words, within the ambit of the Principle of War ,

MGIS provides to the military forces theability to keep pace with the technologydriven fast pace of operations across theentire range of combat activities.

Operational Imperativesof MGISMGIS performs its intelligence func-tions based on a trinity of activities which may be concurrent as wellas sequential depending upon therange, depth, quality and opacity of

the information databank, besides ofcourse the pace at which informationchanges with respect to time. Teseactivities therefore may be describedas build up of Basic Information,Dynamic Information and Deduc-tive Information . Of course, theseactivities are relevant to MOIS too, butto retain focus, it would be in orderhereafter to conne the discussion tothe subject matter of MGIS.

Basic Information: errestrial com-

position of any campaigning area re-mains more or less constant in terms

of human scales of time. Terefore, it ispossible to build up comprehensive in-formation databanks regarding the var-ious features of the terrain over a periodof time. Tese features are natural likeclimate, soil properties, elevation, gradi-

ent, vegetation, rivers, natural obstaclesand hazards, as well as man-made likeroads, built-up areas, canals, bridgesand articial obstacles. Recording of theproperties of terrain features is a delib-erate and time consuming discipline ofcivil engineering which can never beconclusive to perfection. Tis is particu-larly so for military purposes since un-like other elds of activities, factors thatshape planning and execution of war-fare can neither be fully specied nor

customised. o illustrate, river data atsome points of interest may not be suf-cient to plan military operations un-less it is referenced with such data at allother points of relevance. For sustainedinformation build-up, therefore, eachfeature of the terrain as well as its attrib-utes (properties, specications) of mili-tary signicance need to be scheduledinto prioritised work-programmes, andtreated as a continuous engagement.

Dynamic Information: Changes

over time that occur in terrain featuresand their military attributes, eithernaturally or through human interven-tion, for example, articial alterationof terrain by construction or demo-lition are incorporated according toa specied periodicity to see that thebasic information databank remainsupdated. Obviously, during campaigntimes, the periodicity of updates clos-es down to days and hours. Point tonote however, is that dynamism of in-

formation becomes pronounced whenMGIS is integrated with MOIS.

Deductive Information: We haveseen that when it comes to MGIS, noinformation databank can ever be socomprehensive as to provide for theconstruction of perfect intelligencepicture. It is therefore for the compe-tent information analysts to marshaltheir tactical and technical acumen tointerpolate and predict, with high de-gree of assurance, the answers to im-

promptu queries that the operationalplanners and eld commanders may

pose. For example, additional attrib-utes of a terrain feature like a river atan unspecied point of interest mayneed to be factored into planning andexecution of battle plans, and this in-formation may have to be deducted

from what inputs are readily available. A thorough expertise in terrain engi-neering permits such deductive exer-cises with fair degree of accuracy.

Integration of MGIS with ParallelSystems: Needless to emphasise, suc-cessful harnessing of MGIS can onlybe possible when it is integrated withits other technology driven and tac-tically exploitable military systems.Terefore synergic integration ofMGIS with the corresponding infor-

mation data input systems (humanintelligence, surveillance sensors,unmanned aerial vehicles, satellitefeedbacks, etc.), the ltration and dataprocessing centres, the authenticatingand validating systems, and nally,modern information disseminationsystems (communication and datatransfer networks) is imperative for itto pay the right dividends.

Build-up of MGIS

MGIS, in fact, is an amalgamationof a number of information sys-tems, each of which is dedicated to various purposes. Nearly 80 per centof the MGIS construct is made upof terrain information, that is, dataof various features of the terrainand their military attributes. Tisis the Engineer Geospatial Infor-mation System (EGIS) which formsthe bedrock for further build up ofthe other user-specic information

systems for use in the various armsand services of the military forces.Tus, build up over the EGIS would bethe Artillery or Fire Power GeospatialInformation System, MechanisedForces or Manoeuvre GeospatialInformation System, Air Force or Air Power Geospatial InformationSystem, Logistic Geospatial Informa-tion System, and so on. Build up ofthe rst tier of the MGIS, the EGIS, isa civil engineering discipline and falls

within the competency of the Corps ofEngineers (Military Survey). Its main

Successfulharnessing ofMGIS can only

be possible whenit is integratedwith othertechnology drivenand tacticallyexploitable

military systems


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purpose being: rstly, automated mapupdating and printing of topographicmaps for general use; and secondly,provision of digitised map data for theother user arms and services to put totheir specied purpose.

