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vi n ct io or vis y through Issue brief No. 184 June 2019

Brig Akhelesh Bhargava, an Army Air EMISAT: A Force Defence officer, was commissioned in Jun 1983. He has tenanted various command and staff appointments. He has done Multiplier and war B Tech (EL), LGSC (O), DSSC and MBA l fa(Fin). Presently he is CI PROMEX, CLAWS. or re f s e t r u The Electromagnetic Intelligence (ELINT) d Satellite or EMISAT,t is India’s first dedicated Key Points n i electronic surveillance satellite, and will act as e e s a force multiplier for the Armed Forces. In an C operation like Uri or Balakot, it is important to 1. EMISAT, India’s first dedicated electronic detect and identify the various air force and surveillance satellite, is a force multiplier for the army air defence surveillance and tracking Armed Forces. radars that were operating at the time of 2. ELINT is information, which is the product of operation. activities in the collection and processing for ELINT. ELINT is information, which is subsequent intelligence purposes. the product of activities in the collection 3. EMISAT placed in elliptical sun-synchronous and processing for subsequent intelligence orbit, with tilt to ensure enough dwell time for purposes of potentially hostile communication picking up signals. and non-communication Electronic Magnetic (EM) radiations (other than nuclearC orLAW 4.S EMISAT covers virtually the entire spectrum of radioactive sources). During peacetime, the non-communication equipment, held with our adversary. quest for knowingv enemy electronic order of battle is high on i priority so that during n ct 5. Artificial Intelligenceio (AI) is needed to sort, sift, hostilities, own forces are ableo tor decipher the analyse, recordvis and disseminate intelligence. electronic signatures timely. The processy t usedhr ough to obtain tactical and technical parameters are 6. EMISAT and AI together will go a long way to as below: make operations like Uri and Balakot a sure l Search. It is concerned with the examination success. of the frequency spectrum to identify hostile electronic emissions. The effectiveness

The Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi, is an independent think-tank dealing with national security and conceptual aspects of land warfare, including conventional and sub-conventional conflict and terrorism. CLAWS conducts research that is futuristic in outlook and policy-oriented in approach.

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of search depends on the sensitivity of the search l Peak power output—gives the requirement of receiver, power of hostile emission and ground power of jammer conditions. The various problems encountered l Type of antenna—gives beam shape, beam width, during search include frequency congestion, enemy antenna gain and side lobe pattern using microwave frequencies, low emission power, l Antenna rotation per minute (RPM)—frequency of frequency resolution, modulation technique, mode data update of target of working and low probability of interception. l Type of polarisation l Intercept. This is the process of listening and l Time of opening and duration recording enemy’s electronic emission. It is carried ELINT Collation. When an intelligence problem out after the target is detected by search. The nd wis defined,a methodology specialists and resource intercept system is required to obtain informationa of rf l allocators selecta the system and plan the mission, hostile emission to include time, typer and purpose r o taking into accounte the capabilities and limitations of transmission and radiationf characteristics. of collection platforms.s Weather, terrain, technical l Location. Once the sourcee of emission has been t r capabilities and hostile countermeasuresu too determine established, the position coordinates of the emitter t the potential for successful collection.d Through an are obtained by various methods, e.g., triangulation, i n understanding of all available platforms,e the collection etc. The accuracy of Direction Finding (DF) depends e agency synchronises available assets,s and allocates on the characteristicsC of the Electronic Support them to theatre and corps. Measures (ESM) receiver used. l Analysis and Evaluation. The role of analysis is to Means for Collection. All platforms have limitations. scrutinise the intercepts and derive technical and Desirability of a given method of intelligence collection tactical intelligence. It involves sighting of all types is dependent on varying circumstances including of intelligence obtained from search and intercepts, requisite time frame. The various means of collection photo reconnaissance reports, intelligence are enumerated below: summaries and interrogation summaries, etc. l HUMINT includes assets such as open literature, l Recording and Updating. The technical and tactical physical capture and espionage. However, it may intelligence is correctly recorded and the available not be able to provide information in a given time data is updated, so that the same is readily available frame. during hostilities. l Ground-based ESM Equipments have limitation CLAWSdue to terrain masking and technical capabilities. Intelligence on Enemy Radars. Radar equipment l Aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones, transmits Radio Frequency (RF) using variety of v aerostats or balloons can access/peek into the enemy antennas depending on its roleic (surveillance—both n t territory to greateri o distances. These have limitation air and battlefield—tactical control,o tracking, fire- is ry due to technical v capabilities, weather and enemy air- control, etc.). Most of the radars are pulse emitter t type,h ugh ro defence. However, drones can fly for a few hours, while some are continuous wave type. The important balloons can be up till helium gas lasts and aircraft characteristics of radar which are generally required cannot be up 24x7 nor venture into enemy space. for military purposes are as under: l Military Satellites are not custom made for l Frequency range, frequency band and frequency ELINT function and sometimes, the orbits of such hopping facility satellites may not be suitable for the requirement. l Pulse width—gives the minimum range of radar l Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF)—gives the Agencies Involved. Our armed forces along with maximum possible range of radar the civil agencies keep an eye on enemy radars. d w lan arfa or re f s e t r u t d n ie e s C

