GSAT-7A will prove to be a force multiplier for IAF: Experts

Military communication satellite GSAT-7A, launched by ISRO on Wednesday, is aimed at enhancing communication capabilities of the Indian Air Force and will prove to be a "force multiplier", experts said.

GSAT-7A is the 39th Indian communication satellite of ISRO to provide services to the users in Ku-band over the Indian region. It is an advanced version of GSAT-7, a multi-band military communication satellite launched by ISRO in 2013.

After the launch, ISRO chairman K Sivan said GSAT-7A is an advanced communication satellite with a Gregorian Antenna and many other new technologies.

An ISRO official said it will give better network connectivity to the IAF and better dissemination of information.

"It will be a major booster and force multiplier for the Indian Air Force. When we talk of a network-centric warfare, such type of systems will help achieve full network centricity. From that perspective, it's a major value addition to the IAF," said Ajay Lele, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).

Elaborating on it, he said information is received from various sources such as radars and the Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS).

"There are ground stations that help in dissemination of information and the satellite will fill the gaps," he said.

"The pilot needs to receive that information on a real-time basis. The communications satellite will enhance the capacibilty," Lele added.