Te second tier of the MGIS con-sisting of specialist information data-bank is to be built up by the domainexpertise of each user arm and service.Further, to meet the so far unattendedqueries which are likely to be raised bythe General Staff, a third tier of infor-mation databank may also be incorpo-rated into the MGIS, build up of whichmust remain a staff responsibility. Inother words, all the three classes ofinformation discussed above Basic,

Dynamic and Deductive Information would consist of a better part ofEGIS in the rst tier, on which the sec-ond tier (composed of arm and servicespecic GIS) would be superimposed,and nally, the third tier (this wouldbe added to answer the General Staff requirements). Obviously, in orderto optimise expertise as well the ef-fort, the second and the third tier ofMGIS is to be built over the rst one,the EGIS, to make MGIS as a complete

tool in exploitation of terrestrial intel-ligence by all arms and services.

Across the unlimited range of in-puts for MGIS, build up of the relatedbasic information, is in itself a hercu-lean task. It requires an organisation

that is dedicated to the purpose andsubscribes to the surveyors ethos.Te volume of queries being virtuallyunlimited, the practice in modern mil-itaries is to grade terrain features ac-cording to their military signicanceand prioritise the capture and updateof their attributes according to a speci-ed level of accuracy.

Build-up of IntelligencePicture

Te concept of basic, dynamic anddeductive information applies toboth, the MGIS and the MOIS, thedetermining factors being time, spaceand combat power of opponentsas well as own. Compared to MGIS,build up and updating of MOIS da-tabank is a relatively simpler processdue to ready availability of automat-ically processed inputs related toforce-composition, proles of weap-ons, equipment and transport, stocks

and location of ammunition and soon. When terrain information fromMGIS is integrated with force infor-mation extracted from MOIS and theconjoined information is analysed,build up of the overall intelligence

picture of the battleeld takes place,the processing sequence being: one,denition of battle-space environ-ment; two, description of its effects;three, evaluation of opponentscapabilities; and four, determinationof the opponents possible courses ofaction. Tus, integration of MGIS andMOIS facilitates identication of theopponents most likely option as wellas the most dangerous option againstown forces and mission.

Role of MGIS in the TacticalBattle Area (TBA) We may imagine a BA wherein theformation commander and staffhave ready access to updated andaccurate intelligence regarding theterrain, deployment of own andenemy forces, movements and mostsuch other inputs that they need toplan operations, monitor executionin near-real time and trigger quick


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LEAD STORY


responses to the ever changing battlesituation. Similarly, we can imagineunit and sub-unit commanders ac-cessing ready intelligence to translatethe larger plans into operationalactions of which they bear respon-

sibility. Tus, it is possible to exploitin near-real time the nature of theterrain to deploy, select routes formovement, view the objectives, ndinter-visibility, chart ight paths formissiles, emplace weapons, acquiretargets, bring down precision re onselected coordinates, and so on; and yet be able to seek answers to infor-mation queries that might have beenunforeseen. o be able to do so withutmost speed and accuracy, it would

indeed be necessary rst to interlink various sources of information gath-ering (maps, human, satellites, radarsetc,) and the sensors deployed toregister dynamic information (groundsensors, aerial vehicles battleeldsurveillance system to be precise).Te resultant information wouldneed to be cross checked, ltered andgraded to nally offer quality inputsfor the planning and execution ofreconnaissance, targeting and re as-

sault, manoeuvre, obstacle creation orbreaching, and such other operationalactivities. Tat, in nutshell, is the roleof MGIS in the BA.

More importantly, MGIS rendersit practicable to analyse the trends ofoccurrence of the events with respectto time, in the battle area, and so pre-dict the emerging developments, forexample, movements, deploymentsetc. Similarly, it facilitates feedbackon various tactical activities like dam-

age assessment of targeted objectives,passage of obstacles, and so on. It alsoplays a vital role in tactical deceptionby manipulation of terrain signatures.In similar vein, MGIS plays a crucialrole in planning and execution oflogistic support operations, in which,apart from standard attributes, dataregarding local resources and infra-structure adds to the quality of logisticintelligence. Finally, MGIS plays a keyrole in war-gaming and simulation ex-

ercises for realistic training on battlecommand and control skills.

