Smells like Asian Nato
SUJAN DUTTAA crew member holds tow chains on the USS Kitty Hawk in the Bay of Bengal on Friday. (AFP)
Sept. 7: The five-nation Malabar war games are being conducted on rules and procedures compliant with the requirements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Indian naval and air force officers disclosed in interviews aboard the aircraft carrier today.
The Malabar 07-02 war games, now into the fourth day, have raised concerns in Beijing of an emerging “Asian Nato”. But Vice-Admiral William Douglas Crowder, commander of the US Seventh fleet, insisted this was not gunboat diplomacy directed against China but an opportunity to share experiences in a multi-threat scenario.
The acceptance by India of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) proposed by the US in the lead-up to the exercise meant that the navies could draw up “gameplans” to exploit most skill-sets.
For the first time, manoeuvres like air-to-air refuelling have been possible with US aircraft, officers from Indian ships and from an air force maritime strike squadron said. They were on board the USS Kitty Hawk to observe the arrested landings and catapult shots that launch and recover the US Navy’s aircraft.
“The common procedures for this exercise were worked out in four initial planning conferences between the participants. There are so many navies involved that it was important to ensure that the glitches be smoothened out,” an officer explained.
The evolution and implementation of the Nato-based SOPs are not sudden but are a consequence of the 13 episodes of the Malabar series of exercises between the US and Indian navies. The exchanges intensified over the last five years.
The current war games are the second this year but the first in Indian waters involving 24 ships, a nuclear submarine and more than 200 aircraft from five navies.
The SOPs could signal a paradigm shift for the Indian armed forces that have so far evolved their own practices.
Those rules were traditionally influenced by the erstwhile Soviet Russia-led Warsaw Pact. It was logical because it came with the Russian hardware that has equipped the Indian army, navy and air force for decades.
Nato is essentially a military alliance led by the US against the erstwhile Soviet Russia-led Warsaw Pact. Since the end of the Cold War around 1991, Nato has repositioned itself as a coalition in America’s “global war against terror” and has itself shown eagerness to work with Indian forces.
In the current exercise — Malabar 07-02 — those efforts have begun to mature.
The common procedures meant that the participants were able to engage one another despite differing practices.
An example: in joint sorties worked out on the Nato-prescribed SOP for this exercise, US Navy F/A-18 Superhornets shooting off this carrier and also from the USS Nimitz refuelled Indian Naval Sea Harrier aircraft that flew out of India’s flagship, the INS Viraat. Between September 4 and today, there have been 20 such sorties.
“I think it was remarkable to see our Superhornets refuel the (Indian) Sea Harriers,” said Crowder. “We did not charge for the fuel, though,” he joked. Just after he finished speaking, Indian Harriers and US Superhornets overflew the Kitty Hawk in a victory (V) formation.
Crowder this morning handed over tactical command of the exercise to Vice-Admiral R.P. Suthan, India’s flag officer in charge of the Vizag-headquartered Eastern Naval Command.
The other fleet commanders on board are Vice-Admiral Yoji Koda, the commander-in-chief of Japan’s self defence fleet, and Vice-Admiral Nigel Coates of the Royal Australian Navy.
The effect of the common SOPs has been extended to other sectors of the exercise as well – in communications, anti-submarine warfare drills and in offensive and defence air manoeuvres.
In other scenarios, Superhornets from the Kitty Hawk and the Nimitz met at an RV – rendezvous point – to escort Jaguar maritime strike aircraft flying out of Car Nicobar to simulate an “attack” on the Viraat.
They were tasked to beat through the “Combat Air Patrol” of the Viraat-based Sea Harriers. Asked if the “attack” was successful, an officer said: “They overflew the Viraat.”
Similarly, the Nimitz and the Kitty Hawk were also designated as “targets”. Indian Sea Harriers, far behind in technology when compared to the Superhornets, tried to engage the US naval aircraft in close combat. The US aircraft relied mostly on “BV” (Beyond Visual Range) missiles and were guided by communication from the E2C Hawkeyes, the airborne early warning and control systems with distinctive rotating domes.
