The Indian Navy will launch a dedicated satellite in 2010 in an effort to strengthen the navy’s network-centric warfare programme.
The satellite is being developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The satellite will cover 1,000nm² over the Indian Ocean region and will allow the Indian Navy to communicate with all its submarines, aircraft and warships through operational hubs on shore via high-speed data links.
The developmental satellite is part of the network-centric system programme for the Indian Navy, under which most of the sea assets will be networked through the dedicated geo-stationary satellite.
Once operational, the satellite will enable Indian naval warships, submarines and aircraft to communicate on a real-time basis and provide a digital tactical battlespace view of the dispersed fleet formations, aircraft locations and even submarine deployments.
India has already completed development work on its Cartosat-2B satellite, which will be used for military purposes and is expected to launch in March 2010.