However, to reiterate, the possibilitieslisted above, it must be tampered withrealism rather than romanticism. Tereis no query we may seek that was notsought by the Great Captains of thedays yore; the difference lies in the

immediacy of answers and accuracyof information. Tis is a realisationnecessary if we are to avoid the problemof ascribing to MGIS, such capabilities which no human articulated system canever have, and thereby save ourselvesfrom losing interest in the system whensuch banal dreams do not come true.

Institutionalisation of MGISMGIS, in conjunction with MOIS,plays lead role in application of such

Principles of War as Surprise , Con-centration of Force and Intelligence .Furthermore, tactical relevance ofMGIS becomes most apparent when we consider the Clausewitzs Lawof Numbers. Tis Law species that:Combat Power = Force Strength x En- vironmental and Operational Factorsof Combat x Combat Effectiveness Value of Military Assets. When thisequation is explored in terms of theQuantied Judgement Model (QJM),

we nd that MGIS plays a major rolein strengthening the second factor while its contribution in optimisationof the third factor is considerable;MOIS being the other pillar of combatpower, of course.

At the strategic level, MGIS ndsmany core applications, of whichtwo representative instances may bementioned here. One, in line with theconcept of Tird Generation Warfare ,MGIS enables the modern weapons

and manoeuvrability in engagementof the opponents peripheral andcore forces in simultaneity a no-table departure from the necessity ofundertaking sequential or serial com-bat. wo, it allows a meaningful fusionbetween attrition and manoeuvre warfare by opening up a new tacticaloption, that of precision attrition ofopposing forces. Tese advantages ofMGIS had been remarkably exploitedduring the Kosovo campaign, Gulf War

II and war in Afghanistan.Needless to mention, institutional-

isation of the process of MGIS as well as its harness is imperative ifits full advantages are to be reapedby the Indian military institution.Being an issue by itself, it wouldsuffice here to just list out the

milestones of such an endeavour.Tese are: conceptual factoring ofMGIS into military planning andexecution; continuous and com-petent build up of comprehen-sive MGIS database; its in-depthassimilation within the militaryfraternity; and enhancement of itsaccessibility at the user end.

In the Indian military estab-lishment, particularly so in the Army, the concept of MGIS was

appreciated right at the early stag-es of its advent. Te following en-deavour, however, has progressedonly in ts and starts, restricting,and even back-tracking, the buildup of MGIS resources like compe-tent personnel in adequate num-bers, executive survey units andarm-specic teams, procurementand placement of tools and equip-ment, and assimilative as well aspractical training. Te result is that

accrual of the larger advantagesof military modernisation con-cepts, weapons and equipment,and expertise, when these materi-alise in the coming days wouldhave to remain stied somewhat.Long term vision, professionalobjectivity, and a scientic tem-per is necessary to correct this im-balance, and so to ensure that themodernisation schemes do not golame in the absence of an ability to

exploit MGIS to its full potential.

Lt Gen Gautam Banerjee (Retd)[email protected]


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SIMULATION

in Air Defence Training

GIS: Enhancing Realism

Geospatial technologies are employed to create 3D terrains ofvarious types in a virtual reality domain. The idea is to maketraining as realistic as possible for the soldier

The galloping pace ofgeospatial technologies isproving to be a great enablerand a training facilitator.

Te relevance of such technologies is

particularly visible in two functionaldomains in ground-based air-defence

training. Tese include enhancingrealism in training and automatingthe erstwhile manual and archaicprocedures which are not only timeconsuming and inexible but also far

divorced from reality. Te article looksat some such technologies in play.

Radar CoverageEffectiveness Evaluator Te 2D Game: In an era of 2D maps(both in the WGS84 or India-Bangla-desh Datum), the method to display

a typical radar beam coverage was todraw the range roundels (based on


Manpad Simulator


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designer/ OEM provided coveragedata relevant to a particular range-height band). Tis coverage wasfurther modulated through manu-ally calculated clutter and screeningdetails based on the angular elevation

and spread of visible/ non-visibleobstacles to the radar beam. Teresultant coverage obtained was notonly unrealistic but also inaccuratebecause the occult interplaybetween the radar beam and theterrain contours could not beaccurately assessed.