“We managed to dodge, too,” the officer said “and overflew the Kitty Hawk”.
(The USS Nimitz has completed its deployment for this exercise and is now headed to the Persian Gulf. It left the exercise area at 1 am on Friday).
The designated exercise area is 150 nautical miles by 200 nautical miles and the airspace above it. This morning, the Kitty Hawk, where the fleet commanders had gathered, was sailing about 100 nautical miles west of Port Blair.
The US allowed the use of its Centrix system, a platform for battlegroup-networking that facilitates exchange of sound, pictures and data among participating ships, to the Indian Navy.
This is not so new for Australia and Japan which have been in a military alliance with the US, and not even for the Singaporean navy that believes in the virtues of working along with a military coalition.
IAF Jaguars ‘sink’ USS Nimitz, F-18s return the favour to INS Viraat
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Posted online: Saturday, September 08, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email
Malabar Exercise: From tracking nuclear submarines to managing 200 aircraft and taking on deep-sea terror threat, five Navies cover sweeping range of maritime operationsON BOARD USS Kitty Hawk (150 miles west of Port Blair), September 7: As the small green dots approached closer on the radar screen, the Indian officer sitting deep inside USS Nimitz knew it was too late to save the ship. Jaguar maritime fighters of the Indian Air Force (IAF), operating from the Car Nicobar air base, had managed to come dangerously within striking range to successfully launch anti-ship missiles on the super carrier.
The IAF registered its first “kill” of the day — none less than the mighty nuclear powered Nimitz with its compliment of 85 fighters. But the young officer, on a cross attachment to the US ship, barely had time to feel proud. The battle had begun in earnest and the target now was India’s lone aircraft carrier.
INS Viraat, however, proved easy meat for the joint striking force of US F-18 Super Hornets and IAF Jaguars with the American fighters deliberately flying over the ship to drive home their air-superiority skills.
With the five-nation Malabar 07-2 naval exercise entering its final two days today, the buzzword on board the Kitty Hawk — the US carrier coordinating the 30-warship mock battle — was the level of “interoperability” achieved by the participating Navies of India, US, Australia, Japan and Singapore.
From tracking and destroying a nuclear submarine, operating three aircraft carriers in close proximity, managing air traffic for over 200 aircraft spread over just 150 X 200 km (roughly the size of airspace between Mumbai and Pune), supporting an amphibious assault to taking on a deep-sea terror threat and tackling piracy, the five countries jointly carried out pretty much the entire range of modern maritime operations.
“We didn’t just get a chance to operate together but also the opportunity to assess our own capabilities by comparing them with the latest technology in the world,” says Vice Admiral R P Suthan, commander in chief of the strategic Eastern Command, who is the “tactical commander” for the mock battle over the next two days.
The location is less than 200 miles from the Chinese listening post in Coco Islands and touches the strategic Malacca Straits. But the US is quick to deny that this is an alliance to contain the military might of the Asian economic giant.
“This has not been put together as a signal against anyone. It is meant to bring Naval professionals together to practise,” Vice Admiral William Crowder, Commander of the Seventh fleet, the largest forward deployed fleet of the US Navy, told reporters on board the super carrier.
The war game is scheduled to culminate in a final mock battle involving all battleships over the weekend. The detailed scenario has not been revealed but is likely to be an intense air-dominated battle fought between two divided groups of the flotilla.
However, USS Nimitz, which headed home today after reaching the end of its deployment period, will be missed by the Indian fighters.
All three cariers sunk by opposition…seems like its very hard to defend carriers against a credible opposition.And this is just against air threat,in actual war scenario,there would also be a underwater threat component.Seems like an submarine based navy might be the right way to go?:confused:
By: RayR - 10th September 2007 at 07:51
What the Navy learnt from Malabar
Manu Pubby
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Posted online: Sunday, September 09, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print EmailUSS Kitty Hawk/ Port Blair, September 8:Mid-air refueling is a standard practice for any modern air power in the world. The ability of a fighter aircraft to refuel in flight not only gives it extended range to reach out to a target but also enhances its ability to stay up in the air to protect an asset.
