Military applications are the primary concern of the wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Efficient target object/event monitoring is a primary goal of military systems in unattended and unmanned areas. Heterogeneous wireless sensor network (HTWSN) is an emerging network for efficient enemy object monitoring in sensitive areas of low cost. The performance of HTWSN is mainly depends on the quality of data transmission and better network lifetime. However, after deployment of HTWSN, the network can experience a serious problem known as path failure. Path failure occurs due to high route overhead, which result poor-quality data transmission and increase the node energy consumption. Path failure results route rediscovery and data packet retransmission. The proposed node deployment mechanism for HTWSN has been minimized the route overhead and improved the path quality, quality data packet transmission by avoid the path failure. The proposed node deployment strategy has given better results in terms of 20 % low node energy consumption, 56 % lower route overhead, 22 % higher network lifetime and 17 % higher data packet delivery ratio than the existing node deployment mechanism of IMCC protocol. © 2005 - 2016 JATIT & LLS. All rights reserved.