GIS Enablement: oday, GIStechnologies combined with DigitalElevation Models (DEMs) provide

opportunities to evaluate radar beamblockage and other ground clutterphenomenon 1. Tese technologiesuse the potential of the GIS to presenttopographic information in all itsdigital details while specially devel-oped software tools and programmesprovide the technical signatures of theradar ordered to the desired range-height matrix as dened by the user. With these inputs in hand, the systemthen executes an interplay between

the technical radar signatures andthe GIS created 3D ground . Teresultant output is the radar coveragediagrams which are accurate to thecore. Te great advantage of such aninterplay is the inherent exibility anddynamism provided to the user tocheck out any number of radar sitesfor their comparative merit (this com-parison is also software driven as wellas dynamic) besides having the powerto generate real-time changes in cov-

erage pattern when the radar originis moved on a mouse-click withinthe permissible area of deployment,other variables remaining constant.Good sites/ not so good sites/ poorsites/ overlap, etc., become emi-nently visible and hence exploitable.Tis was unimaginable on 2D staticmap-based display 2.

Te erstwhile method of generating weapon envelopes and weapon de-ployment choices in order to address

a particular air threat was an elaborateand a manual process of paper-based

planning. Tis was archaic, besidesbeing time consuming and inexi-ble. Also, the manual procedure wereneither open to dynamic changes norexible to comparing multiple deploy-ment choices in real-time.

Most of the earlier requirementscan now be met by GIS based technol-ogies and 3D analysis systems. Suchsystems provide advanced visualis-ation, analysis and surface generationtools which permit viewing large setsof data in three dimensions from mul-tiple view points, ability to query a sur-face and create realistic perspectiveimages that drapes raster and vectordata over an entire surface.

Exploitation: By exploiting suchtechnologies, 3D virtual maps canbe created of the type of terrain over which the training is to be impart-ed. On such terrains, the technicaldimensions of the air threat to in-clude the technical nuances of the airthreat, ranges, heights, weapon types(conventional/ PGMs), stand-offranges, ight path details, etc., as wellas the technical prowess of GroundBased AD Weapon System (GBADWS)

in terms of ranges, heights, types of

ammunition, kill effectiveness, etc.,are interplayed by the system in one-on-one and one-on-many modes.Tis interplay provides effectivenessdetails of the GBADWS envelopes intaking on the threat. It also provides

a comparison tool to check out, com-pare and optimise the deploymentdetails through change in weapontypes on their locations in real-time.

otal Effect Simulation: Teprogression for the above stated de-ployment simulation is the total effectsimulation. Such systems work on twoside simulation, that is, both from theattacker as well as defender. For theformer, the system will input various

threat capabilities such as ranges,throw-weight, ammunition effective-ness, day/ night operation limits, ECMmuscle, etc. For pitching the capabil-ities of the defender, it inputs groundair defence weapon capabilities in theform of its technical signature, andeffectiveness against the threat. Tesimulator is then played with the de-fenders utilising their sensors, combatand C2 means in a synergetic fashion.Te effectiveness of the defender in

optimising their weapons to ward off

Radar coverage


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SIMULATION


the threat as a package is accuratelycalculated and re-playable.

Very Short range Air Defence(VSHORAD) Simulators: A marriagebetween VSHORAD launch tech-niques and ability to create virtualrealities exploiting GIS technologiesenables the realisation of VSHORAD(Man Portable air defence System

(MANPADS)) simulators. Somedetails:-

Te Challenge: VSHORAD SAM sys-tems comprising variety of short range,man-portable/ pedestal mounted heatseeking (Igla1M, Igla-S), laser guided(RBS-70/Bolide), laser/ proximity/impact (Mistral), hit-to-kill HVM/laser guided (Star Streak) missiles, etc.have strong simulation requirements.Tis is so because the operators needs

repetitive multiple practice on layingthe missile, tracking the target steadily,identication of launch zone and steadylaunch in hostile EW environment.

Solution: Most VSHORAD makersoffer generic simulator solutions, forexample, the Konus simulator offeredby Rosoboronexport can also be usedfor training of RBS-70/NG even 3.Te latest in the eld is to producea weapon effect signature simulator

which replicates the launch signatureof many types of shoulder-red sur-

face-to-air missiles. Te replicationincludes the weight/ jerk/ vibrationfeel, self consuming pyrotechnic thatreplicates the real effect but leaves noresidual projectile. All this is projectedagainst a virtually created environ-ment giving a 3D effect of the launchspace, multiple target movement with attendant visual light and soundclues enabling training in evasive

actions-counter actions. Effect en-hancers like actual/ created weatheror time-of-the day help in enhancingfurther realism 4.

Another very exciting use of GISbased enablement is in the design of Aircraft Recognition (ACR) simula-tors, an important training area for airdefence warriors. In this scenario, GISbased technologies are employed

geointelligence may june 2014

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