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THE CENTENARY YEAR AND BEYOND— A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE FOR THE CORPS By
Lt Gen (retd) S. R. R.Aiyengar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
“The vision of Signals Corps is to attain and maintain informatics ascendancy by developing developing infostructure to cater for Network Centric Warfare in a digitized battlefield of tomorr tomorrow ow.. The The aim and object objective ive of Signa Signals ls Corps Corps is to make make the Indian Indian Army Army Network Enabled Force by 2012 and Network Centric Force by 2017” (Extracts from Official Website of Indian Army –Corps of Signals.)
Introduction 1. It has been rightly rightly commented commented that the saga saga of wars has been a narrative narrative of human ingenuity and resilience amidst all adversities. The tales of valour epitomizes the ‘ never say die’ attitude of the soldier. The Corps can be justifiably proud of its alacrity and professionalism of the highest order rubbing shoulders with their brethren from the combat forces. In the words of one of the former SO-in-C’s, the Saga of the Corps has been been “a story story of enterp enterpris risee and endeavo endeavor, r, of accomp accomplis lishme hment, nt, and of courag couragee and consistency. The methods of signaling used in the yester years may appear very primitive today, and one can only marvel at their ingenuity and determination.” The tasks on hand for the Corps have been unenviable, given the thirst for signal communications and keeping them ‘through ’ always and every time. The accolades won testify the dexterity and technical acumen punctuated with combat skills exhibited by all ranks of the Corps. Some invaluable major pioneering efforts have been the “Area Grid Systems’ , the ‘ASCON’, ‘Enterprise Wide Messaging Network’ and ‘Cellular Communications’. 2. As a part of the Centenary celebrations, it is planned to release the Third Volume of The Corps History, a compilation done by a dedicated and committed Veteran of The Corps-Maj Gen (retired) VK Singh. This painstaking compilation would surely reflect on the rich and valuable contributions by all concerned during the period under review. Also it would would set the right right framewor framework k for simila similarr compilation compilation of the the ensuing ensuing years to to the present day .There is another monumental contribution by yet another visionary of the Dedica cate ted d to my sonson-Th Thee Corps Corps—M —Maj aj Gen Gen (Ret (Retd) d) Yesh Yeshwa want nt Deva, Deva,AV AVSM SM—“ —“Dedi Signalman ” as he puts it. Laced with a strenuous research spread over two decades, this
2 book titled “Sky is the Limit” is a first hand account of the ‘SIGNALS’ in Operation Pawan, highlighting some very defining and inspiring acts of valor , dedication and commitment our Corps personnel. 3. As we draw inspiration from the performance of the Corps in the years gone by, it is also a good time to reflect on the future especially the challenges that lie ahead and how we view the ‘the core competencies’ of the Corps in the coming years.. We should logically arrive at a strategic perspective paving the way for what needs to be done internally to culminate into a well thought out strategy for execution and as a long term orientation of the Corps against the backdrop of warfare of the future. There is yet another factor we have to contend with namely the influence of ‘technology’. It is tough to make predictions especially of technology, but we do have some idea as to what are likely likely in the years years ahead. ahead. The speed speed and conver convergenc gencee of scient scientifi ificc and engine engineeri ering ng disciplines promise to fundamentally change the nature of deployment and redeployment, and prolon prolonged ged sustai sustainem nement ent of forces forces.. Disco Discover very y and innova innovativ tivee breakt breakthro hrough ughss in scientific areas related to high density- energy sources, superior material reliability, and informati information on and knowledge knowledge fusion fusion across across the operational operational,, intelligenc intelligence, e, and logistics logistics domain will vastly increase the combat readiness and operational effectives of the Armed Revolution ion in Militar Military y Affairs Affairs (RMA (RMA ) has become a reality and has Forces. The Revolut brought in significant changes in military doctrines at one level and in hardware at the other. Military technologies are changing rapidly and their procurement and induction demand a proper understandin understanding g of the wide array of the technology technology spectrum. spectrum. We need to factor all these aspects in the strategic perspective of the Corps
Looking Beyond the Horizon—Adapting to Netcentric Warfare(NCW) Paradigm 4. Warfare over the past fifty years or so, and especially in the last decade, has undergone dramatic changes. RMA has led to increasing battlefield transparency for commanders down to soldiers, in the form of a digitized battlefield. It has changed the entire context of surveillance, intelligence gathering, engagement of targets and decision support systems. NCW is the requirement of the future as it brings Information Information superiority superiority to the forefront as an effective force multiplier. Metcalf Law states that the power of a network increases as the square of the number of nodes in the network. Timely and accurate availability of information increases its value manifold and results in sound decision making making.. While While powerfu powerfull weapons weapons platfo platforms rms are obvious obviously ly necess necessary ary for milita military ry domination and deterrence, supremacy in the battles of the 21st century will hinge on sophisticated command, control and communications systems that link the ‘shooters’ and ‘senso ‘sensors’ rs’ togeth together er to achiev achievee synerg synergy y through through networ network k centri centricit city y and effect effects-b s-base ased d operations. The Battlefield Management System (BMS) is meant for communications from the battalion headquarters forward to the companies and platoons. It will enable the Commanding Officer to enhance his situational awareness and command his battalion through a secure communications network with built-in redundancy. BMS involves big num number bers and and will will be fielde elded d bot both in the plai plains ns and and the the mount ountai ains ns.. Tactical Communication Communication System (TCS) for offens offensive ive operati operations ons -a mobile mobile syste system m that that can
