CURRENT AMPHIBIOUS FORCE LEVELS

OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENTTWO TO THREE ARGS FORWARD DEPLOYEDONE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN / ARABIAN GULF-INDIAN OCEAN AREAONE OR TWO IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC AREA. ONE ARG/MEU IS FORWARD BASED IN SASEBO AND OKINAWA JAPAN.

Amphibious flexibility is the greatest strategic asset that a sea power possesses. BHLiddell Hart

CRITICALITIESTRANSITION FROM SEA TO LAND, INVOLVING NAVAL, GROUND AND AIR FORCES MOST DIFFICULT. COMMANDS AND CONTROL OF MULTI- SERVICE, MULTI ENVIRONMENT ACTIVITIES COMPLEXCONDUCT OF OPERATIONS IN RESTRICTED WATERS INCREASES VULNERABILITY TO HOSTILE ATTACK, PARTICULARLY DURING EARLY PHASES WHEN SUPPORT OF OWN HEAVY WEAPONS NOT AVAILABLE

RECENT EMPLOYMENTFRENCH AND THEN US FORCES FOR OVER 25 YEARS IN INDOCHINA ANGLO-FRENCH ASSAULT IN SUEZ,FALKLANDS CONFLICTUS LANDINGS IN GRENADA COALITION LANDINGS DURING GULF WAR IN 1992AUSTRALIAN LANDINGS IN EAST TIMORUS/ALLIES OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN

EARLY DEVELOPMENTSINTRODUCED SINCE EARLY DAYS OF INCEPTION OF INDIAN NAVYRECOMMENDATION TO POSSESS A SMALL EXPEDITIONARY FORCE CAPABLE OF PROTECTING INDIAS REGIONAL INTERESTS SUGGESTED IN 1946 WHEN INDEPEDENCE ON HORIZON. CURRENT CAPABILITY BRIGADE MINUS

INDIAN NAVAL HISTORYLST INS MAGAR, OF W W II VINTAGE ACQUIRED IN 1949 APPROVAL ACCORDED IN 1958 TO ESTABLISH A PRESENCE IN A& N ISLANDS POST INDO CHINA WAR DEBACLE RESIDENT NAVAL OFFICER WAS APPOINTED IN PORT BLAIR.INCREASED INDONESIAN INTRUSIONS IN NICOBAR ISLANDS IN 1965

EARLY DEVELOPMENTSORDER PLACED FOR TWO LST (M) FROM RUSSIA IN 1965 INDONESIAN THREAT AND INDONESIAN PAK BONDING OF 1965BOTCHED UP AMPHIBIOUS LANDING AT COXS BAZAAR IN OPERATION BEAVER AS A PART OF 1971 OPERATIONS . LESSONS HOISTED IN IMPORTANCE OF AMPHIBIOUS ASSETS ESTABLISHED

AMPHIBIOUS OPS OF INDIAN NAVY SRI LANKA IN 1988, SOMALIA IN 1995, CYCLONE RELIEF IN SAURASHTRA IN 1998 /ORISSA IN 2000. AS A FORCE IN BEING ON WEST COAST DURING OP PARAKARAM. PAKISTAN DIVERTED ONE DIVISION FROM LAND BORDERS TO MAKRAN COAST.

SCOPECURRENT TRENDS IN US NAVY, ROYAL NAVY, PLA NAVY AND AUSTRALIAN NAVY FOCUSED ATTENTION ON SHIP TO SHORE MOVEMENT TASKS OF INDIAN NAVYASSESSMENT OF CURRENT FORCESDEFINING CREDIBLE AMPHIBIOUS FORCE FOR INDIAN NAVY

ROLES OF US NAVYSEA CONTROL MARITIME SUPREMACYPOWER PROJECTIONSTRATEGIC DETERRENCEFORWARD NAVAL PRESENCESTRATEGIC SEALIFT

ORGANISATIONAMPHIBIOUS TASK FORCE (ATF) RANGE FROM A SINGLE AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUP/MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT (SPECIAL OPERATIONS CAPABLE) [ARG/MEU (SOC)], TO A LARGER ORGANIZATION CAPABLE OF EMPLOYING A MARINE EXPEDITIONARY BRIGADE (MEB) OR EVEN A MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

ROLES/ TASKS

MAINLAND OPERATIONS MAKRAN COASTBANGLADESH

ASSAULT LANDINGS TO RETAKE LOST TERRITORY. AMPHIBIOUS RAIDS TACTICAL DECEPTION.

