Navy's role requires modernization<\/p>\n
By Bantarto Bandoro<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Several days after Abdurrahman Wahid was elected
\nIndonesia's new President, he indicated that the sea has played
\nan important role in the country's history. His statement should
\nbe seen within the context of geographical configurations here,
\nin which the sea constitutes an important part of national
\ndefense. In the past, the sea dimension of Indonesia's national
\ndefense was not given appropriate attention and has never been
\ntranslated into the country's strategic policy, despite the fact
\nthat Indonesia is one of the world's largest maritime nations.<\/p>\n
\"Bring back the supremacy of the sea\" is perhaps the message
\nAbdurrahman wished to convey when he announced the establishment
\nof a ministry dealing with maritime exploration. This implies
\nthat as a great maritime nation, Indonesia should have a strong
\nand effective Navy and Air Force, perhaps stronger than the Army.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman may have predicted that the 21st century would be
\nthe \"naval century\", an era in which naval and maritime power
\nbecome an even more critical element of national power and
\nprestige.<\/p>\n
His emphasis on the importance of the sea is so significant
\nthat the Navy should initiate measures to implement his statement
\nand revitalize the role of the naval force in facing future
\nchallenges. Abdurrahman's maritime policy should also stimulate
\ninnovative thinking on the part of the Naval Staff and Command
\nCollege to develop studies on the new role and preparedness of
\nIndonesia's naval force in meeting future demands. The studies
\nshould reflect the desire to sustain the operation of the naval
\nforce in a broad environment and should be directed to building
\nnaval forces capable of protecting national interests into the
\n21st century. In short, future readiness requires investment
\ntoday. Both the Navy and Marine Corps should, as a team, plan
\nincreases in procurement, research and development.<\/p>\n
A great task is placed upon the Navy and its staff and command
\ncollege. The Navy cannot ignore this task because regional and
\ndomestic security is still subject to uncertainty and
\nvulnerability; the national security environment in which the
\nnaval forces will play a key part is likely to change much more
\nrapidly than the naval forces can change themselves. Therefore,
\nfrom the start, the Navy must incorporate a great deal of
\nadaptability. The Navy's form and mode of operation and its
\ncapability will certainly be driven in the large part by rapidly
\nadvancing technology. The naval force will have to be on the
\nalert for significant technological changes and be ready to
\nexploit new technologies expeditiously.<\/p>\n
While the President is not a navy man, and while his decision
\nto appoint an admiral as military chief can be interpreted as
\ngiving the Navy an appropriate role in national defense; the
\ndemand for a complete transformation of the naval forces is
\nthere. Studies which explore the future environment of the naval
\nforce are needed, including studies on how technology can be
\napplied in restructuring the naval forces to better meet the
\nchallenges of that environment.<\/p>\n
A successful performance by the Navy would require the
\nreplacement of aging and obsolete weapons and platforms, if any.
\nEquipment designed and procured one or two decades ago must be
\nreplaced or substantially modernized to ensure continued
\nusefulness. The Navy must also recapitalize and modernize to meet
\ndemands of tomorrow's threats and operational concepts.<\/p>\n
The Navy and Marine Corps will increasingly be operating and
\ncooperating with components of the Ministry of Defense, the
\nMinistry of Maritime Exploration and those of the National
\nPolice, the Air Force and the Army in charge of specific tasks
\nrelated to maritime security.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's statement implies that the Navy's plans and
\nprograms must reflect the nation's commitment to: (1) enhance
\nsecurity with effective diplomacy; (2) bolster prosperity; (3)
\npromote better understanding of \"property rights\" at sea; (4)
\nshape regional environment; and (5) to respond to the full
\nspectrum of crises.<\/p>\n
In Southeast Asia at least, Indonesia has been and will still
\nbe regarded as a country which has at its disposal the
\ncapabilities to maintain regional peace and security. Indonesia's
\nnaval force environment in the region will continue to be
\ncharacterized by instability and conflict arising from resources
\nand boundary disputes and trends in maritime law enforcement,
\ncriminal activities at sea, illegal migration by sea and
\nterrorism.<\/p>\n
The naval force development program would then have to be
\ndesigned to enable the force to face future regional security
\nchallenges and threats amid fiscal constraints in a manner far
\nmore efficient and effective than today's naval forces.<\/p>\n
Therefore, a strong and responsive naval force is imperative
\nfor national defense, regional stability and security, to meet
\nunexpected and hostile regional trends.<\/p>\n
The President's maritime policy provides very strong grounds
\nfor the Navy to develop new platforms, plans and program which
\nwill effectively facilitate progress toward its goals. The time
\nhas come for the Navy to assert itself as the most important
\npillar of national defense. But one must remember that
\nimplementing naval force capabilities will certainly require a
\nstable and sustained research and development program.<\/p>\n
The Navy must put a great deal of effort into building its
\nimage of not only being assigned to exploit the sea as space for
\nmaneuvering, but also as an agent of development. Its programs,
\nplans, concepts and ideas can be pursued within the overall
\nframework of Indonesian foreign and defense policy.<\/p>\n
The new government's maritime policy has given the Navy new
\nlife and spirit to leap into the next century, though it will
\nneed proper funding to support defense and military strategies.
\nHowever, transforming for the future and meeting today's national
\nand regional commitments must be balanced. The President's
\nmaritime policy should be appraised by all, especially the Navy.<\/p>\n
The writer is with the Centre for Strategic International
\nStudies' Department of International Affairs and a guest lecturer
\nat the Naval Staff and Command College, Jakarta.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/navys-role-requires-modernization-1447893297",
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