China’s rapid strides in the military use of space has triggered a fresh wave of concerns in the Indian armed forces, which have only taken some baby steps so far.
Establishment of a 50,000 strong Space Force under the Central Military Commission is a part of the China’s latest military modernisation plan, sources told Deccan Herald.
The Space Force would not only have anti-satellite and anti-missile capability, but also would have military astronauts. Space and Navy are the two areas where Beijing is putting more emphasis in its military reorganisation plan as compared to other areas.
In contrast, the first Indian military satellite GSAT-7 for the Navy was launched in August 2013 for better communications among the Indian warships and submarines.
The launch of a identical second satellite, GSAT-7A to aid the communication services of the Indian Air Force and Army, however, is getting delayed. The satellite, slated for 2015, is now likely to be launched in 2016, said an Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) official.
Isro’s priority is to complete the Rs 1,600 crore Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)– a constellation of seven satellites – which would aid Army for precision navigation support without relying on the US-backed Global Positioning System (GPS).
While four satellites of IRNSS is already in the orbit, the fifth one is scheduled to be launched in December and the next two by March, 2016. “Besides navigation, the service provided by the IRNSS would be used to determine target acquisition,” Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said last week.
IRNSS is intended to provide an absolute position accuracy of better than 10 metres throughout Indian landmass and better than 20 metres in the Indian Ocean as well as over a region extending approximately 1,500 km around India.
The delay in having the operational IRNSS – supposed to be up and running by 2011-12 – pushed the IAF’s integrated air command, control and communications system (IACCCS) beyond the original schedule. The aim is to set up the IACCS by 2018.
But by that time, Beijing would overtake New Delhi as its BeiDou navigation system with 35 satellites is likely to be operational by 2018 providing GPS to Chinese military.