RESHAPING COMMUNICATIONS

Software-Defined Radios are indispensable on the modern battlefield and are being inducted in large numbers by the Indian armed forces,

- ATUL CHANDRA

Software-defined Radios (SDRs) are a vital battlefield differentiator for modern militaries, and over the last few years, they have been inducted in large numbers within the Indian armed forces.

In the past, the Combat Net Radio (CNR) was the mainstay of communications for the Indian Army on the battlefield. However, the CNR equipment earlier in use with the Indian Army supported only voice communication with limited or no data transmission capability.

The state-of-the-art SDRs, both of Indian and foreign origin, provide enhanced voice clarity and data transmission accuracy in spectrally noisy environments. They support multiple waveforms, offer greater system security, and ensure superior communication survivability in both clear and secure modes. Their induction is equipping Indian soldiers to operate effectively in a net-centric battlespace. The SDRs being inducted into the Indian armed forces are also backward compatible with existing Indian radios. According to various estimates, over 50,000 SDR sets will be required across the Indian armed forces.

Prized Technology

SDRs are one of the most complex pieces of electronic equipment on the battlefield, as they require a precise design incorporating the RF platform, a high-performance processing digital unit, dynamic network capabilities, and secure platform certifications. SDR radios are also required to deliver interoperability between radios and standards from different vendors and different domains (air, land and sea), each uniquely complex. All these design aspects require a precise balance that poses a major technological challenge.