Taking the first step towards acquiring network-centric warfare capabilities,the Army is all set to induct a computerised command and control system to integrate its artillery weapon operations. Known as Project Sakthi,the Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS) is a major division of the Tactical Command Control Communication and Intelligence (Tac C3I) system,senior Army officers said. "ACCCS is the artillery component of the TAC C3I grid,which is the first step of the Army to acquire the capability of network-centric warfare at the tactical level," they said. The system is scheduled to be inducted on Friday. "Sakthi is the first C3I system being fielded in the Indian Army. The role of ACCCS is to automate and integrate all artillery operational functions and provide decision support at all levels of artillery command from the corps level down to the battery or guns level in a networked environment," the officers said. Developed by the Army's Directorate General of Information Systems,the Sakthi's three main electronic devices Enhanced Tactical Computer,Gun Display Unit and Hand Held Computer are produced by the defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited. Shakti,the officers said,would give the troops the capability to concentrate artillery fire power at operational and tactical levels in a reduced time-frame and deliver a decisive blow to the enemy at the desired place. "The capability of rapid acquisition,processing and dissemination of battlefield information and delivering crushing blows to enemy's critical assets,even before he makes contact with our forces,will be the deciding factor in any future conflict," they said,explaining the need for such a C3I system. ACCS,they said,would perform five critical functions including 'Technical Fire Control' for trajectory computations and 'Tactical Fire Control' primarily involving processing of fire requests at battery to corps level and ammunition management. It also ensure 'Deployment Management' for guns and observation posts for defensive and offensive operations; 'Operational Logistics' for assisting in timely provisioning of ammunition and logistics support and 'Fire Planning' to facilitate production of fire plans,task tables and automatic generation of gun programmes. Army chief General Deepak Kapoor will induct Shakti at a function in the presence of Director General Information Systems Lt Gen P C Katoch and BEL managing director Ashwani Kumar Datt.