3 'leapfrog' forward as the operation progresses into enemy territory will hopefully see the light of the day soon. 5. Commun Communica icatio tion n suppor supportt topolo topology gy in NCW environ environss is more more infras infrastru tructu ctural ral and network based as against hierarchical. Dispersed and well spread out static and mobile infrastructure forms the basic backbone fabric, with users hooking on at convenient points to derive vertical and horizontal communication support. There would a large number of disparate networks for different user-groups, but these would all converge at some level. The convergence of Networks would not only enable real-time passage of information from the source to the decision maker/ initiator of action, in the desired form, but also allow sharing of information among different groups of users for achieving the desired desired degree of synergy synergy and synchroniz synchronization ation of activities activities.. The concept would have to be extended to all the three services, joint war fighting, since NCW cannot succeed without the requisite level of jointmanship. A Tri-Service Defence Communications Network (DCN) is now under development and the proposals which have been received are being evaluated. In essence, the power of NCW is derived from effective “Network Missio ion n effe effect ctiv iven enes esss can can be dram dramat atic ical ally ly incr increa ease sed d by robu robust stly ly of Network Networks” s”. Miss networking a force, which improves information sharing and situational awareness. This demands a “Seamless Integration of both Strategic and Tactical Networks.” Shared situational awareness enables synergy amongst all components of battlefield but places a very demand upon the bandwidth and quality of service. Command and control Centres would be the prime targets in future wars. These requirements can be addressed by “Overlay Networks”. Networks”. Especially in the Indian context, Communications and having “Overlay informatics for the military has of necessity to be based on a multi-layered, multi-media and and mult multii syst system emss infr infras astr truc uctu ture re,, with with a view view to ensu ensure re inhe inhere rent nt attr attrib ibut utes es of survivability, scalability and security. Towards this end ASCON (Army Static Switched Commun Communica icatio tion n Networ Network) k) is the pioneer pioneer of our countr country’s y’s enterp enterpri risese- wide wide captive captive Communication network—a first of its kind, and serves as the back bone of the overall communication network. The future may beckon Indian Military to fight a war as part of a coalition coalition force, in the NCW environment environment.. It is essential essential that adequate communication communication inf infrast rastrruct ucture ure be deve develo lope ped d to meet meet the chal challe leng nges es of Comman Command, d, Control, Control, Commun Communicat ications ions,, Compute Computer, r, Intellig Intelligence ence,, Inter-op Inter-opera erabili bility, ty, Surveil Surveillanc lancee and 4 2 only in term termss of hardw hardwar are, e, but soft softwar waree and and most most Reconnaissance Reconnaissance (C I SR), not only importantl importantly, y, the ‘Cor uch an oper operat atio iona nall ‘Coree Comp Compet etenc encie iess of the Corp Corps” s” in such environment.
Core Competencies/Thrust Competencies/Thrust Areas of the Corps in the Days Ahead 6. Against the backdrop of what has been stressed in the preceding paragraphs of the operational operational template, template, the following following would emerge emerge as the core competencies/th competencies/thrust rust areas of the Corps in the future. These by no means relegates many other competencies which we have identified in the past and grouped under the general rubric of “Signalmanship” and and enha enhanc ncin ing g ‘pro ‘profe fess ssio iona nali lism sm’’ of the the Corp Corpss pers person onne nel. l. Thes Thesee revi revise sed d core core competencies competencies// thrust areas are by no means exhaustive exhaustive but surely surely are prime areas for attenti attention on if we are carry out our assign assigned ed tasks tasks in NCW scenar scenario io as ‘Infor ‘Informat mation ion Warriors’ which we all take great pride to be :-
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Network management
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Information Ascendency/Dominence.
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Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Operations.
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Cyber Security Measures.
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Computer Network Defense;
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Formulation of a Corps Doctrine
Network Management
7. Network Network management management refers to the activities, methods, procedures, and tools that pertain pertain to the operation, operation, administr administration ation,, maintenance, maintenance, and provisioni provisioning ng of networked networked systems. Very briefly these functions entail:•
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Operation deals with keeping the network (and the services that the network provides) up and running smoothly. It includes monitoring the network to spot problems as soon as possible, ideally before users are affected. Administration deals with keeping track of resources in the network and how they are assigned. It includes all the "housekeeping" that is necessary to keep the network under control. concerned with performing performing repairs repairs and upgrades—fo upgrades—forr example, example, Maintenance is concerned when equipment must be replaced, when a router needs a patch for an operating system image, when a new switch is added to a network. Maintenance also involves corrective and preventive measures to make the managed network run "better", such as adjusting device configuration parameters. Provisioning is concerned with configuring resources in the network to support a given service. For example, this might include setting up the network so that a new customer can receive voice service.
