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June-July 2024
Military 2021 – Yearbook
2022
SP’S MILITARY YEARBOOK 2021-2022 CONTENTS HEREWITH
Volume 21 No. 3
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IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 3
ILLUSTRATION: SP’s Team
E XCLU SI V E INTERVIEW
Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan PAGE 5 Combat Transportation & Fire Power The Indian Army plans to augment its armoured mobility through a two-pronged approach, by inducting Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICVs) co-developed with the US under ‘Make in India’, and by using indigenously designed and developed ICVs by the DRDO in collaboration with indigenous private industry Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd) PAGE 6 Light Tank Zorawar: A Grandeur Effort on Indigenous MilTech Collaboration; Trials to Prove The unfolding of Light Tank Zorawar is certainly a milestone for indigenous military technology collaboration, especially with a domestic private entity (L&T) backed up by DRDO. The light tank now in the final stage, will prove some of the complex demonstration and firepower at high altitude areas. Manish Kumar Jha PLUS Appointments
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GENERAL UPENDRA DWIVEDI, NEW CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF
MBTs are poised to remain relevant in the future, yet their role will be dramatically reshaped by emerging technologies
The Future of MBTs
Battlefield of tomorrow will be transformed by the rise of the Man-Machine Alliance as Artificial Intelligence enhances the capabilities of MBT crews by improving situational awareness, automating routine tasks, and facilitating faster decision-making
T
ROHIT GOEL
General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on June 30, 2024. General Upendra Dwivedi is an accomplished military leader, with 40 years of service in the Armed Forces. He was commissioned into Regiment of Jammu & Kashmir Rifles in 1984. The General officer has a unique distinction of balanced command as well as staff exposure across Northern, Eastern and Western theatres, in varied operational environment. The General officer has a deep understanding of modern and emerging technologies in the security domain, and his vision finds congruence to the ongoing pursuit of the Indian Army to fulfil its modernisation and capability development needs through Atmanirbharta.
HE RUMBLE OF TANK engines may be a familiar sound on the battlefield, but the future of MBTs is poised for a revolution unlike anything witnessed before. While the core principles of firepower, mobility, and protection will remain the cornerstones of tank design, the battlefield of tomorrow will see the rise of a potent partnership – the fusion of human expertise with the cold, calculating power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This powerful alliance promises to transform the role of MBTs, ushering in an era of unprecedented lethality, battlefield awareness, and tactical flexibility.
The Future of MBTs
The future of MBTs lies in a powerful symbiosis of human expertise and cutting-edge technology. AI will augment the capabilities of MBT crews, enhancing situational aware-
ness, automating routine tasks, and facilitating faster decision-making. Combined with advancements in active protection systems, hybrid powertrains, and new materials for armour, MBTs will continue to be dominant forces on the battlefield for decades to come. However, the human element of judgment and strategic decision-making will remain paramount in ensuring responsible and effective use of these powerful machines.
AI Revolution
Imagine an MBT crew no longer struggling with limited visibility or the cognitive overload of processing a torrent of battlefield data. AI systems, acting as tireless digital sentinels, will continuously scan the environment using a panoply of advanced sensors – radar, thermal sights, and a network of interconnected drones. This real-time data stream will be fed into a central AI hub, which will then analyse and synthesise it, creating a comprehensive 360-degree pic-
ture of the battlefield. Gone will be the fog of war; instead, crews will be presented with a clear, digital representation of the surrounding terrain, enemy positions, and potential threats. This enhanced situational awareness will allow for faster identification and prioritisation of targets, enabling crews to react with lightning speed.
Autonomous Targeting
The role of the MBT crew will evolve beyond just aiming and firing the main gun. AI algorithms, capable of learning and adapting in real-time, will take over the oftengruelling task of target acquisition and fire control. Imagine an MBT autonomously locking onto enemy vehicles, calculating the optimal firing solution, and unleashing a devastating barrage with pinpoint accuracy – all within a fraction of a second. This not only reduces the risk to exposed crews but also allows for faster engagement during the chaotic moments of a firefight.
3/2024 SP’s LAND FORCES
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