However, when an Indian Sea Harrier fighter “buddy refueled” from an F-18 Super Hornet in the middle of the Bay of Bengal, the commander of the largest forward deployed US Navy fleet considered it to be the highlight of the six day Malabar 07-2 war games. “These are the sort of things that require really high end skills. There is no other exercise available to develop such capabilities,” Vice Admiral William Crowder, US 7th fleet commander said, minutes after explaining that the five-nation exercises are not directed towards “any particular country.”
Forget China — the two aircraft carrier strike groups in the exercise (Viraat and Kitty Hawk), sailing just a few hours away from the Malacca straits, are competent enough to squeeze the Asian economic giant’s energy imports, Indian officers say that such skills pave the way for joint strikes and missions by the five countries against any common threat.
No surprise then that the entire war game was conducted as per standards followed in NATO missions. All Indian ships were attuned to NATO standard communication frequencies, technical terminology, command structures and were even fitted with special US equipment to connect to its CENTRIX satellite communication system. Officers confirmed that a detailed NATO standards ‘MTP’ document spelling out the standards was handed to the Indian Navy earlier in the year to prepare for the exercise.
The standardization and homework paid off. The clockwork precision with which the war games went off even managed to surprise Indian naval officers who have witnessed many bilateral exercises in the past.
“The smoothness of operations was incredible. We understand each other’s way of communication and to some extend have got an insight to the thinking each side does,” an Indian Navy Officer, who had earlier participated in the 2005 Malabar exercises said.
Interoperability apart, for the Indian Navy that is in the threshold of becoming a maritime force to reckon with, the opportunity to learn and compete with the sole superpower in the world was in the words of an officer “priceless.”
Multi-Carrier operations for instance, is something that the navy needs to work on before the induction of its two new aircraft carriers in the next seven years. “(The main skill set gained is) Multi carrier operations. Three carriers operating at the same time is something we are not used to yet,” says Vice Admiral RP Suthan, commander in chief of the eastern command.
Moreover, with China starting the construction of its indigenous aircraft carrier this year, it helped to practise pitching two carriers against each other during the exercise to hone air defence skills.
The opportunity to track and ‘destroy’ a nuclear submarine (USS Chicago) during Malabar gave the Indian Navy — more attuned to Soviet philosophy gained by the operation of a Russian nuke sub in the late 1980s — a rare close look into the tactics adopted by Western countries.
The two Indian officers onboard the Chicago too picked pointers on how to avoid detection and attack by the enemy which would come in handy when it inducts a Akula-II Russian nuclear submarine next year.
While the Indian Navy is not any match to its American counterpart in terms of technology — a “shooter” on board Kitty Hawk who is responsible for the safe catapult launch of aircraft from deck jokingly commented that the Viraat could be spotted from miles due the black smoke it emits — the exchange of skills is in no way one-sided.
With the planned acquisition of two new aircraft carriers by 2014 (Gorshkov and the Air Defence Ship), the induction of the Akula II and the launch of the indigenous ATV nuke sub next year plus the phased acquisition of an entire new line of destroyers, the Indian Navy is on its way to becoming perhaps the second most potent maritime power in the world.
And, as Vice Admiral Yoji Koda, commander of the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) puts it — “Internationally, Navies understand each other.”
By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 19:56
Looks like I’ve posted it here a couple times. Here’s a link to one of them:
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1143371&highlight=boned+marine#post1143371
(it’s down the page a ways)
😀 😀 😀 ..that was hilarious!!!
By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 19:56
There are pics of orange flight suited MKI.
Also the Harriers routinely trains against the No.9 Jag IM and “others”. So its shouldn’t be surprising to see that they actually know what they are doing.
