Rolta Thales Ltd. (RTL) is a joint Venture of Rolta with Thales, France. Thales is a world leader in Mission Critical Information Systems for the Defence, Aerospace and Security markets. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries and has an order book of over $ 28 Billion in 2006. RTL will take advantage of technology transfer from Thales for developing state-of-the-art Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (C4ISTAR) equipment systems to address opportunities in the Defence, Security and Aerospace segments, worldwide. Rolta’s leadership position in the Indian Geospatial Defence market, coupled with the Thales cutting edge technology, positions RTL in an extremely advantageous position.
C4ISTAR
As digital technologies have permeated every aspect of society, all nations are currently on the road to digitisation, transforming their armed forces into a coherent and synchronised organisation enhancing the speed of sensing, decision making and proactive action beating the enemy’s ‘Observe Orient Decide and Act’ OODA (Cycle). This digital battle space paves the way for integration of C2IS with ISTAR resources and migration to integrated C4ISTAR capabilities over the full operational spectrum. The operational benefits are immense: C4ISTAR makes it possible to control an increase in operational tempo, share situational awareness, achieve wider terrain control and lethality, synchronise, discriminate and verify effects, while denying the enemy similar advantages. But the challenges to current force structures, command chains, training and procedure are also huge, as isolated legacy systems combine to form network-centric systems of systems. The classic OODA loop has thus given way to a richer cycle of SUDS: Sense, Understand, Distribute and Synchronise effects.
The RTL Business Group is in an excellent position to offer products and solutions covering entire range of Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (C4ISTAR) systems to meet the most stringent requirements of Defence Forces. RTL has unique expertise in offering Communications and Electronic Warfare solutions for Defence Forces as well as for Para Military Forces and Government Intelligence Agencies. RTL’s products and solutions will enable speedy modernisation of State Police Forces and provide fool proof security to important installations as part of Homeland security.
The Thales Group, as one of the pioneers of the communications and information revolution, is at the forefront of the military transformation process. Its entire organization has been restructured to incorporate a multi-national dimension, leverage civil-military synergies and system integration skills and develop a capability-oriented platform-independent offering. Thales is building a digital battle space based on precision digital geography and terrain modelling, and taking connectivity to new levels with service-based multimedia communications architectures, and incorporating the key capabilities of C4ISR on these recognised, interoperable layers.
RTL will leverage the above expertise of Thales in serving the Defence, Aerospace and Security markets worldwide and Rolta’s leadership in the Indian Defence markets. RTL will take advantage of Thales’ state-of-the-art technologies, systems and solutions and through a technology transfer will develop state-of-the-art Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (C4ISTAR) information systems primarily for the domestic markets.
RTL will address the demand for migrating from C2 or ISR applications to integrated C4ISR systems. This solution will provide force digitisation (integrated C4I capabilities) with increased standardisation (technology/military), meet the increasing demand for actionable intelligence and target information. Additionally it will also cater to the growing collaborative requirements (Combined, joint, civil-military, coalition), growing influence of NCW/NEC and maturity of communication networks.
RTL is poised to move from operational information systems supplier to C4I Capability supplier as prime contractor for Software and hardware, integration with communications and operating environment (sensors, platforms, and weapons) together with value-added consultancy services.
RTL’s integration expertise makes it possible to network digitised platforms and soldiers into a coherent sensor-commander-shooter grid, with sensor, weapon system, identification, positioning and communications connected to C2 (battlefield management systems) and ISTAR systems (target, acquisition, hostile emitter mapping, battle damage assessment). Such a capability allows for mission-oriented force packaging with access to organic and non-organic sensor feed.
RTL’s customers would be the Military (Army, Navy and Air Force), Para Military, Central Police Organizations, Government Intelligence Agencies at state and centre level, various agencies of DRDO, Airlines and Airport Authority of India, Metro rails, Dockyards, Refineries, PSUs and private sector companies. RTL will also target Border Control and Surveillance market
In addition to domestic customers, RTL will be in a unique position to tap international markets by leveraging know how received from the technology transfer and its association with many other companies in the defence sector.
Thales is considered one of the largest developers of defence systems worldwide in the areas of electronics and systems for defence, aerospace and security markets. RTL, a majority Indian joint venture, will leverage Rolta’s dominant position in the Indian defence market and serve the growing requirements with cutting edge solutions.
In order to add value to its business model, RTL has conducted extensive talent search to form the core team and selected domain experts to market its C4ISTAR, Communication, Vehicle System, Soldier System etc. which will be customised to meet the needs of the clients. Extensive training on these solutions and products to the core team was provided at Thales, France.
Having realised the huge scope for RTL in the field of software development, systems are being put in place to exploit this potential. It has already taken concrete steps in this field by developing customised software solution based on Cytoon for integration of Hand Held Thermal Imagers (HHTI), Battlefield Surveillance Radars-Short Range (BFSR-SR) and Un-attended Ground Sensors (UGS), which include seismic, magnetic and optronic sensors.
As part of its initiative to capture available business opportunities, RTL has also formulated plans to enter into manufacturing of Opto-electronic, Opto- mechanical assemblies, Electronic and Communication systems including their testing and integration.
