The rapidly changing and developing geopolitics around the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Gulf/Arabian Seas raise some serious challenges and concerns for the Pakistan Navy for protecting Pakistan’s seaward interests. Some challenges were mentioned in previous articles such as handling Indian hegemony, preventing maritime terrorism, Seaward Economy considering China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and protecting the 290,000 square kilometer extended Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The time has come when we should evaluate some unconventional ways to establish our military and naval presence in order to safeguard the above mentioned challenges and concerns. There are three possible unconventional ways to establish effective presence across our entire Extended exclusive economic zone in the absence of a full-scale carrier ship, these are:
– Evaluating Off shore platforms & artificial islands for Military Usage
– Underground Platforms for Submarine operations
– Near and Distant islands for military usage
Evaluating offshore platforms and artificial Islands for military usage
An offshore platform is a large steel structure built with facilities for well drilling to explore, extract, store, process petroleum and natural gas and contains facilities to house the workforce and helicopters for transportation. Offshore platforms are widely scattered all across the globe for oil exploration purposes and owned by different oil companies. Almost all existing offshore facilities have helicopter landing platforms that support a wide variety of helicopters with few exceptions where marine vessels are used for transportation purposes. There are many types of platforms being used for oil exploration and can be studied to determine the most suitable type for military usage. But in general, the most suitable platform type that could be a potential candidate for military usage is the NUI (Normally Unmanned Installations). NUIs are small platforms, consisting of little more than a well bay, helipad and emergency shelter. They are designed to be operated remotely under normal conditions, but with few changes these can be a perfect candidate for wartime operations.
The military usage of steel structures/platforms and artificial islands is not a new concept rather it is being heavily exercised by naval powers. The Law of the Sea Conference also discussed coastal state rights of jurisdiction over “artificial islands, as quoted in the UN Chronicle, “the coastal state has sovereign rights regarding the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures” while Article 60 of the Informal Composite Negotiating Text (ICNT) of the Law of the Sea Conference states: “Coastal states have an exclusive right to construct artificial islands, installations and structures. If the UN Charter is declaring such exclusive right to member states, it should be then considered as the “territory” of the coastal state unless the platform or artificial island is beyond the EEZ jurisdiction of the coastal state. By extension of the right to “establish, construct and use” and implicit in the exercise of sovereignty is that such states have effective control over “artificial islands” or offshore platforms in all forms, including police and military control.
Having personal experience with offshore platforms, such platforms can be used for many objectives, including military. Some key areas of usage are mentioned below.
1. Fuel storage
2. Establishing guidance and surveillance radars
3. Helicopter base stations for naval operations
Deploying naval emergency response teams
There is no big activity going on in the Arabian Sea for such platforms and artificial islands, rather an initiative could be taken with help from the Chinese Naval management to establish such steel structures wherever possible within our EEZ. In this regard, a comprehensive oceanographic study needs to be conducted to determine where these steel structures could be feasible.
The Chinese Navy has a lot of experience in establishing artificial islands in the South China Sea and recently they have utilized an offshore platform for military purposes. Such experience can be jointly explored for initializing an ambitious activity in the North Arabian Sea keeping in mind seaward economy due to CPEC. Pakistan’s federal government ministry that is responsible for maritime resources exploration can start such an initiative with help from the Pakistan navy. The extended exclusive economic zone is rich in fishery, other marine life, possibly hydrocarbons and seabed resources and Pakistan aspires to leverage the EEZ for socio-economic development. It is, therefore, in Pakistan’s interest to see that the environment at sea is secure and stable to pursue its legitimate interests.
One of the possible and best usage of offshore platforms/steel structures is to maintain military presence for counter terrorism and for effective naval operations throughout the extended EEZ. With the global security landscape having undergone significant transformation following the tragic events of 9/11, highly complex and multifaceted challenges have evolved such as extremism that engulfed many nation states causing huge socio-economic impact. The region has been in the midst of this strategic transformation in global security paradigm and remains afflicted by many active high-intensity conflicts going on in the world.