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The Electronic Emission Policy (EEP) and its place only after the images/recordings have been implementation by the users in the field, dictates how handed over physically to the decipher section. easy or difficult it is to carry out Electronic Support l Military Capable Satellites. India currently has six Measures (ESM) cycle (search, intercept, locate, analyse to eight satellites (CARTOSAT, RISAT, TES), which and record). These processes predominantly are being are exclusively used for military and surveillance carried by Electronic Warfare (EW) units/sub-units purposes. The military satellites have resolution of and Wireless Experimental Units (WEU). They are up to 50 cm currently. Their image capture is of high aided by agencies under the cabinet secretariat such quality and they are capable of taking short videos to as National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) monitor activities of any person, group and enemy and Aviation Research Cell (ARC). A word aboutn thesed wassets.a However, these satellites are not custom organisations is given in the succeeding paragraphs. la mader forf ELINTa and their usefulness is limited to l r r Electronic Warfare (EW) and Wirelesso Experimental interpretation of eequipment photographed. Unit (WEU). EW and WEUf units have basically EMISAT Launch. Polars Satellite Launch Vehicle ground-based equipmente to carry out ELINT t (PSLV)-C45 was launched onu April 1, 2019. Indian functions. A large r number of such units/ t Space Research Organisation’sd (ISRO) PSLV, for detachments are deployed along the border. n the first time, released payloadsie in three orbits. The However, they have limitations in discharging their e rocket first released the 436-kg Defences Research and functions, due to line of sight equipment in their C Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Electromagnetic inventory. The data available at a location varies Intelligence Satellite (EMISAT) at 748 km height, about from time to time, depending upon the activation 17 minutes and 12 seconds after lift-off. Thereafter, of electronic equipment by the adversary to achieve it was brought down to place 28 foreign satellites in frequency diversity. The productive efficiency of 504 km orbit (24 x US, 2 x Lithuania, 1 x Spain and 1 the electronic data collation unit is much dependent x Switzerland) and finally the last rocket stage (PS4) on the capability of the analysts. was further brought down to 485 km orbit, where l NTRO. It has access to data from ground-based it doubled up as an experimental platform. The PS4 sensors, Technology Experimental Satellite (TES), hosts the following three payloads: Cartosat-2A and Cartosat-2B besides two Radar l Automatic Identification System (AIS) from ISRO Imaging Satellites namely RISAT-1 and RISAT-2. l Automatic Packet Repeating System (APRS) from These satellites do not have EM intelligence Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) capturing capability. CLAWS l Advanced Retarding Potential Analyser for l Aviation Research Cell (ARC). ARC flies ELINT Ionospheric Studies (ARIS) from Indian Institute of aircraft and their main functionv is aerial surveillance. ic Space Science and Technologyn (IIST). ELINT operations aircraft are t fittedo with state-of- sio r EMISAT Development.vi It is a powerful electromagnetic the-art electronic surveillance equipmenty and t long-h gh range cameras capable of taking pictures of targetsr ointelligenceu (ELINT)/surveillance satellite which has from very high altitudes. The limitation of these been developed jointly by DRDO and ISRO in over aircraft are that they have to fly on own side of five years. It is modelled after a famous Israeli spy border and use Sideways Looking Airborne Radars satellite called SARAL (acronym for Satellite with (SLAR) (which have limited accuracy). The Cell has ARgos and ALtika). This satellite is going to be used limited number of aircraft, varying schedule and for intercepting signals at high-resolution including with ageing have great down time. One has to wait from the Indian Navy. DRDO (Defence Electronics till the mission is complete and the processing takes Research Laboratory (DLRL) Hyderabad) was the d w lan arfa or re f s e t r u t d n ie e s C

