Indian Army To Acquire Integrated Vehicle Mounted Electronic Warfare Systems

Indian Army To Acquire Integrated Vehicle Mounted Electronic Warfare Systems


According to latest 'Defense News' reports, the Ministry of Defence is said to have invited bids for integrated electronic warfare systems (IEWS) for the Indian Army.The number of systems to be acquired is said to be undisclosed at this stage. The Army is to utilize the vehicle-mounted system in the mountainous terrain near India's northern, north eastern borders with Pakistan and China, the report said.Western, Israeli and Russian defense firms have been asked to submit price and technical bids by June 2007, and a short list of contenders is to be invited to bring their IEWS early next year for winter and summer trials in the Kashmir valley and the mountainous north east.Electronic warfare (EW) is the use of the electromagnetic spectrum to deny its effective use by an adversary while optimizing its use by friendly forces. Electronic warfare has three main components: electronic support, electronic attack, and electronic protection.An Army official said a contract is likely to be awarded in early 2009 with deliveries starting in 2011.The IEWS will completely secure the communications systems of the Army which is crucial especially in terrorism hit regions. They will also help listen in to enemy and terrorist networks, as radio communications and data are excellent sources of intelligence.Thus the IEWS would play the role of a force multiplier for the Army in trouble hit regions as it will improve the speed, tempo and depth of operations.However the use of IEW Systems needs to be cultivated in the Indian Army as it will have to be built into operational and tactical planning.The Army official said one typical Indian terrain-specific IEWS will include:• A countermeasure control center.• One command post.• A special information warfare operations unit.• One psychological operations shelter.• A satellite interception system.• Four control centers.• Twenty relay/repeater stations for radio signals.• Five mobile stations.• Seventy-nine 2.5-ton and high-mobility light vehicles.