Indian Navy to get Dedicated Communication Satellite Next Year

[Screaming Skull]

Navy to get Dedicated Communication Satellite Next Year​

New Delhi | Oct 22, 2009

Navy will get a dedicated satellite for making its communication robust and secure and to also propel its network-centric operations and connectivity at sea, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

"The Navy's efforts towards network centric operations and leveraging information technology are laudable. The launch of the Naval Communication Satellite next year will significantly improve connectivity at sea," Antony said, inaugurating the the Navy Senior Officers Conference here.

The satellite, being built by ISRO, would be on a geo-stationary orbit and would provide an overview of about 600 to 1,000 nautical miles of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which India considers to be its primary area of responsibility in terms of maritime security.

"The new satellite, which will primarily provide for communication among naval stations and platforms at sea, is expected to transform the entire maritime domain awareness of the Navy," a Navy officer said, when asked about the satellite's capabilities.

At present, Navy depends on foreign satellites for providing data. Once the geo-stationary satellite is put in orbit by ISRO, it will provide a secure, independent data link and network-centric operations capability for the Navy.

Under the Defence Ministry plans for space-based military assets, Navy would get its dedicated communication satellite first, followed by the Air Force and the Army.

"US Navy, in fact, has capabilities to track underwater targets too using its satellites. We are not looking at that kind of a capability at present. We only want a secure communication network, as it is easy to intercept high frequency radio communications which Naval ships like to avoid," the Navy officer said.

On the need for a dedicated communication satellite, the officer said the Navy was not getting data of the kind the ISRO-built satellite would provide in the future.

"At present, we have to depend on polar satellite from foreign sources. That presents it own kind of problems of dependability. Hence, we need a satellite of our own," the officer added.

Antony also told the conference that the Navy must double its efforts towards synergising the widely dispersed intellectual capital available in the country from academia, research and development organisations and industry.

"Such a synergy would be the right step towards achieving self-reliance in areas where key technologies are being used," he added.

news.outlookindia.com | Navy to get Dedicated Communication Satellite Next Year

 

[unicorn148]

i think that will be a big boost to the IN because the dependece on other countries will reduce

 

[King Julien]

chillati khopdi always brings good and exclusive news

 

[Screaming Skull]

Dedicated Sat spin off - Navy for Internet, Sat TV on submarines​

The Indian Navy is keen that its submariners are soon able to access the Internet and watch direct-to-home (DTH) television underwater (up to a certain depth) via satellite connectivity and has asked the state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd if this can be ensured, BEL sources have confirmed.

The Navy is in the midst of a process to place a Rs 600-crore order with BEL for supply and installation of integrated communication network systems on all its submarines, ships and unmanned aerial vehicles, BEL sources said. Satellite connectivity for submarines will be ensured once the Navy has its own communications satellite, which is to be launched next year.

Sources said orders for the first phase of the project have already been received while orders for the second phase, costing Rs 53 crores, and the third phase, costing Rs 200 crores, are in the pipeline.

"The Navy is keen to know whether its sailors can surf the Internet and see DTH TV while in submerged submarines," said a BEL official.

BEL sources said the submarines would have to be quite close to the water surface for sailors to enjoy these facilities and the tip of the submarine’s snorkel mast, or tower, has to be slightly above the water surface to receive satellite connectivity.

When contacted, Navy sources said BEL usually supplies the Navy’s communication devices. "It is to be expected that once satellite connectivity is available, such facilities would be available to sailors in submarines," Navy sources said.

For sailors stationed for several days at a stretch in submarines, access to the Internet and DTH services will mean they do not have to be cut off from daily happenings on land.

Defence minister A.K. Antony had recently announced that India would launch its first dedicated military naval communication satellite next year. This is expected to radically transform the capabilities of the Navy in the Indian Ocean by ensuring satellite connectivity on all naval ships, submarines and other assets. This will be the first naval geo-stationary satellite with its focus on the Indian Ocean and the Navy will decide the positioning of the satellite. As the defence minister himself had put it, "The launch of the naval communications satellite next year will significantly improve connectivity at sea."

http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/top-story/navy-for-internet,-sat-tv-on-submarines.aspx

 

[Chanakyaa]

This should have been done long back.
Perhaps Indian Coast Guard with More Capability and Communication facilities could have avaoided 26/11.