Army to test re-structuring plan in war game

The Armed Forces have for long talked about moving from a threat specific approach to a capability based approach,but this is the first time the concept is being tested in a full scale war game involving thousands of troops and all three armed services.

Under the new concept,the entire combat resources and support elements that are engaged at war in a particular theatre or front will be utilised optimally from a command centre that will use the latest technologies to get a complete picture of the battle. The battlefront will be managed seamlessly through the command centre or centres without the administrative borders of various commands slowing things down.

Once the efficacy of the doctrine has been established in the exercise,the theory would be implemented,paving the way for a radical re-structuring of the command system as well as the Army Headquarters. The upcoming exercise and its significance was also discussed at the Army Commanders Conference in the capital on Monday with Army Chief General V K Singh,who headed the transformational study,saying that significant steps for force structuring have been initiated.

Once the efficacy is ascertained,it would be implemented. Processes are also on for re-structuring of Army Headquarters,so that it becomes a more responsive and synergised organisation, said a senior Army officer. As part of the same policy,the Army is augmenting its aviation wing and is looking to acquire a large amount of helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles to support ground troops.

The Sudarshan Shakti exercise will also use and validate new-age technologies like advance surveillance systems,space assets and network centric capabilities of the Armed Forces. The central command room will have complete situational awareness of the battlefront and will coordinate operations with the Indian Air Force and the Navy. The concept is being tested out by the Pune-based Southern Command.

Among other discussions at the Commanders Conference,the Army Chief said that a new training audit will be put into place shortly to standardise training measures across establishments. Top commanders of the Army also emphasised on the need for creating night-landing capabilities at air fields in both the northern and western borders that would go a long way in improving the operational logistic build-up. This would also cut costs as the load carrying capabilities of transport aircraft increase at night due to low temperatures.