Latest news with #SCALP
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Indian Express
Need to extend surveillance envelope, says deputy air chief
Operation Sindoor has thrown up the lesson that modern warfare has fundamentally altered the relationship between distance and vulnerability, thanks to technology, a top military officer said Wednesday, while also highlighting critical importance of deep surveillance in contemporary warfare. Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said the existing principles of war are being challenged and new ones are emerging. 'Earlier, the horizon marked the limit of immediate threat. Today, precision-guided munitions like SCALP, BrahMos and HAMMER have rendered geographical barriers almost meaningless, as strikes with BVR AAMs (beyond visual range air to air missiles) and supersonic AGMs have become commonplace,' he said at a seminar hosted by think-tank CAPS (Centre for Air Power Studies) and Indian Military Reviews (IMR). He said when weapons can strike targets hundreds of kilometres away with pinpoint accuracy, the traditional concepts of front, rear and flanks, combat zones and depth areas all become irrelevant. 'What we call the front and the theatre, merge into one. This new reality demands that we extend our surveillance envelope far beyond what previous generations could have even imagined,' he said, adding that we must detect, identify and track potential threats not when they approach our borders, but when they are still in their staging areas, airfields and bases, deep within adversary territory. 'This existed as a concept even earlier but today we have the means to realise it,' he said. 'When hypersonic missiles can traverse hundreds of kilometres in minutes and drone swarms can reach their targets before traditional decision-making processes can respond, real-time or near-real-time surveillance becomes… essential for survival.'
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Future wars will be won by those who complete OODA loop the fastest: CISC
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on Wednesday (June 11, 2025) highlighted China's notable military space programme expansion, stressing that modern warfare demanded deep surveillance of threats. He said future wars would be won by those who complete the Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA) loop the fastest. 'China's military space programme has expanded from operating just 36 satellites in 2010 to over 1,000 by 2024, with more than 360 dedicated to ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance] missions,' he said. At the inaugural address of Surveillance & Electro-Optics 2025 seminar and exposition, the CISC said the creation of an independent Aerospace Force in April 2024 signalled China's recognition of space as the ultimate high ground in modern warfare. 'Their satellites have recently demonstrated sophisticated 'dogfighting' manoeuvres in LEO [Low Earth Orbit], practising tactics designed to track and potentially disable adversary space assets,' he said. This Al-driven fusion of surveillance data enables real-time, unified situational awareness across all domains — land, air, sea, cyber, and space, said the CISC. Stating that modern warfare required surveillance of potential threats when they were still in their staging areas, airfields, and bases, deep within adversary territory, he said the domain had evolved into becoming the very foundation of modern military operations. 'When we look at global conflicts commencing from Armenia-Azerbaijan to Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas and to our own experiences in Operation Sindoor, one truth emerges with crystal clarity: the side that sees first, sees farthest and sees most accurately, prevails,' the CISC said. '...today, precision-guided munitions like SCALP, BrahMos and HAMMER have rendered geographical barriers almost meaningless, as strikes with BVR AAMs and supersonic AGMs have become commonplace,' said the CISC, referring to Operation Sindoor. New reality 'The speed of modern weapons has fundamentally altered the OODA loop, compressing it from hours to minutes, sometimes even seconds. This new reality is being shaped by mega small satellite fusion of Electro-Optical, SAR [Synthetic Aperture Radar] and SIGINT [Signals Intelligence] capabilities now enables a 24x7 dynamic, persistent and predictive mosaic of the battlefield,' he said. The CISC said: 'Against networked adversaries, our ability to intercept, localise, and jam communications while integrating COMINT, ELINT [Electronic Intelligence] and cyber intelligence becomes crucial for maintaining operational superiority.' He said the precision of modern weapons systems also demanded intelligence of equal precision. 'Operation Sindoor demonstrated that indigenous innovation, when properly harnessed, can match and even exceed international benchmarks. At the heart of our success was the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), a testament to Indian engineering excellence and strategic vision, which was also synced and integrated with the Indian Army's AkashTeer system...,' he said. 'IACCS compressed our sensor-to-shooter timelines dramatically, enabling responses that outpaced adversary decision cycles,' he said, adding that it demonstrated the importance of self-reliance in national security. Noting that government efforts alone could not meet the pace of technological change, he said the Indian private sector had emerged as a critical partner. 'We need our private sector to push the boundaries in several critical areas. Integration of Al with electro-optic systems has the potential to revolutionise surveillance capabilities,' said the CISC. He underscored the importance of developing multispectral, all-weather surveillance systems. 'We also need scalable and interoperable systems that can seamlessly integrate with existing military networks while remaining flexible enough to accommodate future technologies,' he said, adding that both ISRO and DRDO had shown commendable foresight in offering technology transfers to private players. 'As we look at the future, we must recognise that tomorrow's battlefield will demand sensors in all domains, data in the cloud, technology embedded in our systems and algorithms actively engaged in the MALE and HALE platforms including the MQ-9, RUSTOM and TAPAS, must therefore evolve with modular payloads, advanced sensor fusion and Al-assisted analysis to provide commanders with unprecedented situational awareness,' the CISC suggested. He also recommended integration of mini hyperspectral sensors on UAVs, coupled with onboard edge computing, to reduce latency.
