Thursday, September 14 2006 12:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Indian Army on yesterday (Sept 13,2006) made operational its most advanced network centric communication system 'mercury thunder'. The network, which signals Indian Army's entry to a digitalised battlefield, was dedicated by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee at a function here attended by all the three service chiefs, Admiral Arun Prakash, Air Chief marshal S P Tyagi and General J J Singh. Fielded by the core of signals, the mercury thunder system is a robust platform which an Army spokesman said could withstand all man-made and natural disasters. Speaking on the occasion, Mukherjee said the new system assured ground forces network availability and survivability which is of paramount importance in today's world of intense electronic warfare. "Mercury Thunder will be the strategic backbone network of the Indian Army and will create space for digitalised battlefield and also support and also support interconnectivity with other tactical communication systems," an Army spokesman said.