Poor tech hampers chopper use in surgical strikes, says report

NEWDELHI: Poor communication between the army’s helicopter units and soldiers deployed on the ground restrict the force’s ability to optimally use its air assets for conducting surgical strikes, a new report has said.

Unreliable air-to-ground communication also compromises the ability of pilots to cater to last-minute changes in battle plans, track down lost soldiers or identify troops deployed at the frontline.

In its latest report, the army design bureau (ADB) has identified improvement of communication between army aviation helicopters and ground troops as one of the 28 new problems that need to be resolved swiftly. These are in addition to 50 problems thatthe army design bureau (ADB) had identified in a previous report.

“Surgical operations like infiltration/exfiltration of Special Forces teams from enemy territory, induction of pathfinder teams into enemy territory and casualty evacuation operations require the pilot to be aware of the exact location of own troops,” said the 72-page report, released by army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday.

An initiative of the Modi government, the army design bureau (ADB) has been tasked with promoting research and development and act as a bridge between the force and the private sector to meet the army’s requirements.

The report said in an active war scenario as well as during anti-terrorist operations, the battlefield situation is always vague and helicopter operations ride on a fair amount of uncertainty.

The other problem areas listed in the report include degraded engine performance of tanks and infantry combat vehicles deployed at high altitude, inability of T-90 tanks to operate for sustained periods in high temperatures due to radiator problems and laying bridges for movement of troops and vehicles in mountains. band.