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Need to extend surveillance envelope: Air Marshal Dixit
New Delhi, Modern warfare has "fundamentally altered" the relationship between distance and vulnerability, and there is a need to "extend our surveillance envelope" to detect potential threats much before they approach the border, a top military officer said on Wednesday. In his address at an event held at Subroto Park, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit also asserted that Operation Sindoor demonstrated that indigenous innovation, when properly harnessed, can "match and even exceed" international benchmarks. The domain of surveillance and EO system has evolved. It was a "force enhancer", now it is slowly becoming a foundation upon which modern military operations will take place, he said. "I have witnessed this transformation first-hand throughout my career. And, today, we stand at a cusp of a revolution that will define how we perceive, process and project power, in the 21st century," Air Marshal Dixit said. He emphasised that the recent months have provided "compelling evidence" of the same. In his address, he laid stress on the critical importance of "deep surveillance" in contemporary warfare. The lessons of Operation Sindoor, what military strategist have perhaps not fully appreciated until now is that "modern warfare thanks to technology has fundamentally altered the relationship between distance and vulnerability," the officer said. It has given a new meaning to simultaneity and non-linearity. Earlier, the horizon marked the limit of immediate threat. Today, precision-guided munitions, like SCALP, BrahMos, etc, have "rendered geographical barriers almost meaningless", as strikes with air-to-air missiles and supersonic air-to-ground missiles have become commonplace, he said. India used long-range weapon systems and platforms to strike deep within the Pakistan territory to destroy terror infrastructure during Operation Sindoor. Air Marshal Dixit said when weapons can strike targets hundreds of kilometres away with pin-point accuracy, "the traditional concepts of front, rear, and flanks, combat zones, depth areas, all become irrelevant. What we call the front and the theatre, merge into one". He emphasised that this "new reality" demands that "we extend our surveillance envelope far beyond what previous generations could have even imagined". "We must detect, identify and track potential threats not when they approach our border, but when they are still in their staging areas, airfields, bases and deep within their own territory," the top officer said. This existed as a concept earlier, but today "we have the means" to realise it, he added. Compressed timelines of modern warfare, amplify this need. "When hypersonic missiles can traverse hundreds of kilometres in mere minutes and drone swarms can reach their targets before traditional decision-making processes can respond, real-time or near real-time surveillance becomes not just advantageous but essentially for surviving," he said. The speed of modern weapons has fundamentally altered the OODA loop, compressing it from hours to minutes, and sometimes even seconds, the officer said. This new reality is being shaped by small satellite constellations that are revolutionising battlefield awareness. The fusion of electro-optical, and other capabilities now enable a "24x7 dynamic persistence and predictive mosaic" of the battlefield. "We no longer merely observe, we anticipate, predict and pre-empt," he said. The precision that defines modern weapon systems, however, comes with its own challenges, the officer cautioned. "While it offers an unprecedented capability to strike with minimal collateral damage, it also demands intelligence in equal precision. Outdated or inaccurate data doesn't merely reduce effectiveness, it can lead to mission