deployment of the PLA Navy ships in the - Information Resource ...

NAVAL DESPATCH
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
BMD Missile SM-3, at an altitude of 250 Km proceeding
at a speed of 11,000 Km/hr. This engagement also
demonstrated a naval warship’s anti-Satellite
capability.
Inference. India has already made
considerable progress in the field of Ballistic Missile
Defence (BMD) as reported in the media. Though
there is no doubt that these weapon systems are
extremely expensive, however, in prevailing security
matrix where some nations in our neighbourhood
are in possession of Long Range Missiles, there is
certainly a need to commence planning induction of
these weapon systems on our future naval platforms
as these are going to be the order of the day by 2020.
Therefore, one of the roles of the IN of 2020 or thereof,
should be either neutralizing or rendering ineffective
the enemy’s satellite (could be by Jamming the
adversary’s satellites using Directed Energy) as well as
providing protection to main land India as well as her
Island territories against enemy Long range missiles.
Ability to Influence Land Battle. It is no
secret that the raison-de- etre of the maritime forces is
to support the conduct of the battle on land. This could
either be by delivery of ordinance from the sea or by
forces at the Objective Area (AO). In either case we will
require expeditionary capability with platforms
capable of heavy air-lift for vertical envelopment as well
as missiles with land attack capability. The IN of 2020
needs to accordingly prepare its force structuring for
meeting this role.
Capability Development – to Meet
Asymmetric Threats
Creation of a Maritime Security Advisor.
One important role of the Indian Navy for the next
decade would be to co-ordinate the functioning of
various maritime agencies till such time that the nation
develops a truly ’Maritime Culture’. The creation of
Maritime Security Advisor (MSA) (though presently
turned down by the Govt) needs to be taken up again.
The MSA , a serving three star admiral would be the
one point maritime advisor to the PMO through the
National Security Advisor (NSA). This way indirectly, the
Indian Navy could co-ordinate with various maritime
agencies and synergise maritime security.
Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). A
key national security requirement (be it from
conventional threats as well as from asymmetric
threats) is "Domain Awareness". Domain Awareness
is the effective understanding of all activities, events,
and trends within any relevant domain – air, land, sea,
space and cyberspace. Effective surveillance of our
area of interest and situational awareness in the
maritime domain will require integration of inputs from
the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, DG Shipping, DG
Light House Authorities, Customs, Intelligence
agencies, Marine/Coastal police, fishing communities
and most important of all the citizens of India itself.
There would also be a need to exchange information
with friendly countries with shared perceptions and
interests.
Presently, the weakest link in our MDA capability
is lack of adequate surveillance platforms. Apart from
Long and Short range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and less
expensive UAVs, we also need to acquire strategic as
well as maritime satellite surveillance capability. In the
interim, innovative use of available technologies viz AIS,
VTMS etc needs to be factored to generate domain
awareness. One important role of IN for the next
decade would be to build upon this capability and
enhance the MDA to the optimum.
Driver for Maritime Cooperation
FFFFFFFFF
SEPTEMBER 2010
FFFFFFFFF 19