NEW DELHI \u2014 The\u00a0$1.3 billion contract the Indian Air Force awarded to\u00a0state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd.\u00a0(BEL)\u00a0to complete a\u00a0homegrown network-centric warfare system could face integration challenges with the other services and will not compensate for a shrinking\u00a0air fleet, analysts said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The integrated air command and control system\u00a0Built by BEL, <\/span>(IACCS) receives data from a variety of radars and generates reports from mobile observation posts, integrating\u00a0other data elements from Air Force bases and civilian agencies to create a real-time comprehensive picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The algorithms [for IACCS]\u00a0have been indigenously developed in coordination with the IAF. Hardware like workstations and routers would have been imported,” said\u00a0Daljit Singh, retired IAF air marshal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An IAF official said,<\/span> The second phase of IACCS will add four major radar networks to the fully automatic network-centric system to top the five radar <\/span>networks in operation which the Air Force currently uses along its border with Pakistan. on the Indo-Pakistani border.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The second phase will establish nodes for use along the border with China\u00a0and Bangladesh, and for central and southern India, the official added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, military officers say the net-centric systems being developed by the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force\u00a0should be integrated. But they are divided about whether assistance will be needed from foreign companies such as\u00a0in their view whether the integration can be done without the help of overseas companies like <\/span>Raytheon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another IAF official, (second ) <\/span>who requested not to be quoted, said\u00a0integrating the services’ integration of <\/span>network centric systems would be\u00a0of the IAF, Indian Army and Indian Navy is <\/span>a difficult task for domestic companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Radar\u00a0networking requires in-depth integration. Since all the <\/span>three use different kinds of radars, integration is quite a challenge. I do not think BEL can integrate all three. They will have to approach companies like Raytheon or Thales or ELTA, etc., for the same. Companies who have implemented EUROCONTROL in European Union are the best bet for BEL.\u00a0Massive software integration tasks require\u00a0huge manpower costs,” the official added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Defence Ministry official of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) <\/span>said that\u00a0in the long run, (no time framework) <\/span>the net-centric systems of all the three services will be integrated, and that it\u00a0should be possible to accomplish it domestically. ladding that it will be possible to do at home.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n “The Indian Army is in the process of contracting BEL to provide similar software to meet the requirements of the Army. There is an agreement to integrate these systems [with the Air Force]\u00a0to ensure exchange of relevant information,” Singh said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nirdosh Tyagi, retired IAF air marshal said that while it will be possible to integrate the systems, the services use different systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Due to differences in types of assets, all three services do not have identical networking requirements. Even in a totally integrated inter-services environment, every bit of information will not be required by all. It would be possible to integrate these systems to the extent operationally desired,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IACCS was awarded to BEL on nomination basis without any competition because MoD viewed that it (IACCS) was a strategic project, the MoD official said. But he would not commit if any help from overseas has been taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kapil Kak, retired IAF Air Vice Marshal and defence analyst said, ” It is learnt that overseas companies like CISCO of USA, and earlier Raytheon and other companies have been involved in the second-phase assistance to BEL for networking programmes. But key algorithms and encryption systems have been developed indigenously, as it should be,”<\/p>\n\n\n\n No executive of Raytheon was available for comment on their participation in the IACCS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first IAF official (first one) <\/span>said that\u00a0the long term plan <\/span>the IACCS eventually will operate similarly to\u00a0be on the lines of <\/span>the NATO Air Command and Control System, (ACCS) <\/span>which will result in automation of all planning and execution of air operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The IACCS will in reality mature into sort of an independent air command-and-control structure and integrate all the air assets of the Indian Air Force including space-based assets like satellites and surveillance systems,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n