Fault, 8. A common way of characterizing network network management functions is FCAPS — Fault, Configuration, Configuration, Accounting, Accounting, Performance Performance and Security. Security. Functions that are performed as part of network management accordingly include controlling, planning, allocating, deploying, coordinating, and monitoring the resources of a network, network planning, frequ frequen ency cy allo alloca cati tion on,, pred predet eter ermi mined ned traf traffi ficc rout routin ing g to supp suppor ortt load load bala balanc ncin ing, g, cryp crypto togr grap aphi hicc key key dist distri ribu buti tion on auth author oriz izat atio ion, n, conf config igur urat atio ion n mana managem gemen ent, t, faul faultt management, security management, performance management, bandwidth management, Route analytics and accounting management. Data for network management is collected through through severa severall mechan mechanism isms, s, includ including ing agents agents instal installed led on infras infrastr truct ucture ure,, synthe syntheti ticc monitoring that simulates transactions, logs of activity, sniffers and real user monitoring. In the past network management mainly consisted of monitoring whether devices were up or down; today performance management has become a crucial part of the IT team's role which which brings brings about about a host host of challe challenges nges.. There is a need to think of a dedicated “Network Management Centre” to begin with at each of theatre hubs. Organizations
5 for such tasks tasks can be tailor tailor made based based on the requirem requirement ent of the theatre. theatre. If suitab suitably ly constituted integrated theatre commands and functional (non-territorial) commands for the Armed Forces as a whole come into being as a part of a greater transformation of the Armed Forces at some future date, such organizations already in place would greatly facilitate such a restructuring. 9. From the host of activities listed above it would be clear that our personnel would would have have to be pu putt thr throu ough gh a very very struct structur ured ed appro approach ach and and traini training ng schedule to fully comprehend the nature of tasks involved. involved. This would have to be followed by a very well monitored programme at the implementation level overseen by specially trained personnel. The Corps has to give these aspects a serious serious attention attention in the coming coming days. days. The Training Training Syllabi Syllabi would need to suitably suitably incorporat incorporatee these these issues issues at both both at the MCTE MCTE and our Training Training Centers. A separate wing /faculty to be set-up at the MCTE and Training Centres would be a step in the right direction to impart training on Network Management related issues. Any adhocism in this regard will result in serious voids in carrying out these exclusive functions. It is also for consideration for an introduc introduction tion of a new trade category category to be called called ‘Ope ‘Operato rator-Ne r-Netwo tworks rks ‘ONW’. If for some reason new trade category is not accepted or delayed, it is for consideration if any trade closest to this proficiency be re-designated and oriented to Network Management Discipline. Such a discipline is essential for a sound sound found foundati ationa onall know knowled ledge ge of netw network orkss and and system systems. s. We need need to seriously introspect whether we are addressing all these issues holistically. Information Ascendancy /Dominance 10. The important important emphasi emphasiss on today’s today’s digitize digitized d battlefi battlefield eld is in the conectio conection n between information and combat power battlefield. The key components of this conection can be best described in an equation: Combat Power (Decision Cycle) x Degree of Information Protection=Formation’s Combat Potential. By ascendancy is generally meant, reaching a superior or dominant condition or posit positio ion. n. (The (The Conci Concise se OXFO OXFORD RD Dictio Dictionar nary) y).. Howe Howeve verr more more popul popular arly ly accepted terminology in the military parlance, it is also referred to by its near equivalent term, ‘Information Dominance’. US Military Document FM100-6 defines Information Dominance as “the degree of information superiority that allows the possessor to use information systems and capabilities to achieve an operational advantage in a conflict or to control the situation in operations short short of war., war., while while den denying ying those capabili capabilities ties to the adversary”. adversary”. Without Without doubt the ongoing RMA is one of information: what is it, who has it and how it is transmitted. It is in this role of information information dissemination, dissemination, our Corps would have a very big role to play. We are moving from a world of information pover poverty ty,, to that that of abund abundanc ancee formi forming ng infor informa matio tion n econo economi mies es based based on intelligence, creativity and innovation. The emerging model of the information grid bears testimony to the fact of translating information superiority into battle power by effectively linking knowledgeable entities in the battle space, thereby improving situational awareness of commanders.Superior information
6 is to be conv conver erte ted d to supe superi rior or know knowle ledg dgee whic which h when when comb combin ined ed with with organiz organizatio ational nal and doctrin doctrinal al adaptati adaptations, ons, relevan relevantt training training and experie experience nce and proper comman command d and control control mechanism mechanismss and tools tools will will facilita facilitate te in unassailable decision superiority . We in the Corps would have to be equally proficient in all these adaptations.