ROLES/ TASKSDEFENCE OF ISLAND TERRITORIES -1197 ISLANDSPOACHING, SMUGGLING, TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN AND GUN RUNNING PENETRATION BYOF FUNDAMENTALIST IN LAKSWADWEEP ISLANDS WITH THE PREDOMINANTLY MINORITY POPULATIONAIRPORT/PORT/ KEY FACILITY SEIZURE

OUT OF AREA CONTIGENCIESIN SUPPORT OF UN /COALITION OPERATIONS

EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS

SHOW OF FORCE/ REINFORCEMENT

OTHER TASKSCONDUCT LANDINGS IN SUPPORT OF WITHDRAWING TROOPS LIMITED OFFENSIVE ATTACK HOSTAGE RECOVERY. GAS AND OIL PLATFORM OPERATIONS. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

LIMITATIONS AMPHIBIOUS FORCES

SHIP TO SHORE MOVEMENTLST(L), LST(M) AND LCUs LACK SPEED CAPACITY TO CARRY OUT VERTICAL ENVELOPMENT MINIMAL. HARD BEACHING TO DISCHARGE ARMOURVULNERABLE

ARMY COMPONENT/ NEED FOR RAISING MARINES?

MOUNTAIN BRIGADE MINUS OF THE INDIAN ARMY IS DESIGNATED AS THE AMPHIBIOUS BRIGADE. BASED IN PORT BLAIR UNDER ANC BATTALIONS CHANGED/ REPLACED EVERY TWO YEARS ON A STAGGERED BASISANOTHER BRIGADE IS KEPT STAND BY ON THE MAINLAND TO AUGMENT THE PORT BLAIR BRIGADE SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.

LIMITATIONS AMPHIBIOUS SHIPSLIMITED STAND OFF CAPABILTY 1-2 NMLCAS/GEMINIS VULNERABLE IN SURF ZONELIMITED SITES FOR HARD BEACHING BY LST(L)UNDERLOADING OF ENGINES

LIMITATIONS - AAVAMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE-BMP AND BDR FROM MECHANIZED INFANTARYINADEQUATE SEA KEEPING ABILITY VULNERABLE IN SURF ZONELIMITED OTH CAPABILTYGUN TOO LIGHTCG HOVERCRAFT LCAC?

ARMY COMPONENT/ NEED FOR RAISING MARINES?

STRETCHED ARMY - OP PARAKRAM, THE AMPHIBIOUS BRIGADE MOBILIZED TO THE WESTERN COMMAND. THE TWO YEARLY CHANGES EFFECTS TRAINING.TIME FOR CHANGE OVER BY THE TIME, INCOMING BATTALION GOES THROUGH THE TRAINING AND BECOMES PROFICIENT

AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING

NEEDYEAR-ROUND TRAINING.TRAINING SEASONAL- WEATHER DEPENDENT HIGH SKILLS- NEGOTIATION OF SURF ZONE BY BMPS OR LCA MUSTERING VARIED ASSETS OF COMPONENTS DIFFICULT. NEED FOR DEDICATED AMPHIBIOUS SCHOOL.

INTELLIGENCEMOST CRITICALAIR RECONNAISSANCE BY ARC, IAF, IN, CG RESOURCES INCLUDING UAV SATELLITEINTELLIGENCE AGENCIES LIKE RAW, IB , DIA AND SBS/NAVAL LIAISON TEAMSSUBMARINE RECONNAISSANCESIGNIT AND COMINT

COMMAND CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONSSUCCESS DEPENDENT ON C3LESSONS LEARNT FILES OF AMPHEXES INABILITY OF INDIVIDUAL SERVICES TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION LATERALLY

OPS- MAKRAN COASTFAVORABLE SEA/ AIR SITUATION ROA OF FLEET AIR DEFENCEPAKISTANI SURVEILLANCE FALKLANDS CAMPAIGN LOW SPEED- AMPHIBIOUS UNITS- A CONSTRAINT RAIDS, DECEPTION, OR OPENING A NEW FRONT FOR ONGOING LAND OPERATIONS HIGH WASTAGEFORCE IN BEING

NAVAL GROWN MARINES ?IS IT THE ANSWER

CREDIBLE AMPHIBIOUS FORCE TREND- MODERN AMPHIBIOUS FORCES TASKS MARITIME INTERESTS GULF TO MALACCA. BRIGADE STRENGTH

CREDIBLE AMPHIBIOUS FORCETWO LPD CAPABLE OF CARRYING FOUR LCACS/ LCUSTHREE LSL (L) WITH IMPROVED SPEED AND SHIP SIDE MEXEFLOTES DETERMINE- LST (M) / LCUs AS PER A BRIGADE LEVEL TABLEMODERN MEDIUM LIFT HEPTR (10 TONS)

FOOD FOR THOUGHTVIRAAT- EX HERMES- HELO CARRIEROPERATE HEAVY/ATTACK HELOS OF IAFPLAN AN EXERCISE IN A&N ?