: An Assessment

Computer technology has revolutionised weapons systems and warfare during the last decade. The 'miracle chip' has had impact in all areas of battlefield. The recent Gulf War has amply demonstrated the important role of computer technology in warfare. The best of the high technology was used during the 45 days of air battle followed by 100 hours of ground offensive. Computers and communication formed the heart of every weapon system from Tomahawk, SLAM, Scud, Patriot missiles to night vision of tanks and Stealth fighters. This paper discusses the salient features of computer technology used by the US for this truly hi-tech war. The hi-tech weapon systems using computers for achieving surgical precision have been highlighted. The Indian scenario and the important lessons learnt by the use of high technology, primarily based on computers for future wars, have been presented for their applicability in the Indian context. INTRODUCTION new type of hi-tech war. The best of the high technology was used by the Allied troops against the conventional well-established Iraqi forces. This high technology was primarily based on computers and communication systems. Computer technology has been playing a major role in defence applications, right from early days. Initially, the high computation capability of computers was utilised in major weapon systems and electronic warfare. With the advent of microprocessors, every area of defence equipment and operations has been affected. The need for accurate and timely information is vital for any operation. Computers with their high speed and unlimited storage capacity are revolutionising the concept of warfare. Just as computers are becoming a fact of life in offices, schools, laboratories and factories all over the world, they have become equally vital to Defence Services. In conventional combat, computers act as a fol. ;e multiplier. They increase the accuracy of individual weapon system; which reduces the number of weapons needed to destroy a particular target. They also allow the commanders to apply their forces more effectively through better intelligence and more effective communications. Combat applications are only the tip of the iceberg. Computers are now involved in every aspect of defence from war planning and weapon design to administration and logistics. The recent Gulf War between the Allied forces and Iraq was totally a 2. CURRENT DEFENCE APPLICATIONS Tactical Computers: Microprocessors are replacing most of the instrumentation forming part of artillery guns. The tactical boards are being replaced by video dtsplay boards, displaying realtime battle situation. One of the leading applications of tactical computers is in fire control systems, where they can be used simply to relay target information and firing orders or to actually aim and fire the weapon. Almost all tactical aircraft being used by the air forces of different countries make extensive use of computer for various onboard applications. The Advance Tactical Fighter (A TF) being designed for US Air Force is even more dependent on embedded computers than was its ancestor, the F-16. India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) will also have similar embedded computers. The variety of tasks performed by the computers will continue to expand as new systems are introduced. These embedded Received 26 October 1992 DEF SCI J. VOL 43, NO 2, APRIL 1993 computers are at the heart of the so-called 'Smart' munition, which can guide themselves to their target after launch1, number of dynamic simulation probabilistic models for tank vs tank battle are being utilized to determine the effectiveness of battle tactics. Multi-media techniques are providing the much-needed realism in wargaming and simulation3. Research & Development: In advanced countries, the entire effort on res~arch and development in defence is based on powerful supercomputers like CRA y . They are used for simulation and modelling of everything from high speed, high altitude aerodynamics to the effect of ocean currents on submarine detection system. The computer has emerged as a powerful primary tool in design, development and manufacture due to its incredible speed of computation and versatility. To illustrate the capability of the modem computer technology, it is estimated that CRA y could complete the computation of yield of the first atomic device in Is, which had taken a team of scientists five years in I940's, using the the~ lva,ilable tools. One of the greatest benefits of this kind of computational speed is that it makes possible simulated experiments that in real world would be physically impossible or prohibitively expensive. Computer-aided design and manufacture ( CAD/CAM) workstations have cut down the design cycle time and provide more reliable and affordable weapon systems. With capability of storing 3-D geometric models on computer, the CAD/CAM technology is having impact in research, design and development of all major subsystems for weapons. Logistics: Though a majority of computers in defence are being used in logistics and office administration activities, their role is less remarkable but essential. The benefits of computerisation in these areas in defence are much more pronounced than in their civilian counterparts. Some of the major areas are : inventory management, personnel management, pay & allowances, weapon/equipment stat tis, production planning and control, and maintenance diagnostic system. The current defence applications of computers mentioned above are implemented using full range of computer systems from PCs to supercomputers. With fast changing computer technoJogy, there is a regular upgradation of both hardware and software to provide better and more efficient use. Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence ( C I) : c;41 provides an accurate information system to the commanders at various levels to exercise effective command and control using reliable communications. The degree of integration of command and control systems in weapons with the communication techniques, is gradually increasing with the use of computers. The basic elements of c;41 are surveillance, communication, computation, decision-making and action. Because of the speed at which events unfold in modern warfare, a ~I system that cannot respond almost instantaneously is of little use. The United States strategic warning network derives its inputs from surveillance satellites, which are controlled by computers from a ground station. Other strategic intelligence is derived from computers that specialise in decoding and analysing reports and correlating data. This intelligence information, together with orders, reports and a flood of other ~I data, is passed around the globe by a computer-controlled system through network of satellites. At each stage, the information is encoded, decoded, addressed, rerouted or otherwise processed by the computers. A number of ~I systems are operational in the world at present and were extensively used during the Gulf war . Wargaming and Simulation: Wargaming is simulation of battlefield situation, provided to different levels of commanders to train andtest their professional skills and decision-making capabilities. A computer system provides flexibility of use of the visual displays for different operations of war . Highly complex situations can be simulated with the help of computer . The modern computer-basedsimulations can replace anything from infantry engagement to global nuclear war. The fighter aircraft pilot training simulators are alrea.dy providing better control and feel and more realistic visual displays on ground, thereby reducing tremendous risk and cost of training. Both air force and navy operate in ranges on which aircraft equipped with electronic pods conduct simulated ground attacks and air-to-air engagements. The flight paths are recorded, combined by the computer and later displayed on the ground, so that the aircrew, who flew the training mission, can review the entire battle. Apart from computerised tank simulators for training the crew, a~ 3. COMPt.J'TER TECHNOLOGY USED IN GULF W AR Defence forces have always adopted new technologies, after ensuring that these offer a quantum