11. Technology has changed the playing field in this regard as commanders no longer have to rely purely only on intuition; they may still use it, but they don’t have to rely on it absolutely. Through technology, a commander’s grasp of the battlefield can now be exacted via electronic means available to him and can be applied at all levels from the infant infantry ry platoo platoon n to the Joint Joint Force Force Comman Commander der.. Inform Informati ation on Technol Technologi ogies es (IT) (IT) can overlay the relevant friendly and enemy pictures against the setting of the operational environ environmen ment. t. While While it must must also also admitt admitted ed that that IT will will never never afford afford fool fool proof proof and absol absolut utee visi visibi bili lity ty of the the batt battle lefi fiel eld; d; but it will will be poss possib ible le to esta establ blis ish h peri period odic ic dominance by focusing resources at a particular time and place. Effective communications over longer distances has always been the mainstay of quick reacting and quick responding modern armies. Improvements in Battle Command can be made through the following: the ability to command on the move inside the Network(s); combat identification to help prevent fratricide; target identification and discrimination to reduce collateral damage; links to more sensors and shooters; and communications relays to extend ranges for operations over more complex terrain. The greater the decentralized decentralized nature of deployed combat units, their physical dispersion, and the more complex the terrain, the more it is that units must rely on solid, depen dependab dable, le, and reliab reliable le commun communica icatio tions. ns. One One of the most most impor importan tantt techno technolog logica icall necessities for the Soldier is advanced communications systems capable of delivering digital voice and images over larger communications communications links. Multiple feeds from intelligence sensors also empower Soldiers and give them access to the common operating picture. Advanced networks will overcome poor intelligence and command and control limitations. The Corps has a very important and vital role to play in providing such an integrated communication infrastructure. Merely putting a logo “Information Warriors” on unit sign boards and DO pad letters won’t get us far. 12. Information dominance dominance must be fought for and won through a well planned and practiced practiced process, synchronized synchronized with other elements elements of the operation operation on hand. It is not expected that a formation can ‘own’ the electromagnetic spectrum throughout throughout the battlefield, battlefield, if only because, during contact, there are too many claims claims on the available available frequencies frequencies and means. means. But it is reasonab reasonable le for the comman commander der to expect expect to dominat dominatee the Electro Electromag magneti neticc Spe Spectr ctrum um within within a specified specified arena, if he is willing to allocate the resources. This brings into focus anot anothe herr impo import rtan antt core core comp compet eten ency cy of the the Corp Corpss i.e. i.e. ‘Con ‘Condu duct ct of Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO)’. Proficiency in the Conduct of Electromagnetic Spectrum Spect rum Operations (EMSO)
13. Electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) provide the resource necessary for the implementation of the wireless portion of NCW. Understanding the operational process in planning, managing, and employing this resource is critical to the conduct of all war fighting functions. It consists of planning, operating and coordinating the use of the
7 electromagne electromagnetic tic spectrum spectrum through through operational operational,, engineering, engineering, administr administrative ative and policy policy implementation procedures. The objective of EMSO is to enable electronic systems that rely on wireless connectivity to perform their functions in the intended environment without without causing causing or suffer suffering ing unaccep unacceptab table le freque frequency ncy fratr fratrici icide. de. EMSO EMSO is largel largely y a hierar hierarcha chall proces processs that that is bottom bottom driven driven for requir requireme ements nts,, but top fed for spectr spectrum um resources. Coordination between Electronic warfare (EW), operations and other known users is imperative imperative in order to maximize maximize use of the electromagnet electromagnetic ic spectrum, spectrum, hereafter hereafter simply referred to as ‘spectrum .’ Spectrum Spectrum management consists of evaluating evaluating and mitiga mitigatin ting g electr electroma omagnet gnetic ic enviro environme nmenta ntall effect effects, s, managi managing ng frequen frequency cy record recordss and databa databases ses,, deconfl deconflict icting ing frequen frequencie cies, s, frequen frequency cy interf interfere erence nce resolu resolutio tion, n, allott allotting ing frequencies, and EW coordination to ensure electromagnetic dependent systems operate as intended. . The objective of Army spectrum management is to ensure access to the frequency spectrum in order to support users conducting the Army’s operational mission. Spectrum management enables the allotment of the vital, but limited, natural resources that directly support operational forces throughout the world. The Army is dependent upon the use of the radio spectrum to communicate from the strategic to the tactical levels of war to carry out its assigned responsibilities for national security. Spectrum managem management ent enable enabless electr electronic onic syste systems ms to perfor perform m their their functi functions ons in the intende intended d environment without causing or suffering unacceptable interference. 14. The Corps of Signals under its aegis carries out this very important function of Spectrum Management. Its proficiency in carrying out this task would include among other things:• •
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Identifying the user’s spectrum service requirements (what, when, and where). Identifyi Identifying ng which communications communications networks networks and spectrum spectrum dependent dependent systems systems require frequency Allocations to meet the user’s needs. Ensuri Ensuring ng the availa availabil bility ity of, and access access to, the spectr spectrum um to meet meet the user’s user’s requirements. Protecting spectrum resources from misuse by stringently adhering to national, international and Army policies.
