Current maritime challenges

A Sri Lankan perspective:

The summerised version of the speech delivered by Navy commander Vice Admiral TSG Samarasinghe at the biannual Langkawi International Maritime Conference and Maritime Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) at Langkawi Island, Malaysia in December 2009 on the theme “The changing nature of maritime security: challenges and the application of technology”.

Most of you seafarers, would have passed this Dondra-light many a time. As an island nation with this strategic location, the Sri Lanka Navy has a huge task and responsibility in protecting the territorial the contiguous and the Exclusive Economic Zone with the added responsibility of a large search and rescue region and in the near future a even large area after ratification of the continental margins.

The argument in today’s maritime circles is whether the threat of maritime terrorism is real?

* Can you predict or are there probabilities in terrorism?

* How do we act or react to acts of terror?

* Are nations committed enough to act against terror?

* Should the maritime security community be proactive or reactive when facing threats to shipping and other crimes being committed at sea?

* Is the present legal regime of the law of the sea appropriate to face the threat in this day and age?

* Finally, who supports terrorism knowingly or unknowingly, directly or indirectly?

In Sri Lanka, maritime terrorism began with fishermen resorting to smuggling and finally some of them evolving into a group of maritime terrorists, that became the most innovative and ruthless terror organization in the world. This organization created chaos and instability for nearly three decades in my country. We almost lost the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our nation and I would not be standing here, if we did not choose to react and finish off this menace that was ruining our country.

What I have selected to project to you today is “The threat” - a threat that is real, has been experienced, has been fought and has been defeated.

Threat at sea

The threat at sea began by the use of small fiber glass boats carrying men with small arms and using speed to outrun naval craft, that were not geared to fight or give chase to go fast boats. With time and improvements to naval littoral warfarecraft the terrorist resorted to modification of fishing craft to carry anti aircraft weapons like the 50 caliber machine guns and ultimately led to these boats carrying 23 mm guns and even a few 30 mm anti aircraft cannons. Speeds as fast as 50 knots have been recorded in the engagement that the Sri Lanka Navy has had with the swarms encountered in sea battles. They use disguise to smuggle warlike material by trawlers with hidden compartment, fishing boats with false bottoms and towed streamlined underwater containers.

There was an instance when a foreign monitor boarded a suspect vessel and on discovering a cache of arms onboard the terrorists decided to blow-up the boat and the cargo, rather than surrender. Suicide as a weapon. The foreign monitor narrowly saved his life by jumping overboard and being rescued by the Navy.

The main tactic used by the terrorists against naval platforms was that of ‘Swarm Attack’ with craft numbering up to nearly 25-30 in a swarm. These swarms included many suicide craft, and nearly all were converted as suicide craft as the conflict neared the end. The swarms were used to escort terrorists from one place to another along the coastline, to escort logistic craft that were moving from deep sea carrying warlike material and to the shore, and to attack isolated navalcraft whilst on patrol. They also resorted to attacking merchant vessels that closed areas that were vulnerable.

The craft used by the terrorists were equipped with radar, GPS, wireless gun communications and night-vision binoculars. The occupants of a standard attack craft numbered nearly 15 with each combatant donned in helmet, body armour and with a personal weapon.

The main weapon, and probably the most formidable used by terrorists at sea was that of the suicide craft. The terrorists in Sri Lanka were masters of this art and had a range of versions that they used for various operations. They range from the disguised fishing boat, to the ship killer which is a large fast-armoured craft, the stealth suicide craft and the semi submersible suicide craft.

Swarm against Swarm

To counter the suicide threat the Sri Lanka Navy after many years of study and various tactical innovations came up with be counter of “Swarm against Swarm,” where the adversary was Out-numbered, Out-gunned, Out-run and not given an opportunity in closing a valuable target. These tactics were effective and were a deterrent to the swarming suicide craft tactic used by the terrorists. The terrorists also built and ran very stealthy semi submersible craft which became a main part of their tactics during the final year and it is plain to anyone how innovative terrorists could be, and lengths they will go through to meet their objectives.

There were rumours that terrorists in Sri Lanka were in possession of submarines. Let me reassure you that, that was not the case. The terrorists only had semi submersibles which were of course difficult to detect and engage. Probably, if we had not finished this conflict we would have seen terrorists using midget submarines at some point in time.

The other tricky threat to fight was that of the underwater suicide saboteur who used both open and close circuit breathing apparatus, including underwater scooters. Off the shelf diving equipment was extensively used for terrorist activity. Improvised mines, limpet mines and other types of improvised explosive devices were used by these terror groups. There was an incident where the Sri Lanka Navy diffused a limpet mine attached to the hull of a merchant vessel.

