Defence Industry

Unmanned Vehicles and Modern Day Combat
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Issue Vol 26.1 Jan-Mar 2011 | Date : 05 Jul , 2012

Developments are in progress towards designing products based on the structures of Lobsters which move and operate not only on sandy bottoms but also in rocky, cave like environments.

Apart from the US and few European countries the development of unmanned vehicles is also been undertaken in developing countries like India. For last few years India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)22 and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) are involved in development of a range of UAVs/UCAVs. Lasshya the indigenously-developed pilot-less target aircraft was inducted into the Indian Air Force in July 2005. This drone is ground or ship launched from a zero length launcher and recovery is could be land or sea based. Another UAV called Nishant has endurance of three hours and Indian Army is interested in it. DRDO is also involved in developing the know-how for a swept wing, stealth design and composite construction technical demonstrator that will demonstrate “the technical feasibility, military utility and operational value for a networked system of high performance” weaponised UCAVs23.

Indian scientists have also worked towards the development of autonomous vehicles that could clear minefields. DRDO’s Research and Development Establishment (Engrs), Pune, has developed a state-of-the-art Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). It can operate over a range of 500m line-of-sight both in cross country and urban environment. It can handle suspected objects up to 20kg of weight. This vehicle could be positioned for duties like diffusing the explosives and for mine detection. The ROV is also designed for carrying out nuclear, biological and chemical reconnaissance and can even monitor the contamination levels using its sensors and detectors24. DRDO is in the process of developing and testing of the full-tracked unmanned remote-controlled military vehicle. This14-tonne armoured, amphibious and air-transportable vehicle is being pioneered by the Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE). It will be capable of nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) reconnaissance, surveillance and mine-hunting. On the hard-level ground, the vehicle is expected to cruise at a minimum of 65-kmph while keeping its amphibious capability activated and the vehicle will cruise with a maximum speed during mission mode of 20 kmph25.

UAVs were principally used in surveillance and reconnaissance roles during earlier conflicts, but by start of the 21st century they had evolved into sophisticated, air-breathing, hunter-killer platforms.

DRDO has also developed an UAV designed specifically for anti-terrorist and counter insurgency operations and is likely to be inducted in the armed forces very soon. This 1.5 kg UAV, called ‘Netra’, which is a collaborative development project between ideaForge, a company formed by a group of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Powai, alumnis and one of (DRDO)’s Pune-based labs, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE) Pune. This UAV is capable to operate in all the conflict theatres, including urban quarters, in a situation similar to that of the 26/11 terror attacks26.

In conclusion, it could be said that even though for last three to four decades the investments are being made in the unmanned vehicle technology it is only now the technology has actually started maturing. With further advancements in this technology more tasks with roles and missions would constantly evolve. Today, the armed forces of various states are looking at this technology as a ‘force multiplier’. This technology is expected to play a major role in addressing issues related with the conventional warfare as well as asymmetric warfare. The future battlefields are expected to have the combination of manned and unmanned systems fighting together. Such systems are expected to reduce both the human as well as the economic cost of operations.

Notes

  1. http://www.ehow.com/about_5407100_history-war-machines.html#ixzz17c9IEBYv
  2. Henry Kenyon, “Israel Deploys Robot Guardians”, Signal, March 2006, p.41.
  3. RA Mason, “War in the third dimension” in Michael Armitage ed. Manned and Unmanned Aircraft, (London: Brassey’s Defence Publishers, 1986), p.193
  4. Tom Scheve, “How the MQ-9 Reaper Works”, http://science.howstuffworks.com/reaper2.htm
  5. Ronald O’Rourke, “Unmanned Vehicles for US Naval Forces: Background and Issues for Congress”, CRS Report for Congress, Oct 25, 2006.
  6. http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/pioneer.htm
  7. Robert P. Haffa Jr. and Robert E. Mullins, “Trends in America’s Post-Cold War Military Conflicts: The Implications for Sea Power”, Jul 2003, The Navy League of the United States, http://www.navyleague.org/sea_power/jul_03_13.php.
  8. C. N. Ghosh, “Application of unmanned combat aerial vehicles in future battles of the Subcontinent”, Strategic Analysis, July 2001, p. 610.
  9. Major William K. Lewis, “Ucav – The Next Generation Air-Superiority Fighter?”, http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/saas/lewis.pdf 
  10. Nicholas Merrett, “UAV advancements for MOUT roles”, Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter, Oct 2007, p.58.
  11. http://www.tealgroup.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62:uav-study-release&catid=3&Itemid=16
  12. “Perception Guides the Future of Automatons”, Signal, May 2004, pp.43-44.
  13. Cino Robin Castelli, “Unmanned Ground Vehicles: Autonomous Versus Teleoperated”, http://www.armedforces-int.com/article/unmanned-ground-vehicles-autonomous-versus-teleoperated.html
  14. K.L. Vantran, “Reconnaissance Scouts of the Future”, May 17 2004, http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/armyweapons/a/unmanvehicle.htm
  15. www.machinebrain.com/articles/ugcv/ugcv01.html
  16. http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/uuv.htm.
  17. Mark Hewish, “Robots form the deep”, Jane’s International Defence Review, May 2001, p.46.
  18. Biomimetics, is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. Roots of such concept are found in behavior-oriented artificial intelligence (AI) research. To know more about how behavior of agents emerges and becomes intelligent and adaptive please refer Luc Steels, “The Artificial Life Roots of Artificial Intelligence”, pp.15-50 in Ronald Chrisley (Ed), Artificial Intelligence, Vol III, (Routledge: London, 2000)
  19. “Lobsters Populate Navy Robot Platter”, Signal, May 2004, pp.49-51 and www.societyofrobots.com/.../Design_of_a_Biomimetic_Controlled-Curvature _Robotic_Pectoral_Fin.pdf
  20. “Flying Fish Unmanned Aircraft Takes Off And Lands On Water”, Dec 06, 2007, http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Flying_Fish_Unmanned_Aircraft_Takes_Off_And_Lands_On_Water_999.html
  21. http://sify.com/news/france-launches-pilotless-mine-hunting-vessel-news-international-kmklkpedjcd.html
  22. HAL was involved way back in 1979 towards design of a pilot less target aircraft for airborne target training purpose. For details on it please refer standing committee on defence (2006-2007) report titled “In-depth study and critical review of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)”, May 2007
  23. Ravi Sharma, “India joins select group to develop UCAV technology”, The Hindu, Aug 27, 2007
  24. http://www.drdo.org/pub/nl/feb06/feb06.pdf and in conversation with Brig (Retd) R K Anand
  25. “DRDO Develops Unmanned Tracked and Unmanned Vehicle”, http://indiadefenceonline.com/493/drdo-develops-ummanned-tracked-unmanned-vehicle/
  26. http://www.sify.com/news/drdo-develops-uav-to-aid-in-anti-terrorist-ops-news-defence-khcxVFefagb.html
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The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the Indian Defence Review.

About the Author

Gp Capt Ajey Lele (Retd.)

is Senior Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.

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