Disruptive Technologies: Part 3

The final basket of disruptive technologies is in the field of transformational energy generation and storage systems. We are already seeing advances in propulsion technology that are unique including the Pulse Detonation Engines and Rim-driven pumpjet propulsors. Gas turbines and diesel engines may soon be obsolete as they are replaced with wind and solar powered turbines, electric propulsion motors, high capacity and rapid recharge batteries, hydrogen and fuel cells and even mini nuclear reactors.

Current developments also include superconducting electrical direct drive motors, which, by themselves, promise large reduction in size and weight, but require provision of cryogenic devices to achieve the low temperatures required for attaining superconductivity. Developments in high temperature superconductivity, which have the potential to eliminate this drawback, will need to be watched with interest by naval designers. High-speed generators and variable speed generators are also making an appearance. These are projected to be smaller, more efficient, and being coupled directly to gas turbine prime movers, will eliminate the need for reduction gears, thereby reducing weight and space requirements as well as acoustic signatures.

Fuel Cells, which produce electrical power without the need for thermal engines, are a promising area of advancement. These require hydrogen in its natural state, which is difficult and dangerous to store in large quantities. Technology for extraction of hydrogen from diesel fuel, which can be safely stored, is being developed. Fuel cells have made their debut on submarines with success and scaling up of their power capacity would open new areas for their application.

These new propulsion systems require a completely different set of materials, particularly silver and rare earths, composites and alloys, newer manufacturing techniques and highly accurate power management and health monitoring systems relying on artificial intelligence and high speed processors. But even in the GT and Diesel space the tough emission control norms, use of bio fuels and blended fuels are creating new business opportunities for innovators and inventors. Of them the clearest game changer could be Fuel Cell, battery backed electric propulsion configuration that may make fossil fuel engines obsolete sooner than we think. In the intermediate term LNG may replace diesel engines and as technologies develop and stricter emission control laws become enforceable a host of other products such as catalytic convertors may open new markets.

As advancements and innovations continue in nanotechnology, higher level robotics, automation and new materials they would lead to better size, weight, power and cost benefits for future propulsion systems for navies. Design and development of main propulsion and power generation equipment for warships poses challenges of applying appropriate technologies, complying with stringent military standards, meeting demands of high power density, flexibility in operation, stealth requirements, low Life Cycle Costs, stringent emission norms, restricted production volumes and system integration.

In conclusion, the era of industrial navies is over, and the time has come for a new kind of Navy. The new age Navy would call for adoption of a host of new disruptive technologies to achieve maritime theatre dominance (MTD). These would require integrating a palette of disruptive technologies, sophisticated enterprise grade security architecture overlay on the Internet of Things with a combination of kinetic weapons such as precision munitions on the one hand and cyber and directed energy weapons on the other working sequentially or simultaneously to achieve soft or hard kills as the combat situation requires. For industry, it would draw attention to technologies that shift from a kinetic energy based area dominant ammunition to a directed energy weapons-based network-centric model supported by stand-off  staring surveillance and detection systems.

The ability to use long-range sensors and precision-strike capabilities will rise exponentially as the maritime battle-space undergoes a veritable spatial expansion and a temporal compression, imposing sharp restrictions on the freedom of manoeuvre of navies in general and their support systems whether in space or cyber in specific. So these advancements may still together sustain the concept of war but will certainly disrupt its conduct and the industrial base that powers our Navy.

Therefore, to build future war-fighting capabilities, the key for the navy will be to acquire and master disruptive technologies even as they emerge. One approach could be to examine the Long Range Research and Development Plan, or LRRDP, model which allows ‘industry, academia, and small business to competitively work on new ideas and concepts while focused on specific research areas that will result in new military technologies’. The central theme is to aggregate distributed resources and talents on a common platform to develop new technologies for defence applications supported by adequate funding from the existing Technology Development Fund.  The recent announcement of a National Research Fund with a budget of Rs 50,000 Crs over the next five years under the Ministry of Science and Technology is a remarkable step to develop the national research base.

For R&D and academia it is imperative that fresh and specialised talent and test and lab facilities are created for ideating new products and platforms. For Indian industry the challenge would be to induct or even better develop new technologies and find the right balance of the kind of investments that would need to be made for the future such that MRO, Upgrades and life extension facilities continue to sustain legacy equipment whilst disruptive technologies are incubated, innovated and introduced for preparing the national industrial base to build India’s Armed Forces to be a veritable force to reckon with.