failures, unintended casualties and strategic setbacks that reverberate far beyond the immediate battlefield," he said. In his address, he also referred to China's military space programme, which he said has expanded from "operating just 36 satellites in 2010 to over a thousand by 2024, with more than 360 dedicated to ISR missions". ISR refers to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. "As we contemplate our own surveillance capabilities, we must understand the rapidly evolving threat landscape, particularly the remarkable advances made by our neighbours to the north," he said. The officer said Chinese satellites have recently demonstrated "sophisticated dog-fighting manoeuvres" in lower earth orbits. "They have evolved from a kill chain to a kill mesh, an integrated network that seamlessly interweaves ISR satellites with weapon systems," he added. The top officer also cited cases of conflicts that have occurred in the recent years, from Armenia-Ajerbaijan conflict to Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Hamas, and Indian's own experience in the recent Operation Sindoor. "What truth emerges with crystal clarity, the side that sees first, sees farthest, and sees most accurately prevails," he underlined. This axiom has guided military thinking for centuries and has has become even relevant in the current precision warfare and multi-domain operations, the officer said. The tri-Services officer was speaking at a seminar on 'Surveillance and Electro-optics' hosted by think-tank CS and Indian Military Reviews .
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Jaishankar heads to Europe: Strategic talks with EU, defence push in France post Operation Sindoor
S Jaishankar's Europe visit aims to bolster strategic ties with France, engage with the EU, and strengthen economic partnerships with Belgium. Discussions with France will focus on their 25-year strategic partnership, with India seeking to replenish its arsenal of French-origin weapons, including Rafale fighter jets and SCALP missiles, following their effective use in recent cross-border actions. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: External affairs minister S Jaishankar will hold a strategic dialogue with the European Union, look to exchange notes and strengthen bilateral ties with France and boost the economic partnership with Belgium during a week-long visit to Europe starting visit comes after the recent cross-border action against terrorists which escalated into a larger military conflict that ended with precision strikes on Pakistani air bases and military installations before a ceasefire was the first leg of his visit, the minister will visit France, which is India's strongest partner in Europe. India and France have completed 25 years of strategic partnership and during the visit, the minister will participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue being held in will also have bilateral discussions with his counterpart, minister for Europe and foreign affairs of France Jean Noel Barrot, and will engage with the senior leadership of France, besides interacting with think and France share a similar outlook on many regional and global issues and the Indian armed forces have relied on cutting edge technology and weapons from French manufacturers. In the recent conflict with Pakistan, the French origin Rafale fighter jet was extensively used to target terror infrastructure and military installations across the is looking to replenish its stocks and is placing orders for additional SCALP missiles that were used to effectively target airbases and terror camps in Pakistan. India will also acquire a number of the Meteor air-to-air missiles , which outmatch the Chinese and American origin equipment used by the Pakistan Air Force. There is a sense of urgency as Operation Sindoor has still not been called off.