Many regional nations also continue to spend heavily on their military, resulting in massive arms build-up on land and sea. The significance of the sea for Pakistan, as is the case with most countries, is that more than 95% of Pakistan’s trade is sea-borne and a major requirement of its oil imports comes from the Gulf. Continuous flow of energy resources through the Strait of Hormuz is essential for sustenance of its economy and under such scenario, steel structures and
artificial islands build up for military usage provide huge support both for securing the EEZ and sea ward economic activities. Having reviewed all above scenario, it is hereby concluded that offshore platforms appear to have good potential for military uses. The most feasible locations of such offshore platforms for military uses can be studied across our extended EEZ and oceanographic department can help in this regard.
One of the key aspects to keep in mind is the compatibility of the helicopters to be stationed on these steel structures and Pakistan Naval Aviation can look at the feasibility of such deployment in the near future. Studying many offshore platforms with different oil companies, it is more than evident that the military use of offshore platforms appears to be technically feasible from a hardware and equipment interface standpoint. Offshore platforms are a viable military asset for
remote basing of helicopters or sensors when they are far enough offshore to provide a decreased helicopter reaction time.
The objective of this article is to emphasize the importance of steel structures in the sea for military usage and how they can be beneficial and effective for operations. So, whenever it may possible to build such structures, a parallel plan should be ready from all stakeholders; the Navy particularly should develop contingency plans for the deployment of detachments to offshore platforms. The contingency plans for offshore platforms should include establishing and maintaining radar capability, developing a support package for military operations, fuel storage station, communication modifications, power transformers/convertors, additional lighting/navigation devices and establishing liaison between the Navy and operators to develop training plans.
Underground Platforms for Submarine Operations
The naval warfare seems to enter into a new era where naval managements are exercising all possible tactics to control the geo-political landscape. In recent days, military powers like China have been working on developing an underwater deep-sea platform that is believed to be 10,000 feet below the surface. Apart from being used for natural resources exploration, the facility will also be used for military purposes. This underwater platform will be situated on the seabed of the South China Sea, the disputed territory claimed by China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. This new underwater surveillance network is expected to help Chinese submarines get a stronger lock on targets while protecting China’s interests along the maritime Silk Road, BRI states from the Korean peninsula to the east coast of Africa.
The project, led by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is part of an unprecedented military expansion fueled by Beijing’s desire to challenge the United States in the world’s most erratic oceans. If China is moving towards underground warfare by establishing platforms in South China seabed, most probably the rival nations will follow suit, including neighboring South China sea countries, India, US and other allies. For Pakistan, it is now of utmost importance to set goals for the near or distant future on how to enter this game. At least setting up feasibility projects with help from Chinese Navy can be a way to go initially. We must keep in mind that China is eager to find out new sea passages and trade routes for which Pakistan being the key ally of China, can help. So, we must leverage every corner where the Chinese are advancing for instance, getting into the underground platform warfare.
Near & Distant Island for Military Usage
One of the best ways to increase Pakistan’s naval and military presence is to get hold of islands located in IOR and North/South Arabian Seas. Pakistan is the key member of Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition and can leverage such stature by asking for naval logistic support from countries that are part of this alliance. For instance, UAE is utilizing Socotora Island as its naval logistic station and Pakistan can do the same. Pakistan must bear in mind that only an aggressive and effective diplomacy along with strong resolve from our political and military establishment is required.
I do not know if anyone from our hierarchy has discussed this with friendly countries but if such naval logistic agreements are being arranged, the Pakistan Navy could use islands in the Arabian Sea such as Socotora and its adjacent smaller Islands like Darsah, Kilmia and Samhah, the Red Sea Islands under Saudi control, Gulf Oman Islands like Almassirah, Khuriya Muriya Islands like al Qibliah, Alhallaniyah and Alsawda and Bosas in Somalia. Some islands within Pakistani maritime jurisdiction can also be developed for naval logistic and radar support bases like Astola island.
We must also aggressively leverage our friendship with Turkey that has plans to establish military bases in Somalia and Qatar and in other regional countries. We can get logistic support from those Turkish military stations in order to fulfill our sea control vision at extended EEZ. Turkey has also great influence in the Mediterranean Sea and Pakistan should get involved in that part of the world for supporting joint operations with Turkish Navy.
The time is approaching fast when Pakistan and Turkey will have to fight extensively standing side by side and struggling shoulder to shoulder for protection of their national and mutual interests. The Turkish Chief of General Staff General Hulusi Akar’s visit to Pakistan when he met all branches of the Pakistan Armed Forces clearly point to a strong partnership in the near future.
