DEVELOPMENT OF IT SYSTEMS
EXPERIENCE OF THE
SRI LANKA AIR FORCE
Group Captain TGJ Amarasena
Command Information Technology Officer
Sri Lanka Air Force
Introduction
India
Sri Lanka
Population
270 Miles
20,450,000
(432 km)
Area
65,610 sq km
Coastal Line
140 Miles
(224 km)
1,340 km
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100 + Aircraft fleet
03 Fighter Squadrons
01 Attack Heli Squadron
02 Fixed Wing Transport Sqns
02 Heli Transport Squadrons
01 VIP Heli Squadron
01 Flying Training Squadron
02 UAV Squadrons
36,000 personnel
- Air Force Headquarters
- Major Air Bases with Aircraft
Squadrons
- Air Force Stations/Units with
Airfields
- Air Force Stations/Units –
Training Facilities/Security Duties
Mission
"To achieve professional excellence in rapid
mobility and precision engagement by
developing core capabilities based on
technological superiority, to ensure readiness
and operational success in exploiting the
competent human resources and equipment of
the Sri Lanka Air Force"
Vision
"To be a well accomplished, resolute and an
ingenious air power capable of fulfilling the
aspirations of the nation and preserving the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the island"
• Transformation into an effective and
efficient fighting force.
• Expansion of the aircraft fleet
• Modernization of Systems
• Introduce communication networks for
both voice and data
• Introduce computer based systems
wherever possible
• Train and educate the Air Force personnel
on IT Systems
Communication Networks
In the 1980s the SLAF decided to
implement its own communications
network and not to depend on
public infrastructure.
The Voice/Data network covers
most of the Bases/Stations/Units.
The data network is based
mostly on CISCO equipment and
implemented with the assistance
of private partners.
Area under LTTE Control
Area of OPS for
ARMY DIVs
SQN1
GCS1
SQN3
GCS2
GCS3
SQN2
HELI SQN
GU 1
GU2
AFHQ
NHQ
AHQ
B200
SQN
GCS 1
GCS 3
Node 1
Node 3
Node 2
GCS 2
SQN 3
SQN 2
SQN 1
Node 4
Node 5
AFHQ
B200 SQN
Heli SQN
• Two very high level Govt users
• Army and Navy HQs
• Four (04) Army Div HQs
Primary
Radar Data
MAP DATA
(RASTER)
UAV
IMAGERY
VIDEO
ARCHIVES
BMCC
3D Radar
Data
SAT
IMAGERY
Integration of Radar Sensors
Provide situational awareness by combining data received from several
radar sensors and displaying them on a single screen
Developed by the SLAF using .Net platform and WPF
services.
Data stream is transmitted through the SLAF network,
intepreted and displayed at the client terminal.
Network Security
• Two physically separated networks
• Intranet and Internet Access
• Internet Access network attacked three
times
• Security needs to be enhanced
IT Systems
• An efficient mailing system was identified as
a top priority requirement for supporting the
operational efforts.
• The solution has to meet the requirements
of the ordinary mailing system as well as
suit the requirements of two-way radio
based messaging system
1998
Networked Users
Microsoft
Exchange Server
5.5
&
Windows NT
AFHQ
Dial-up Users
140 Users
Approx 6000 mails a day
2005
Networked
Users
Microsoft Exchange
Server 2003 (Std Edt)
& Windows Server 2003
(32 bit Std Edt)
AFHQ
Dial-up Users
170 Users
Approx 8000 mails a day
Networked Users
Dial-up Users
Microsoft
Exchange
Server 2007
Standard Edtion
RMA
Additional Domain
Controller
Primary
Domain
Networked
Users
Controller
WIN-2003
(Ent 64bit)
Microsoft
Exchange
Server 2007
Enterprise
AFHQ
Networked Users
Microsoft
Exchange
Server 2007
Standard Edition
Kat
Additional Domain
2009/10
Controller
332 Users
Approx 11000 mails a day
• Next Upgrade - Planned in 2011
• Introduce a Document Management
System based on Microsoft SharePoint to
integrate the mail circulation, sharing and
archiving features
SLAF concentrated its efforts on three areas
Equipment
Provisioning
&
Accounting
System
EPAS
ERMS
HRMS
Engineering
Resource
Management
System
Human
Resource
Management
System
• The first system to be deployed was the
PAYADMIN System in 1990.
• It computerized the payroll of 8,000
personnel.
• It now handles the payroll of 36,000
personnel
• The system was outsourced and has been
very successful since its implementation
• Both the Logistics and Engineering
Management Systems were outsourced in
1994
• This project was scrapped in 2002.
• An attempt was made to develop these
systems in-house using SQL and Oracle
but it failed
• Both Systems were outsourced in 2008
(USD 320,000.00) but failed in 2009 due
to the contractor being declared as
bankrupt
• In 2008 the Air Force decided;
– Use a commonly available stable technology
– Selected SQL Sever as the database
environment
– Use web based systems as much as possible
– Selected .net platform as the development
environment with C# and ASP as the main
development platform
– Air Force team should work with the
contractor’s team so that the maintenance
could be taken over by the Air Force
Application Base#1
Application Base#3
DB#3
DB#1
DB#4
Application Base#2
DB#2
Application Base#4
Central DB
Server HQ
DB#5
DB#6
DBHQ
Application Base#5
Mirror DB
Application HQ
Application Base#6
EPAS
• Three major modules
– Procurement Module
– Material Resource Planning
– Catalogue Cell
• More 55,000 Aircraft related items
• More than 18,000 other items
• All requisitions are now carried out through the
system
• All Stores/Warehouses are now connected
ERMS
• Aeronautical ERMS
– All aircraft Squadrons are connected
– Tracking of life components
– F700 – Servicing & Flying Records
• General ERMS
– Vehicle fleet management
– Arms & Ammunition Management
HRMS
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Personal Data of all Officers & Other Ranks
From enlistment to retirement
Initially developed using SQL and Oracle
Converted to Microsoft Platform
Challenges
• Procure & Customize Systems, Develop if
necessary
• Working with partners
• Changing the attitudes
• Satisfying the customer requirements
• Rapid advancement in Technology
• Shrinking Budgets
• Training
Future Plans
• Integrate the IT systems
• The technology that was identified during the
operations will be improved
• Sea surveillance will be a primary task for the
UAVs and the manned surveillance aircraft
• Internet & Intranet Security
• BMCC will be improved to include inputs from
other sensors
• Interoperability issues will be resolved
• Military networks will be utilized to support
civilian administration
Thank You