15. EMSO is often addressed as an afterthought in the acquisition and operational processes. Part of the mission of those that perform this function is to educate others on the value of spectrum operations. This is particularly important at the tactical level, where the wireless portion of the network is the key enabler of the network enabled force. Commanders must realize that spectrum is a resource just like fuel or ammunition but it cannot be touched or seen. The use of spectrum must be addressed early and throughout acquisi acquisitio tion, n, planni planning, ng, and operat operation ional al proces processes ses in order order to ensure ensure the executi execution on of continuous, simultaneous combinations of offensive, defensive, and stability, and civil support tasks. The spectrum is a resource, and while non-expendable, it is finite. A limited number channels, or frequencies, can be accommodated at any given time in a given area. While it is true that emerging systems are more efficient users of bandwidth they also use more bandwidth to pass larger amounts of data which leads to frequency congestion because never before have so many emitters been present in an area of
8 opera operati tions ons.. Spec Spectr trum um mana manager gerss must must have have the the abil abilit ity y to mana manage ge and and moni monito torr the the spectr spectrum um for both both commun communica icatio tions ns system systemss and non-com non-commun munica icatio tions ns syste systems. ms. This This includ includes es radars radars,, sensor sensors, s, and robots to name name a few. few. This This must must also also encompa encompass ss all dimensions of the operational environment including airborne platforms such as surrogate satellites, unmanned aerial platforms, space platforms and subterranean systems. Corps of Signals personnel entrusted with this important function must appreciate the enormity of the management functions comprising the three interacting and continuous functions of: Planning, Coordinating, and Operating. During full spectrum operations these functions occur concurrently. My interaction with some officers who have recently come out of MCTE (after SODE course)doesn’t give me an assurance that we are paying sufficient attention to this vital aspect. Cyber Security Measures
16. We are increasingly dependent on computers, networks, and cyberspace resources to accomplish military missions. Manifested via email, the web, databases, applications, comma command nd and and cont contro roll mess messag ages es,, and and myri myriad ad other other form form,, the the heal health th and stat status us of cyberspace affects everyone. Information Technology (IT) is a strategic asset driving the Armed Forces towards a culture change such that we are all “operators” in cyberspace. As operators, each of us must maintain an appropriate level of situational awareness in cyberspace. With our more and more more dependence on computers, computers, networks, internet internet and ICT, we need to pay more attention to Cyber Space Security in so far as it affects National Security. The most advanced armies in the world like the US also face 3,000 to 4,000 attempts a year to hack their networks. As our Army boosts its InfoTech levels, we also become more vulnerable to such threats. Future conflicts will be fought by 'networks' in digi digiti tize zed d batt battle lefi fiel eld d envi enviro ronm nmen ents ts.. Both Both Chin Chinaa and and Paki Pakist stan an,, for for inst instan ance, ce, are are bolstering their cyber-warfare or information warfare capabilities at a rapid clip. China, in particular, has made cyber-warfare one of its topmost military priorities, with Chinese hackers breaking into sensitive computer networks of the US, UK, Germany and even India on a regular basis. It is a truism of the day that anti-technology is very closely following technology at every level, as a result of which enemy hackers are active at all times times tryin trying g technol technology ogy to probe probe and penetr penetrate ate our networks. networks. In this this era of Cyber Cyber Warfare, Information assurance is indeed a major challenge for the Corps of Signals. The threats to information are not just from anti-technology, but even careless humans can cause a major damage by certain unintentional actions. In the area of cyber space, the battle battle betwee between n hackers hackers and defende defenders rs is an ongoing ongoing proces process, s, influe influence nced d by latest latest technological developments. Due to the dynamic nature of threats, institutional measures have to be in place. A report in the US-based Defence Systems magazine found that there were 25 million new strains of ‘malware’ created in 2009. That equals a new strain of ‘malwa ‘malware’ re’ every every 0.79 0.79 second seconds. s. The report report underli underlines nes how the curren currentt cyber cyber threat threat environment is dramatically changing and becoming more challenging as the clock ticks. 17. The Corps has been tasked to oversee the implementation of Cyber Security policies laid down from time to time. A major initiative has been taken at the Army Headquartersto set up an Army Cyber Security Establishment (ACSE) with similar Cyber Security cells being formed at all Headquarters right up to Divisional levels. Apart from creating
9 cyber-security organizations down to the division-level to guard against cyber warfare and data thefts, the Army top brass has also underlined the urgent need for "periodic cyber-secur cyber-security ity audits" audits" by ACSE. In securi security ty matter matters, s, there there is nothin nothing g like like absolu absolute te security. We are only trying to build comfort levels because security costs money and lack of it costs much more. Comfort level is a manifestation of efforts as well as realization of their effectiveness effectiveness and limitation. limitation. At the national level, level, the Department of Inform Informati ation on Techno Technolog logy y has establ establish ished ed the Indian Indian Comput Computer er Emerge Emergency ncy Respons Responsee Team (CERT-In) (CERT-In) to protect protect the Indian cyber space. Indian Army too has taken a similar similar initiative to establish CERT-Army to protect its info bearing networks from cyber threats. Its missi mission on is to enhance enhance the securi security ty of Army's Army's Inform Informati ation on Infras Infrastru tructu cture re throug through h proactive action and effective collaboration. Its charter is, to become the Army's most trusted