India Today
04-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
India vs Pakistan: The battle for air superiority
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated June 9, 2025)As the dust settles over the India-Pakistan conflict—triggered by India's missile strikes on nine terrorist hubs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province in response to the Islamabad-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April—it is time for a reckoning of how the two adversaries fared. Uniquely, over four intense, dramatic days (May 7-10), the theatre of war was the skies on either side of the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border. Airpower was the key factor, manifested not in the dogfights of yore, but their modern equivalent, comprising precise strikes, electronic warfare and smart coordination between aircraft, ground radars and airborne early warning and control system (AEW&CS)/ Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. Drones and missiles were used aplenty by Pakistan, and India's multi-layered air defence (AD) system rose to the occasion like never before. According to the Indian Army, its air defence units neutralised nearly 800-900 Pakistani drones during Operation early on May 7, the Pakistani air defence had no immediate answer to the loitering munitions/ kamikaze drones, and SCALP/ Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles and HAMMER bombs fired from the Rafales of the Indian Air Force (IAF) that destroyed the terrorist camps, the Pakistan Air Force's (PAF) J-10CEs, F-16s and JF-17 fighter jets did pose a threat. Indeed, Pakistan has claimed—without definitive proof or explicit acknowledgement from India—that several Indian jets were lost. Significantly, wary of each other's missiles, particularly those launched beyond visual range (BVR), both forces operated well within their respective air space. However, on May 8 and 10, after Indian missile and drone strikes took out vital Pakistani air defence radars in Lahore and Karachi—one precious PAF AWACS was reportedly lost too—its air defence systems were rendered toothless, largely driving the PAF from the skies. So, after Pakistan targeted Indian air bases and military installations with drones and missiles on May 9 and 10—almost all of which were intercepted and shot to pieces—it was helpless before India's retaliatory barrage of SCALP and BrahMos supersonic missiles, fired by aircraft and from the ground on eight Pakistani air bases, including the Nur Khan base near Rawalpindi, the general headquarters of the Pakistan army. Thus chastened, Pakistan is said to have called for a Sindoor was a demonstration of Indian precision and reach, and showcased India's capability to strike any target in Pakistan at will. Frank O'Donnell, senior research adviser at the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network and non-resident fellow at the Stimson Center, says that it signals India's ability for precision strikes on targets within each base and suggests its implicit capacity to incapacitate these bases if desired. 'The very short flight time of India's air-to-ground missiles, and especially its reported use of the supersonic BrahMos, leveraged the continuing challenge for Pakistan of operationalising missile defence systems and the extreme difficulty of blocking cruise missile strikes. However, this challenge is also shared by India,' he says. OPPOSING AIR WARRIORSThough in recent decades India has held a qualitative and numerical advantage in air superiority over Pakistan, the latter's acquisition of sophisticated Chinese aircraft has led analysts to suggest that the technological disparity is India's frontline fighter jets, the Mirage 2000H, armed with the Thales RDY radar (range: 100-130 km) and MICA missiles (both beyond visual range or BVR and short range or SR, with a reach of 60-80 km), excels in precision strikes but has an ageing airframe. The MiG-29UPG, with Zhuk-ME radar (range: 120 km) and R-77 missiles (BVR, with a range of 80-100 km) is agile, but lags in networking. The Su-30MKI, equipped with a Bars PESA radar (or a Passive Electronically Scanned Array radar with a 200 km range) and BrahMos missiles, offers long-range strike capability but has a large radar cross-section, meaning it can be detected by enemy radars. The Rafale has an RBE2 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar and SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, which ensures data fusion across electromagnetic, laser and infrared domains to protect it from threats. Both PESA and AESA radars can track multiple targets at once. The Rafale, armed with Meteor and SCALP missiles and HAMMER precision-guided munition, is India's most advanced jet, but its small fleet size limits the other side, Pakistan's Chinese J-10C fighters, armed with PL-15E BVR missiles, and equipped with dual-pulse motors and AESA seekers, mounted a challenge for the IAF. The J-10CE's AESA radar and its integration with Saab 2000 Erieye AEWC enables long-range engagements, while the JF-17's KLJ-7A radar is less capable but still effective with networked Sindoor drew global attention to a possible aerial duel between the Rafale and J-10C fighters—both 4.5-generation multirole fighters. 