Oops..:o totally forgot about that pix.Thanks GJ.
By: sferrin - 9th September 2007 at 19:52
Cool , but i thought that these drills were IN and USN along with other navies ? I didnt know the IAF was also their with there aircrafts . Also it would be really interesting had the MKI participated , would have been a chance for the USN captain to be one better then his Colegue who let Flankers fly right over his head . Sfferin you just have to post that article it is quite hilarious !!!
Looks like I’ve posted it here a couple times. Here’s a link to one of them:
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1143371&highlight=boned+marine#post1143371
(it’s down the page a ways)
By: George J - 9th September 2007 at 19:47
No no…you misunderstood me.I meant that previously there had been some sightings of MKIs in maritime role..although I dont think pictures exist atleast not for publuic viewing.
Even the maritime Jags belong to the IAF and not the IN.
There are pics of orange flight suited MKI.
Also the Harriers routinely trains against the No.9 Jag IM and “others”. So its shouldn’t be surprising to see that they actually know what they are doing.
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By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 19:11
Cool , but i thought that these drills were IN and USN along with other navies ? I didnt know the IAF was also their with there aircrafts . Also it would be really interesting had the MKI participated , would have been a chance for the USN captain to be one better then his Colegue who let Flankers fly right over his head . Sfferin you just have to post that article it is quite hilarious !!!
No no…you misunderstood me.I meant that previously there had been some sightings of MKIs in maritime role..although I dont think pictures exist atleast not for publuic viewing.
Even the maritime Jags belong to the IAF and not the IN.
By: bring_it_on - 9th September 2007 at 19:05
Cool , but i thought that these drills were IN and USN along with other navies ? I didnt know the IAF was also their with there aircrafts . Also it would be really interesting had the MKI participated , would have been a chance for the USN captain to be one better then his Colegue who let Flankers fly right over his head . Sfferin you just have to post that article it is quite hilarious !!!
By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 18:22
[Being cleverish ish ish] Since when Does the IN operate MKI’s with brahmos ? [/Being cleverish ish ish]
There has been some talk and also some sightings[separate pilot uniforms et al] of MKIs in the maritime role.The air-launched Brahmos isnt ready now,but will be in the immediate future.
By: bring_it_on - 9th September 2007 at 18:19
How about some MKIs with Brahmos
[Being cleverish ish ish] Since when Does the IN operate MKI’s with brahmos ? [/Being cleverish ish ish]
By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 18:07
Ouch. But then how much scarier could that be than AS-4 armed Backfires and Oscars with Shipwrecks- which is what the Aegis system was designed to handle?
Its all a cat and mouse game.A salvo of Brahmos/sizzlers coming at you is going to be nightmare scenario for any captain I think.
By: sferrin - 9th September 2007 at 18:03
Boss,those were maritime Jaguars not SHARs.How about some MKIs with Brahmos:diablo:
Ouch. But then how much scarier could that be than AS-4 armed Backfires and Oscars with Shipwrecks- which is what the Aegis system was designed to handle?
By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 18:01
Well in a unidimensional way , yes . A carrier by definition is a sitting target so its not that it is imposible , however the way the USN and the US armed forces operate in general is that when they position there carrier group in say a real war scenario ( not a exerc.) , They keep a damn near intel on where the opposition is , search with all types of gizmos , destroy naval infrastructure from the FDOW point of view , take down communications etc etc . All in all the carrier when used in the right way is a very potent weapon specially if the user has a kick down type of Ability to destroy a lot of sensitive and communication targets in the first few hours of operation . What is tough to do is be prepared for a surprised , unprovoked attack to which a carrier group is very vulnerable . However even then the group is huge, you have massive fire power , good air defence , subs on the hunt , other satelite and land based intel etc etc but in general a carrier is MOST Vulnerable to a surprised attack however as an offensive weapon it kicks A$$ .