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lead developing agency under Project Kautilya. air for electromagnetic signals emanating from EMISAT has been placed in a highly-elliptical sun- hostile radars as well as other electronic broadcast synchronous orbit, with a tilt of 98.4 degrees. This frequencies. is expected to give the satellite enough dwell time EMISAT as Force Multiplier. None of the existing for picking up signals from a specific area on the means have 24x7 data collation capability. ELINT ground and recording them. It has been developed missions typically involve monitoring radar signals for monitoring radar network. The satellite is based and using these to determine the nature and location on Indian Mini Satellite Bus series (IMS2 Bus) which of the transmission›s source. EMISAT enables our can have a maximum launch weight of 450 kg with a forces with data collation as follows: payload no more than 200 kg. The Ka-band frequency nd wl Monitora location and intensity of Electromagnetic that EMISAT is sensitive to, allows to scana through rf l (EM) radiationa (activity). ice, rain, coastal zones, land masses,r forests and r o l Help in creatinge a digital topography of enemy wave heights with ease. EMISATf also has a special s areas which are of interest to our forces (both altimeter (a radar altitude emeasuring device) called t r immediate and long term).u ALtiKa that works in the Ka-band. t l Detect the frequency band andd quantity of devices i EMISAT Charactersticsn operating in an area at a pointe of time (help in e l Launcher Agency : ISRO assessing the force levels). s C l Launch vehicle : PSLV-C45 l Its other characteristics include the following: l Launch date and time : April 1, 2019, 09:27am IST m Analysing the orbital pattern of the EMISAT, l Weight : 436 kg it seems to be more Pakistan-centric. The l Orbit : 748 km height frequency detection and analysis, range would l Inclination : 98.4 deg include UHF, P, L, S, C, X, Ku, K and Ka-bands. l Satellite speed : 7.6 km/sec Virtually the entire spectrum of Pakistan non- l Power Source : 800 Watts from twin solar communication equipment, it will be able to panels monitor. l Function : ELINT gathering for Defence m It has the ability to scan through any terrain Forces obstruction to detect signal, alert defence l Main payload : Kautilya system by DRDO systems well in advance and help in delaying for ELINT CLAWS the enemy by targeting transmission (location). Project Kautilya. The details of all military m The ELINT capability includes recordings v and analysis of intercepted signals and helps satellites always remain a closelyic guarded secret. n Accordingly, the ELINT capabilitiesto of EMISAT create an RFs i signatureo library of all radars. r This wouldvi be used for locating and quickly too are highly classified. The Defencey t Ministry’sh ugh annual report of 2013-14 mentioned about Projectr o identifying the radar in subsequent encounters Kautilya—for Space Borne ELINT System, which in near real time. involves the development of ELINT payload m The height (748 km) of satellite dictates that it for integration on an indigenous mini-satellite. will a sufficiently large footprint (swath), do 6 However, nothing was heard about this project until to 8 revolutions per day and may have a revisit the plan for launch of EMISAT was made public. frequency (over same point) of up to 2 per Perhaps the need was felt during the Balakot air day. This may be increased by swivelling the strike. EMISAT will be able to scan the ground and transponder along the vertical axis. d w lan arfa or re f s e t r u t d n ie e s C

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m To ensure a continuous coverage in terms of Conclusion. ELINT ground stations may be able to time, there may be a requirement of 4 to 6 such accept sensor data, but the networks and information- satellites during hostility period. processing systems may be inadequate to get data to analysts and commanders. Commanders and staff Artificial Intelligence. Availability of an appropriate are accustomed to receiving ready to use information. collation platform does not mean that the job is done. Having the details of all emitters with location and It will be useful only if the facilities needed to analyse time of operation will make their task simple to decide and process the information are also available. The the specific ones that are to be nominated for hard collection capability, even with self-generating reports, kill. This will ensure that own operations proceed can quickly get overloaded by sheer volume of data. unhindered with minimum risk and effort. Processing Therefore, Artificial Intelligence is needed to sort,n sift,d wa la of downloadedrf data during exercises may be possible analyse, record and disseminate the intelligence.r ar o with high-speed fixede networks for small span of time. Military Significance. The EMISAT f is the first custom However, in a mobile, fluids battle it would be nearly built intelligence satellitee for non-communication t r impossible to develop a networku capable of handling equipment. It will enablet both our ground and air forces the same amount of data overd sustained period. to detect gaps and blind spots over the border area and n Collation management to includeie sort, sift, analyse, in depth location. It will enable the electronic warfare e record and disseminate is the cornerstones on which elements to executeC jamming and deception timely and intelligence operations are desired. EMISAT and AI just in time. Alternatively, it will enable commanders together will go a long way to make operations like to decide on hard kill option for specific emitters. It Uri and Balakot a sure success. These would enable will also enable the forces to take countermeasures for the planners to select a relatively safer and shortest own equipment to function optimally and efficiently. route. It would also enable detection of redeployment Thus it will enable the forces to plan and execute, Uri of existing radars or activation of enemy dormant and Balakot type operations, better and successfully. airfields.

Reference 1. ISRO news and YouTube clip on EMISAT. 2. Newpaper reports: The Hindu and The Times of India dated April 2, 2019. 3. ISRO Successfully launches EMISAT & 28 Satellites: YouTube dated April 1, 2019. 4. https://www.isro.gov.in/Spacecraft/emisat 5. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/pslv-isro-emisat-launch-from-sriharikotaCLAWS

vi n ct io or vis The contents of this Issue Brief are based on the analysis of materialy t accessed from open sources andh are the personal views of the author. It may not be quoted as representing the views or policy of the Governmenthr ofo Indiau or Integratedg Headquarters of MoD (Army).

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