The Indian Navy has now equipped 10 of its frontline warships with Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), also called the Cooperative Management System, making it the world’s second-largest CEC-enabled fleet after the United States. This advanced system allows ships to share sensor data in real time, enabling coordinated targeting and defense. The technology has been installed on four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, three Kolkata-class destroyers, and three Nilgiri-class frigates.
Focus on Indigenous and Collaborative Technology
Completed by mid-2025, the CEC rollout reflects India’s commitment to homegrown and collaborative defense innovations. Partnerships with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have been instrumental. The system strengthens the Navy’s ability to counter threats in the Indo-Pacific, including China’s expanding naval presence and asymmetric challenges from Pakistan.
Development and Deployment
The Indian Navy’s CEC program began with a successful trial in 2019 involving INS Kochi and INS Chennai, during which Barak-8 missiles were fired under cooperative control. Following that, the technology has gradually been integrated into other major surface combatants, using the MF-STAR radar and Barak-8 missile systems. Plans are underway to retrofit older ships like the Delhi-class destroyers while standardizing CEC on new constructions.
Key Features and Capabilities
CEC relies on secure, line-of-sight data links to combine radar information from multiple platforms into a single, unified air picture. This capability ensures real-time situational awareness and is designed to work with future assets, including the INS Vishal carrier and Project 75I submarines.
Advantages in Naval Operations
- Better Situational Awareness: CEC merges sensor data from ships, aircraft, and ground stations, giving commanders a comprehensive view of the battlespace and reducing blind spots.
- Enhanced Missile and Air Defense: The system allows one ship to engage threats detected by another, enabling layered defense and longer-range interception.
- Force Multiplication: By distributing defensive resources across the fleet, CEC creates a cooperative firing network that increases combat effectiveness.
- Resistance to Electronic Warfare: High-bandwidth, secure links make the system resilient to jamming, maintaining operations even in contested electromagnetic environments.
- Faster Decision-Making: Automated data fusion reduces delays in threat response, which is crucial for protecting high-value assets like carrier strike groups.
- Interoperability and Growth: The system can work alongside allied forces and is scalable for future additions like unmanned systems or hypersonic weapons.
- Cost Efficiency: CEC maximizes existing sensors and weaponry, reducing the need for redundant platforms while enhancing overall operational readiness.
Operational Validation and Strategic Significance
The effectiveness of CEC has been demonstrated in exercises such as Tropex 2025, where the system achieved over 90% simulated engagement success against multi-axis attacks. With 10 CEC-equipped warships, India now stands alongside global powers in integrated naval air defense, second only to the United States. This capability is vital for protecting sea lanes, countering strategic threats like China’s “String of Pearls,” and conducting missions such as anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.Future Expansion
The Indian Navy plans to extend CEC to upcoming Nilgiri-class follow-on ships and Next Generation Missile Vessels, further reinforcing its network-centric defense and strengthening its position as a blue-water navy in the Indo-Pacific.