Well.yeah..it will be a lot different in a actual scenario.And considering the USN specially..with 4/5 carriers parked..it will be a hell lot of a task if anyone got through the fighter screen.Plus all the other caveats of ECM hardkill defences etc. etc.
Carriers are a very potent offensive weapon no doubt.I was just thinking about smaller navies(compared to the USN) operating 1/2 carriers that too STOBAR with an air complement of say 20 a/c each..or less.
By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 17:55
Sounds like quite a bit of INTEROPERABILITY was learned and acheived with this coherent exerc. , Hope many more will follow . In this global world allies need to be ready and know each others capability and should be able to work coherently against a common enemy
Amen to that.
Other then that i really dont pay much attention as a lot of KILLS are in context where both sides arent showing anything near what the have as they dont want to give away any secrets . It is reported that in the IAF exerc. with RAF the MKI’s didnt turn their Radars on , well if that is the case then out goes any serious BVR comparison between the 2 aircrafts . Similarly their is no way that the USN will show its capabilities in the department of EW , Air defence and even normal fighter aircraft capability . Vice versa for the IN , i am sure those jags and harriers had a lot more in them then the service was willing to show .
In the end everyone gets a PR victory and goes home happy , clapping that they have sunk the kitty and virat respectivly . In reality what they have done is often overshadowed by these mega claims and that is – learned to fight along side each other , and well at the end of the day both the aviator and the sailor are more learned and able to adapt to changing threats and work as a team.
Agreed..I wasnt concentrating on the “kills” part.
By: RayR - 9th September 2007 at 17:54
Yep. Wonder how many Harriers would have got through had Aegis been active. :diablo:
Boss,those were maritime Jaguars not SHARs.How about some MKIs with Brahmos:diablo:
By: sferrin - 9th September 2007 at 16:17
Yep. Wonder how many Harriers would have got through had Aegis been active. :diablo:
By: bring_it_on - 8th September 2007 at 07:43
All three cariers sunk by opposition…seems like its very hard to defend carriers against a credible opposition.
Well in a unidimensional way , yes . A carrier by definition is a sitting target so its not that it is imposible , however the way the USN and the US armed forces operate in general is that when they position there carrier group in say a real war scenario ( not a exerc.) , They keep a damn near intel on where the opposition is , search with all types of gizmos , destroy naval infrastructure from the FDOW point of view , take down communications etc etc . All in all the carrier when used in the right way is a very potent weapon specially if the user has a kick down type of Ability to destroy a lot of sensitive and communication targets in the first few hours of operation . What is tough to do is be prepared for a surprised , unprovoked attack to which a carrier group is very vulnerable . However even then the group is huge, you have massive fire power , good air defence , subs on the hunt , other satelite and land based intel etc etc but in general a carrier is MOST Vulnerable to a surprised attack however as an offensive weapon it kicks A$$ .
By: bring_it_on - 8th September 2007 at 07:37
Sounds like quite a bit of INTEROPERABILITY was learned and acheived with this coherent exerc. , Hope many more will follow . In this global world allies need to be ready and know each others capability and should be able to work coherently against a common enemy .
Other then that i really dont pay much attention as a lot of KILLS are in context where both sides arent showing anything near what the have as they dont want to give away any secrets . It is reported that in the IAF exerc. with RAF the MKI’s didnt turn their Radars on , well if that is the case then out goes any serious BVR comparison between the 2 aircrafts . Similarly their is no way that the USN will show its capabilities in the department of EW , Air defence and even normal fighter aircraft capability . Vice versa for the IN , i am sure those jags and harriers had a lot more in them then the service was willing to show .
In the end everyone gets a PR victory and goes home happy , clapping that they have sunk the kitty and virat respectivly . In reality what they have done is often overshadowed by these mega claims and that is – learned to fight along side each other , and well at the end of the day both the aviator and the sailor are more learned and able to adapt to changing threats and work as a team.
By: RayR - 8th September 2007 at 06:25
Excellent pictures here…search key “Malabar”
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September 8, 2007 at 5:58 am