The most important operation that the Navy conducted which brought about the downfall of the LTTE was the destruction of the terrorist logistic network in destroying the terrorists floating warehouses, which had exploited the freedom of the seas and law of the sea to their criminal ends.

This operation that surprised maritime community took years to plan and it was executed to perfection with the limited resources that the Sri Lanka Navy possessed. Over 10 of these vessels were destroyed during two years. Some of these vessels were destroyed over 2,500 Nautical Miles away from Sri Lanka. We achieved this victory due to real commitment, innovation, improvisation, tenacity and courage. To this end we really appreciate the assistance by way of information sharing and vessels that were gifted to Sri Lanka without which this task would not have been possible.

I am proud to have been part of this operation, Commanding the Eastern Naval Area, The Northern Naval Area and been the Director General (Operations) at Naval Headquarters during the crucial three years (2006 to 2008) in which terrorism was completely eradicated from the island.

The strategy the Sri Lanka Navy followed in defeating the terrorists was a seven points strategy, firstly to deter the desire and potential. To do this, one has to address the root causes and do it at the grassroot level.

The Government was committed in doing just that, and succeeded.

Enhance surveillance

The next was to disrupt the organization and network which was difficult, due to the fact that terrorists run the network from beyond Sri Lankan shores and from within other sovereign states.

The other was to deny acquisition and the point to origin for example:- Who made the deal? Who provided the money? Which banks were involved? How were the goods acquired transported over land? Where were the ships loaded? Who provided the end user certification? These are questions we have to ask ourselves.

If this can happen to Sri Lanka - a sovereign state, this can also happen to another nation. The next point was to enhance surveillance, have better intelligence and monitoring. Having failed to have deterred the acquisition and denied the point of origin it was only good surveillance, intelligence and monitoring that could have given us the edge to get to the next point to search, detect and ultimately arrest, prosecute and destruct enemy consignments.

When making an assessment on inspection of the items and the quantities that were carried on these terrorist vessels one is made to wonder whether such an arsenal was only destined for Sri Lanka or was it also destined for other terrorist groups active in the region.

Coastal dominance

One should appreciated that one’s shores needs to be secured and ensure there is no point of entry that can be exploited due to the lack of surveillance or coastal protection. This is what we have learnt the hard way, and today coastal dominance is a main tasking of the Sri Lanka Navy, and I can assure you that my island is secure.

Maritime security operation today depends and seeks technological advances with domian awareness being a key factor as discussed extensively during the past few days. However the level and quality of training along with innovative committed men of right attitude would make the difference in success and failure in the final analysis.

The ultimate success in the eradication of terrorism from Sri Lanka was due to a fearless political leadership that had the vision and the commitment to achieve peace for our nation. Sri Lanka has gone through many mechanisms in trying to achieve peace in the past - negotiations at various levels, Peace talks, mediators, monitors and many more political efforts to achieve resolution without bloodshed, but with no avail. The President did not opt for major operations against terrorists although there were numerous attacks on various institutions and Government officials, which included attack on the military heads and the President’s brother who was the Defence Secretary.

What instigated him to launch military operations against the terrorists was the action by the terror group in massacring innocent civilians and cutting off water to the civilian population in the Eastern area of the country, where the local population's main vocation and livelihood was agriculture. This decision taken, he decided that he will go the distance.

For this he had a very well committed, well trained and highly experienced disciplined Force which had not been given the chance to conduct continuous operations to sever the ugly head of terrorism. The advantages that the Sri Lanka Forces had was their experience in combating a irregular warfare, using innovative methods and the solid universal training background that paid dividends. This created the foundation on which the Sri Lankan Forces countered and ended terrorism in Sri Lanka.

However, what is most important is that we at high levels in the military nearest to the executive should be able to convince the Government on the practical solution in meeting irregular threats. This includes, what assets are practically required, the relationships we should foster and what information we should mutually share.

In the way ahead we need to focus on newly involving threats and the efficacy of ongoing naval operations. Port protection measures are paramount.

The next step ahead is interoperability and intelligent sharing. It is important that each of us support each other in the fight against any form of terrorism, wherever it may originate from irrespective of who it affects. Inactivity and turning the Nelsonian eye against perpetrators of terror only give the terrorists the wrong message, that they are being tolerated and being entertained.

We need to go that extra mile, we need to act against terror even when does not directly effect us. Today, terrorism keeps on destroying lives and we Sri Lankans know what its feels to be threatened and to live under the ugly head of terrorism.

It may be strange to you, but we are getting used to living in peace today, and the development that was stalled in my country is now picking up pace. We feel that we have done our job and our part in eradicating a ruthless terrorist organization and it is time that maritime forces join hands in doing the same protecting the global commons and making it safer for humanity.