referral agency for responding to computer security incidents as and when they occur. The CERT-Army will also assist units and formations in implementing proactive measures to reduce the risks of computer security incidents. The enormity of the tasks envisaged suggests that these be functions must be decentralized to Brigade levels and have a respon responsiv sivee both both propro- active active and reactive reactive services services as for forward forward as possib possible le instead of keeping such essential functions at the apex Army Headquarters level only. However, Security Quality Management Services to include Risk Analysis, Security Consult Consultancy ancy,, Educat Education ion and Traini Training, ng, Awaren Awareness ess Buildi Building, ng, Produc Productt Evalua Evaluatio tion n and Certification, can and should be coordinated at the Apex level. Our Corps personnel engaged in such functions would need to be trained adequately and appropriately to handle such sensitive tasks. Such training would need to be dovetailed in the scheme of training syllabi at both at the MCTE and Training Centers to include all ranks. At the MCTE, the present ‘Cipher Wing’ with its exiting infrastructure could be re-orientated to teach also issues related to Cyber Security. It would also imply posting some additional instructional staff suitably trained themselves on cyber security matters. With the reduced load on Ciphers it would be an optimum utilization of these training assets we already have at the MCTE. Computer Network Defence(CND)
18. Computer Network Defense (CND), includes actions taken via computer networks to protect, monitor, analyze, detect and an d respond to network attacks, intrusions, disruptions or other unauthorized actions that would compromise or cripple defense information systems systems and networks. networks. The networks networks that result result from open systems architectures architectures are generally referred to as ‘information grids’. They allow the users to gain access, process, and transport information in near real time to anyone else on the network on the demand of the user; they support support local and area networ network k operat operation ions. s. They They are also the basic components of larger grid networks that, when interconnected, support regional, theater, and ultimately a global grid that is also referred to as the ‘infosphere’ . Computers control connectivity so quickly that wasteful and inefficient permanent or full period connectivity conne ctivity is no longer required; an example could be cellular telephone networks where mobile users maintain continuous virtual connectivity even though they are connected through numerous links and nodal switching centers as they move during the course of a single call. This allows a full range of user service to be distributed across vast areas—hence these these distri distribut buted ed grid grid networ networks ks are also also extrem extremely ely redund redundant ant;; indivi individua duall users users have
10 hundreds of computer selectable paths available vice one or two, making their service many times more reliable. 19. Emerging open systems architectures offer significant improvements in the flow and processing of information; however, their vulnerability to attack is increased. It must be ensure ensured d that that both both passiv passivee and active active comman command d and control control-pr -prote otect ct operati operations ons are conducted continuously to preserve the integrity and security of networks and nodal C4 systems from hostile attack. For example, powerful encryption and key management protection of data protection may includ systems systems provide provide passive protection data while while active protection includee techni technical cal personn personnel el monito monitori ring ng syste systems ms to detect detect and locate locate unauth unauthori orized zed networ network k intrusion or attacking an enemy jammer with anti-radiation missiles. 20. Though these would fall within the overall ambit of ‘Network Management”, CND would require accurate, custom rules with dedicated and qualified specialists who would be manning the various monitoring systems for effective intrusion detection. No doubt specific Firewall and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) can help control access even if an attacker has gained access inside the Network perimeter, personnel engaged on such tasks tasks would would requir requiree an underst understandi anding ng of the networ network k protoc protocol ol includ including ing the valid valid structures and value ranges. It is in these aspects that we need to train our corps personnel engaged in such tasks. Though it may be a specialized job but the fact, the Corps has been assigned the role of a watchdog on Cyber Security; it is incumbent that we address all aspects of Network Security in a holistic manner. A defence in depth approach to secur securee our our crit critic ical al Info Infost stru ruct ctur uree incl includ udin ing g ident identif ifyi ying ng and reme remedi diat atin ing g exis existi ting ng vulnerabilities in our current network architecture is the need of the hour. It is for consideration that we create a separate Faculty in the MCTE, Mhow to address all issues related related to Network management and its various facets including Network Security. Security. The proposed Faculty should be also tasked to conduct capsular courses on “Cyber Audit” Such audits can be considered as infrastructure review, best practices review and review of existing cyber security policies in conjunction with ACSE. By both manually as well as usin using g soft softwa ware re tool toolss we shou should ld be able able revi review ew both both hard hardwa ware re and and soft softwa ware re configu configurat ration ionss with with respec respectt to routers, routers, firewal firewalls, ls, servers servers and desktop desktop and other netw networ orki king ng devi device cess to ensu ensure re that that they they matc match h the the orga organi niza zati tion onal al poli polici cies es and and requirements. The proposed “Network and Security Laboratory ” to be set-up at the MCTE would be a very useful training and testing facility. It can also be used to validate all our polici policies es pertai pertainin ning g to Physic Physical, al, Perime Perimeter ter,, LAN, LAN, Host, Host, Applic Applicati ation on and Data Data Security Security related issues. Similar training training facilitie facilitiess should should also be created created in our Training Centres.