'Rafale is a proven platform, as it has been used in combat in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Iraq and Syria, while J-10 C has not seen any combat,' says a key IAF aviation experts claim that Pakistan's J-10C, manufactured by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, lags behind the Rafale, made by the French firm Dassault, in armament. The J-10C has 11 hardpoints (mounting points to carry weapons) and a six-tonne load capacity. The Rafale has 14 hardpoints and a nine-tonne capacity, including nuclear-capable munitions. The Rafale's 24-tonne take-off weight exceeds the J-10C's 19 tonnes, offering greater payload flexibility, though the J-10C reaches a higher 18,000-metre ceiling, compared to the Rafale's 16,000 metres. The J-10C excels in high-altitude performance; the Rafale dominates in versatility and range. Experts say that the Rafale holds a slight edge in terms of sensor fusion and missile performance. However, uncertainty persists over Pakistan's unverified claims of downing Indian jets, including evidence does not confirm that a Rafale was downed by a J-10C-fired PL-15E missile. However, the loss of at least one Rafale demands an urgent review of technical and tactical vulnerabilities,' notes O'Donnell. He adds that Pakistan and China have valuable combat data about western aircraft, aiding their fighter modernisation, while Pakistan's swift acquisition of Chinese platforms outpaces India's sluggish defence procurement, exacerbating the IAF's declining squadron analyst Shreyas Deshmukh, research associate at the Delhi Policy Group, says that the Rafale vs J-10C comparison reflects a contest for battlefield superiority, given their similar capabilities. Though debris, including PL-15E remnants and possible MICA missile fragments from an IAF jet, were reportedly recovered, Deshmukh asserts that 'no concrete evidence supports claims of aerial losses on either side'. INDIA'S AIR DEFENCE EDGEadvertisementFor India, the real positive to have emerged from Operation Sindoor is the overwhelming success of its integrated air defence system. The two units that synergised perfectly to nullify all projectiles hurled at India are the IAF's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and the army's Akashteer. The IACCS is an automated command and control system that integrates data at its control centres from air defence assets like ground-based radar, airborne sensors, AWACS/ AEW&CS, communication nodes and IAF command and control centres. The consolidated data along with real-time updates gives commanders of air defence units an overall situational awareness and full battlefield picture to respond to incoming aerial threats. Similarly, the army's Akashteer is an air defence control and reporting system comprising radars and sensors that are connected to units of its air the integration of the resources of IACCS and Akashteer, the Indian air defence threw up a layered grid. The first layer comprises counter drone systems like D4 and MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defence Systems) like Igla-M and Igla-S, while the second layer has low-level air defence (LLAD) guns like Bofors L-70 and ZSU-23-4 Schilka self-propelled system, and short-range surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) like Pechora, Tunguska and OSA-AK. The third and fourth layers have medium- and long-range SAMs like Pechora, SPYDER, the indigenous Akash and the long-range S-400 Triumf and Barak-8 missile defence systems. India's counter-unmanned aerial system (UAS) technologies also played a major role in detecting and neutralising Pakistani drones. This multi-layered air defence network not only protected Indian air bases, army installations, airports and cities, but also protected Amritsar's Golden Temple from a Pakistani drone and missile attack. In contrast, Pakistan's Chinese HQ-9 and HQ-16 air defence systems failed to detect and intercept the devastating Indian strikes on its air bases on May 10. Early on May 10, Indian strikes took out a Chinese-made LY80 air defence system using a Harpy kamikaze drone at Lahore, while a missile destroyed an HQ-9 system in Karachi. Comparative analysis also suggests that the S-400 surpasses the HQ-9 in performance. 'India's multi-layered air defence systems exhibited greater effectiveness in deployment and integration than their Pakistani counterparts,' a key defence official said. Defence analysts say that for the past two decades, as a probable counter to India's Cold Start Doctrine, which envisages short, swift strikes into Pakistan that would avoid a nuclear escalation, Pakistan has been buying mostly offensive weaponry. 'In contrast, India's strategic focus was on technological advancement and indigenous production, leading to investments in radars such as the ADTCR, Ashwini and Indra (electronically scanned array radars), sensor processing systems, jamming devices, and electronic warfare systems, including drone jammers as well as counter-battery radars,' says Deshmukh. The development of missile systems such as BrahMos and Akash, coupled with the timely procurement of the S-400, has provided India with a significant advantage in non-contact warfare, he adds. Thus, Pakistan's investment in offensive weapons lays bare its weak air defence capabilities, leaving its command and control the conflict reaffirmed that modern warfare is driven by air power, not merely in terms of aircraft but through sensors, missiles, data networks, electronic warfare and unmanned systems. 'Operation Sindoor is a testimony to the power of a capable air force,' notes a senior defence analyst. 'But no country can win future wars without continuous investment in modern air platforms and integrated defence networks.' Despite its strong showing, experts argue that India must not become complacent. The IAF's thinning squadron strength and the slow induction of next-gen air dominance fighters leave gaps that adversaries may exploit in the to India Today MagazineMust Watch
