SP's MAI|November 1-30, 2016
Article Reader

Indian Army’s Tactical Communication System (TCS), which should have been fielded in year 2000, seems to be finally get-ting ready to kick-start early next year; after 17 years. In 1996, the existing Plan Army Radio Engineering Network (AREN) system, earlier designed as the backbone of army’s communication that was designed to roll forward, came up for urgent review having become outdated. The TCS was born out of realisation that AREN had to be replaced and an upgrade would not be sufficient, as was envisaged earlier especially since legacy radio systems were not designed to connect to broad-reaching IP-based networks. The extraordinary delay of over a decade-and-a-half in TCS was on account of excessive ‘red tape’ befitting a case study, in that the TCS had been approved thrice by the Defence Ministers but every time the whole case was worked afresh after closing the previous case file – an extreme in red tape-ism and lackadaisical approach to vital issues.

This story is from the November 1-30, 2016 edition of SP's MAI.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 1-30, 2016 edition of SP's MAI.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SP'S MAIView All
Tactical Communication System—An update
SP's MAI

Tactical Communication System—An update

Tactical Communication System—An update

time-read
5 mins  |
November 1-30, 2016
India signs M777 howitzers
SP's MAI

India signs M777 howitzers

BAE Systems to deliver 145 M777 ultra-light howitzersDeal Going to be worth ₹5,000 croreBAE Systems makes commitment of $200 million in Indian defence suppliers.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 1-15, 2016
DARPA doubles down on tern by funding second test vehicle
SP's MAI

DARPA doubles down on tern by funding second test vehicle

Tern, a joint programme between Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR), seeks to greatly increase the effectiveness of forward-deployed small-deck ships such as destroyers and frigates by enabling them to serve as mobile launch and recovery sites for specially designed unmanned air systems (UASs).

time-read
3 mins  |
December 16-31, 2016
Aero India Makes a Mark
SP's MAI

Aero India Makes a Mark

With over 1,000 civil aircraft on order, about 400 fighter aircraft and 800 helicopters requirement, besides 5,000 helicopter engines in the next five to 10 years, the aerospace and defence sector is going to boom like never before and the two sectors coming together is but natural.

time-read
5 mins  |
February 16-28, 2017
2016: An Eventful Year For Ministry Of Defence
SP's MAI

2016: An Eventful Year For Ministry Of Defence

Speedy modernisation of the armed forces to meet present and emerging challenges, development of requisite capacities and infrastructure for making up critical deficiency of weapons and equipment and creating a robust defence set up in the country through the ‘Make in India’ initiative, were the salient achievements of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) during 2016.

time-read
9 mins  |
January 1-31 2017
Leading From The Front
SP's MAI

Leading From The Front

The positive results of the solo flight on MiG-21 Type 96 by Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, Chief of the Air Staff, IAF, are immense and cannot be quantified or measured.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 1-31 2017
Make In India: Quo Vadis?
SP's MAI

Make In India: Quo Vadis?

Only with a major overhaul of the bureaucratic establishment and the government machinery as a whole, will the highly mechanised lion representing the spirit of the ‘Make in India’ campaign, begin to roar!

time-read
5 mins  |
February 1-15, 2017
Need For A Full-Time Minister Of Defence
SP's MAI

Need For A Full-Time Minister Of Defence

While the appointment of Manohar Parrikar as the Goa Chief Minister has been dictated by political expediency, this move has implications for the Indian armed forces.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 1-15, 2017
INS Viraat Decommissioned
SP's MAI

INS Viraat Decommissioned

A glorious era of INS Viraat being the flagship of the Indian Navy came to an end on March 6, 2017.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 1-15, 2017
Arun Jaitley: An Articulate Personality Of Multi-Role Versatility
SP's MAI

Arun Jaitley: An Articulate Personality Of Multi-Role Versatility

The portfolio of defence is key and highly critical one. So is the finance portfolio. But for someone like Arun Jaitley who is so knowledgeable, so capable and so much in control, holding important positions in the Cabinet is not unmanageable. Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again has turned to him, till he finds a suitable replacement for Manohar Parrikar who has since moved to Goa as Chief Minister.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 1-15, 2017