Formulation of of a Corps Doctrine Doctrine –MCTE’s Special Special role 21. Put most simply, doctrine is “that which is taught ”. ”. Doctrine provides a common frame of reference across the military. It helps to standardize operations, facilitating readiness by establishing common ways of accomplishing military tasks. Doctrine links theory, history, experimentation, and practice. Its objective is to foster initiative and creative creative thinking. thinking. Doctrine Doctrine provides provides the military military an authoritat authoritative ive body of statement statementss on how milita military ry forces forces conduct conduct operation operationss and provid provides es a common common lexico lexicon n for use by
11 military planners and leaders. It has been rightly described as “as a common vehicle for expression and a common plane of thought ” (Sir Julian Corbett-A Maritime historian and strategist-1854-1922) Flowing from the central Army doctrine should emerge the Corps Corps Doctri Doctrine. ne. It should should ideall ideally y be descri descripti ptive ve rather rather than than prescr prescript iptive ive,, requir requiring ing judgment in application. It does not establish dogma or provide a checklist of procedures, but is rather an authoritative guide, describing how The Corps would go about meeting its commitments and tasks, As such it should be definitive enough to guide our Corps activities, yet versatile enough to accommodate a wide variety of situations. Evolving in respon response se to change changess in the strate strategic gic and technol technologi ogical cal backgro background und,, in the light light of experience, it influences the way in which our communication philosophies and plans have been developed, units are organized and trained and equipment procured. It is for considerati consideration on if one such attempt be made to formulate formulate a concise concise Corps Doctrine Doctrine which could guide all the corps members as to what is expected in carrying out variety of tasks undertaken by the Corps. Knowledge and understanding of the Corps Doctrine, and its application would aid in clarity of thought and unity of effort in the chaos of crisis and war. The Corps doctrine should aim in providing a common approach and a way of thinking, which is not bound by prescriptive rules. This will lead through training to consist consistent ent behavio behavior, r, mutual mutual confid confidence ence and proper properly ly orches orchestra trated ted collec collectiv tivee action action,, without constraining individual initiative. It is for considerations that a select body of acknowledged professionals of Corps headed preferably by the Commandant of MCTE could be assigned to draft the Corps Doctrine .The draft Doctrine so formulated could be presented presented at the CSO’s/ CSO’s/Comman Commandant’s dant’s conference conference and put out on the Signals Signals website website for inviting comments before finalizing it . 22. Our approach to Doctrine now needs to adapt to the challenges the Indian Army is envisaging in the Transformation and Modernization processes it is undertaking. It is an opportu opportunit nity y for the Corps Corps to develo develop p a proces processs to match match changi changing ng techno technolog logy y and changing concepts of warfare. We need to take care not to discard what has been validated through practice without a complete examination. Conversely it will not be poss possib ible le to impl implem ement ent new proc proces esse sess with without out adequ adequat atee test testin ing. g. This This will will entai entaill experimentation and analysis not just with current equipment and lessons learnt but crucial to our doctrine’s long term success will be the inclusion of new and emerging technologies. The process should centre on activities such as: development and testing through simulation of new and modified doctrinal concepts, testing through exercises of simula simulati tion on proven proven concept conceptss ideall ideally y with with a well well develop developed ed electr electroni onicc opposit opposition ion and finally the introduction into service of the Doctrine. However, this is only the beginning. Throughout the process and after the Doctrine has been introduced into service, feedback will continue to drive the doctrine process.MCTE can play a very crucial crucial role to play to provide a sound foundation for the development of a dynamic doctrinal process which has a rapid connection between concept and implementation. This important relationship is seen at Figure 1. In an attempt attempt to meet this challenge challenge it is recommended recommended that, MCTE Development Wing’. The ‘Development Development Wing, (Figure 2) is to should establish a ‘Development consist of three cells of expertise: Training Training Development Development , Doctrine and Innovation . The aim of this Wing is to compress the current cycle between these elements. But Innovation will lead. Ideas from all sources will be drawn together and validated within the Innovation Cell using the existing and some newly proposed Labs in the MCTE as a
12 part of ‘modernization’ to test the concepts. Whether a solution is to be technical, proced procedura urall or doctri doctrinal nal,, it will will be passed passed off to the Training Training Develop Developmen mentt cell cell for inclus inclusion ion in courses courses or to Doctri Doctrine ne for implem implement entati ation. on. Import Important antly ly,, this this Wing Wing will will ensure one point of focus that is held accountable to both coordinate the work and prom promul ulgat gatee the the resu result ltss on beha behalf lf of the the SO-i SO-in-C n-C.. It must must have have the the suppo support rt of the the concerned sections of the Signals Directorate to ensure that the proposed wing being suggested at the MCTE is not alone in these efforts; instead it should be an inclusive process by a range of agencies based on teamwork. It will require a team effort across the Corps utilizing the MCTE’s resources Given the importance of the tasks entailed , it should function function directly directly under the the Deputy Deputy Commandant Commandant of MCTE , who who is also also the ‘Chief Instructor’ of the MCTE. A ‘Core Group’ comprising of the Dy Comdt MCTE, and all the three ADG’s at the Dte Gen of Signals( ADG SS, ADG TacC, ADG T)should carry out a bi-annual bi-annual review of the working of the ‘Development ‘Development Wing’ Wing’ and submit its its report to the SO-in-C SO-in-C and Comdt MCTE. ADG Systems Systems (preferably (preferably a Signals Signals Officer) Officer) with with DG IS shoul should d also also be invi invite ted d to atte attend nd the the deli delibe bera rati tion onss of the the Core Core Group Group mentioned above. 23. A common refrain that one hears is that the general shortage of officers in the Trg establishment does not permit pooling officers from trg faculties/wings for such tasks outside their instructional duties. With the formal approval of re-employment now being open to ‘Brigadiers’, it may well be an option open, to seek out those who otherwise are very very experie experience nced d and with with suffic sufficien ientt senior seniority ity and for some reason reason,, due to lack lack of vacan vacanci cies es avai availa labl blee or vict victim imss of the the “qua “quant ntif ific icati ation on’’ syst system em now in vogue vogue for for promotions, could be chosen to head such set-ups and assist the Corps, to be usefully engaged and contribute in such tasks. It will be appreciated that such tasks also demand experience and expertise and we could identify such officer’s as they retire, to opt for reemployment reemployment avenues. Many of our retiring/ retiring/retir retired ed Brigadiers Brigadiers would eminently eminently be suited to pursue such intellectually motivating assignments. Also working under the Dy Comdt of MCTE should pose no problem of inter-se seniority etc. I also notice few of our very senior veterans settled at MHOW whose guidance can also be sought informally. Such an institunalized set up will provide a coherent and all inclusive framework in Doctrine development. Temporary attachments of officers from the Faculty/Wings for this purpose are NOT being recommended recommended for obvious reasons as they also bring in adhocism and lack of continuity. Hard scale authorizations of officers in the MCTE are already already in vogue vogue and hence hence any furthe furtherr reduct reduction ion in the availa availabil bility ity of office officers rs for instructional duties will seriously affect the functioning of MCTE.
