Mar 5, 2010

Milan and Tropex 10: Indian Navy The NetSecurity Provider

IndianNavy hosted the largest four-day naval war-game, Milan-2010, involving 12nations in the Asia Pacific region from 4 February in which means to counterterror threats to coastal and island territories was debated keeping in mindthe attacks in Mumbai. “There would be a discussion (during Milan-2010) onmaritime terror and the means to counter the attacks like what happened inMumbai,” Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence),Rear Admiral Sudharshan Shrikhande told reporters.

            The seventh edition of the biennialMilan, being organised by the Indian Navy at Port Blair since 1995, had ninenaval ships from eight countries and representatives from four othersparticipating in a tabletop exercises, apart from a passage exercise at sea anda seminar on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) from February 4to February 8. “The amount of patrolling required for preventing the 26/11 typeof attacks in other countries too is the same as in India.So, these issues will be discussed,” Rear Adm. Shrikhande said.

            Among other issues discussed wasillegal entry of foreign ships into the waters of the respective countries,just as Indiahad experienced when a North Korean vessel anchored off Andaman and NicobarIslands last year and had to be apprehended. Naval ships from Australia,Bangladesh, Indonesia,Malaysia, Myanmar,Singapore (twoships), Sri Lankaand Thailand,with representatives from Navies of Brunei, Philippines,Vietnam and NewZealand would join the exercise.

            A seminar on ‘Navies in HumanitarianAssistance and Disaster Relief’ was addressed by Indian Naval Chief AdmiralNirmal Verma and inaugurated by Andaman and Nicobar Lieutenant Governor Lt GenBhopinder Singh. Indiawas represented by four or five ships including its largest Landing Ship Tankand a Fast Attack Craft in the exercise. Australiabrought its warship HMAS Glenenelg patrol boat for the wargame. However, therewas no fire power demonstration during the wargame, he said. “Milan,which started as a small effort with participation from Bangladesh,Sri Lanka, Thailandand Indonesia,has today grown into a 13 navies grouping in the Asia Pacific. Only Cambodiawill not be attending this time.

            Indian Coast Guard too send itsships and officers for the exercise. Admiral Shrikhande added, “The messagefrom the grouping is one of need for maritime cooperation for navies to shareknowledge and expertise on their own operational circumstances and to know eachother’s operating procedures so that there can be coordinated efforts in timesof need.” He said already Indian Navy was coordinating with Indonesia andThailand for a structured joint patrol along each other’s maritime borders forabout two or three times a year.

            The Milanseries of exercises are traditional multilateral engagements of the Indian Navyin the Eastern seas primarily to enhance engagement in multilateral ventures innon traditional security such as piracy and maritime terrorism. Joint capacitybuilding is important for this venture as non state actors have been veryactive in exploiting the cleavages between states to advantage and have beenusing various political differences to gain from the same and enhance their owncapacities. Disaster management is also an important area particularly withreference to the tsunami threat that exists and the earthquake of the naturethat has devastated Haiti.

            Tropex 2010 was the second phase ofIndian Navy’s quest for capacity building. Admiral Nirmal Verma, Chief of theNaval Staff along with Shri Pradeep Kumar, Defence Secretary embarked theaircraft carrier INS Viraat operating on the eastern seaboard to kick start thefirst phase of ‘TROPEX 10’. The exercise involves the participation of mostmajor combatants of the Indian Navy, as also participation of the Indian AirForce and the Indian Coast Guard. Just as the combination of the two fleets andthe elements of the sister services contribute to synergy, the presence of theDefence Secretary with the CNS is indicative of the close coordination andsynergy of the Indian Navy and the Ministry of Defence, which is the key toenhancing effectiveness at the “business end” of the Navy.

            The two Western and Eastern fleetsof the Indian Navy are presently carrying out a Joint Work Up after which theywill proceed for a ‘mock battle’ to test their tactical skills and operationalreadiness. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs) and Airborne Early Warning(AEW)helicopters of the Indian Navy, Air to Air Refueller , Jaguars and SU 30 of theIAF and advanced missile systems have also been deployed. Missile, torpedo andgun firings have also been conducted. Several operational concepts, which haveearlier been ‘war-gamed’ as part of a series of ‘Table-Top Exercises’ {theseare played on paper, in the various Maritime Warfare Centres (MWCs) of theNavy}, are now being practically exercised at sea. Lessons learnt during theexercise will be used to further develop the Navy’s tactical and operationaldoctrines. Observers from Army and Air Force have also embarked various participatingships to gain first -hand experience of Naval combat operations. Conduct ofjoint operations is one of the focused aims of the exercise .Overall, theexercise is intended to thoroughly test the human and material endurance of theNavy, the efficacy of its operational and logistics plans and its combateffectiveness.

            Tropex are the annual exercises heldby the Navy to build up joint synergy between army, navy and air force to meetsecurity challenges. A joint amphibious warfare drill by army, navy and air isthe form that is taken and launching of operations on the shore is the keyfacet of this exercise. This time a new face of synergy with the Ministry ofDefence seems to have been added for the first time and how this happens withthe MOD officials located in Delhithough for the exercise purpose the Defence Secretary has embarked on INSViraat which has been relaunched after extensive refurbishment remains to beseen.

Whilein 2009, Tropex was launched on the western shores as anticipated due to thethreats envisaged on Gujarat and Maharastra shores post Mumbai attacks, thistime around the same is being held in the Bay of Bengal, where the large numberof island territories would denote that there is a possible threat andchallenge there as well.

On19 February 2010, theIndian Navy’s new fighter aircraft - the MiG-29K was inducted. The new fighterdisplayed its agility by breaking into an almost vertical climb within secondsafter take off.  In addition to theMiG-29K itself, the air display included a grand fly-past comprising of SeaHarrier, Ilyushin-38 (Sea Dragon), Chetak, Kiran and Dornier. The Sagar PawanAerobatic team also displayed its prowess in various breathtaking formationaerobatic manoeuvres. The MiG-29K is among the latest and most potent fightersdesigned by the Mikoyan Gurevich bureau. Whilst talking of the capability ofthe aircraft the Commanding Officer of the air station at Goa where theaircraft were inducted said that “despite the similarity in the nomenclature andappearance between the IAF’s MiG-29 and the Indian Navy’s MiG-29K, they arequite different from each other”. The new MiG-29K belongs to the 4+ generationwhich is capable of fulfilling multiple roles.

Thenew aircraft is more than 30% heavier than the MiG-29 B (IAF). The MIG-29K willbe equipped with anti-aircraft Beyond Visual Range Missiles, guided Anti-ShipMissiles, ‘smart’ guided-bombs and rockets. Computers proliferate all thesystems on board the MIG-29K, including weapon systems, navigation systems,instrumentation, flight controls and safety systems. The pilot’s helmet isequipped with advanced features permitting the pilot to shoot a target bymerely looking at it. With all these systems, the MiG-29K is indeed a fighterto reckon with and is arguably one of the best in the sub-continent today. Thenaval fighter fraternity has been heard referring to the MiG-29K as ‘GameChangers’ and ‘Foe Busters’. Be that as it may the MiG 29K squadron will befondly called the Black Panthers.

MARCH 2010