13
CONCEPTS/ INNOVATION
DOCTRINE
TRAINING
Figure 1: Innovation Cycle
DEV WING
TRG DEV
DOCTRINE
INNOVATION
Figure 2: Development Wing
Conclusion 24. We are passing through very interesting times and are at the threshold of a revolution in commun communica icatio tion n and inform informati ation on infras infrastru tructu cture. re. Improv Improveme ement nt of commun communica icatio tion n infrastructure in the forward combat zone is also underway. The new systems will bestow on all Corps members much bigger responsibilities in all the spheres including training, project implementation, equipment procurement and maintenance. Information has been acknowledged as the present currency of power. Unlike in the past where the elements of power power only only includ included ed milita military ry,, econom economic ic and diplom diplomati aticc factor factors, s, in the 21st century, information is rapidly assuming a place of primacy in the conduct of foreign policy. It is a force multiplier, a decision –tool, a central theme for an offensive campaign and so much more. But to be useful we need to have its assurance and to be used correctly. The underlying technologies of networked computer hardware and software are not problem free. They are susceptible to massive failure. But unlike physical networks that can be engineered engineered to be robust against natural events, random failures and even local sabotage, sabotage, information systems are particularly vulnerable to malicious acts. Attacks can exploit the connections that are a major virtue and failures in one part of the system can propagate widely. The number of attacks on information systems is increasing, as is the severity of
14 their impact. The exploitation of these vulnerabilities can result in new strategic threats to national security. To fight and win tomorrow’s wars, we must prepare now by improving our ability to detect, investigate and respond to cyber attacks and by exploring more effective ways of fostering grater security of networks so that they are less vulnerable to attack. 25. Information Ascendancy/Domination and along with it Information assurance have assumed great importance. We need to create state-of –art infostructure which is robust, reliable and available to ensure maximum information dessimination.To enable the Corps to act as a catalyst to make the Indian Armed Forces Network Centric, would require a superb world class infostructure ably supported by matching organizations and training of our Corps personnel. EW, Signal Intelligence and Cyber Security will have to be given greate greaterr impet impetus us than than hither hitherto to fore. fore. As we transi transitt from from “Infor “Informat mation ion Provid Providers ers”” to “Information Warriors”, we also need to make some mental and attitudinal changes and have a relook at out core competencies. We need to also initiate ways and means to ensure Network availability under worst conditions. Along side we need to ensure in joint working scenario inter-operability and systems integration to ensure seamless networking with the other two Services and also at the National Level is achieved. This would be acme of our professionalism and commitment. I am confident that the Corps as its celebrates its Centenary will be well poised and come out with flying colours in the highest traditions of the Corps as true Information Warriors of Digitized battlefields of tomorrow. 26. We in the the Signa Signals ls Corp Corpss must must conti continue nue to stri strive ve hard hard in devel developi oping ng the the trus trust, t, teamwork and confidence necessary to establish a truly doctrinal process to match the dynamic nature of technology and the modern battlefield based on Net centricity. The battle battlefie field ld and parti particul cularl arly y the area area of operati operations ons must must be consid considere ered d as a multimultidimensional space which includes its length, depth, breadth, the dimension of time and now Electr Electroma omagnet gnetic ic Spectr Spectrum. um. As a conseque consequence nce of the increa increased sed impact impact of the Spectrum on combat, EMSO has risen in prominence. This prominence is not only bec becau ause se they they prov provid idee an inte integr gral al elem elemen entt of reco reconn nnai aiss ssan ance ce thro throug ugh h sign signal al intelligence/electronic support and the provision of ‘information grid’ to deliver the information upon which decisions can be made, but now the strike/fire element can be satisfied satisfied through electromagnet electromagnetic ic and directed energy weapons. We have entered a new and challenging era of a true electronic combat capability. We must support this potential with the teamwork and trust necessary to achieve it. The catch cry across the Corps must be ‘ Achieving Achieving Excellence through teamwork’ TEEVRA CHAUKAS.
