Asia Pacific Defense Forum ::

Compiled by Asia-Pacific Defense FORUM Staff from the Pakistan Navy Web site (http://www.paknavy.gov.pk/aman/index.htm) and press releases by the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs.

Bavy ships from Bangladesh, China, France, Italy, Malaysia, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the U.S. along with Turkish Special Operating Forces and Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel participated in Exercise AMAN 2007, a weeklong, multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Pakistani Navy. The entire Pakistan Navy Aviation and Special Services Group (Navy) participated in the exercise along with three of the Navy’s Type 21 frigates, a combat support oil tanker, and two mine hunters.

The following countries sent observers: Australia, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Maldives, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sudan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the Ukraine.

Designed to develop and improve response tactics, techniques and procedures with a focus on the War on Terror, Exercise AMAN 2007 was based on offensive and defensive operations to protect sea lines of communication and port infrastructure of a country against an asymmetric threat. Activities involved enhancing multilateral interoperability with regional and extra-regional navies as they carried out maritime security operations. Such operations complement anti-terrorism efforts of regional nations by denying terrorists use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

Exercise objectives included refining command, control and communications procedures and tactics; improving interoperability and tactical proficiency; conducting defense of port infrastructure including anchorage against an asymmetric threat; promoting anti-submarine warfare and air operations and related interoperability between the participating units; developing common tactics against asymmetric air, surface, and mine threats; integrating maritime patrol aircraft and fighters into War on Terror-related exercises; and demonstrating mine countermeasure (MCM) capabilities – surface MCM and Explosive Ordnance Disposal; and conducting MCM operations in a potentially hostile air and surface environment.

AMAN 2007 had five phases. Phase I was the planning phase that began during the Initial Planning Conference at Fleet Headquarters, Karachi, in October 2006. Participants were apprised of the exercise aims, objectives and initial details of the activities planned. This was followed by the Main Planning Conference in January 2007 in which the schedule of events, details of participating units and observers, and administrative issues were discussed. The Final Planning Conference occurred in February 2007 at the Pakistan Navy Tactical School in Karachi.

On the first two days of Phase II, ships and observers arrived in Karachi. Activities included office visits, ship and aircraft visits; social and sports events; pre-sail conferences; and a conference on “Maritime Threats and Opportunities in the 21st Century” at Bahria University, Karachi. Attending the maritime conference were eminent speakers, comprising over 20 foreign scholars from over a dozen countries with wide international experiences on related matters featured at the conference.

The maritime conference featured presentations focusing on issues related to maritime threats and opportunities for preserving the freedom of seas and sustainable use of its resources to benefit humanity. The conference mobilized working groups and panels, bringing together scholars, professionals and experts from governments, non-governmental organizations, and private stakeholders facilitating stage-setting analytical papers. Participants were presented with the following theme:

“The dawn of the 21st century opened unprecedented opportunities for growth and development, but it also brought with it, the threats of economic and political disorder and instability. The world economy is growing at a rapid pace. Consequently, the demand for energy and industrial raw materials is rising rapidly, especially among fast growing economies. This in turn means a huge increase in trade and continuous growth in international commerce in maritime domain, thus, providing a range of new opportunities and challenges. On the other hand, rapid development and lack of implementation of regimes are causing climatic change, depletion of natural resources and environmental damage. The exponential growth in population further strains oil reserves, mineral deposits and resources that support human life.

“[The] political arena of the world has undergone a paradigm shift since 9/11, and in the current scenario, maritime environment and commerce are facing new threats from terrorist networks and piracy, as the maritime domain provides them with a wide range of opportunities to disrupt global trade. In today’s world the oceans have increased importance as more than 80 percent of world trade is by sea; it forges a global maritime link. Thus, maritime security has become a matter of serious concern, which requires a fresh look for preserving the freedom of seas and its resources.

“Although, there is a plethora of conventions, regimes and multilateral instruments on trade, security, sea exploration, over-fishing and environmental issues, these are not totally effective in enforcing barriers to illegal trade, environmental disorder, and security threats. So there is a need for rationalization of international regulations and mechanisms to undertake effective measures against maritime threats. As the world’s national economies are becoming more closely integrated, it is imperative that nations coordinate and collectively integrate their security activities to secure the maritime domain.”

The third day of the exercise saw pre-sail conferences; a safety brief; finalization of orders; communications trials; social and sporting events; a lunch hosted by the Chinese Navy; table top discussions on maritime intercept operations and visit, board, search and seizure operations; and an international cultural show and food gala.

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Ships from several nations sail in formation in the North Arabian Sea during the multinational Exercise AMAN 2007 hosted by the Pakistan Navy. Designed to develop and improve response tactics, techniques and procedures with a focus on the War on Terror, Exercise AMAN 2007 was based on offensive and defensive operations to protect sea lines of communication and port infrastructures.
Official British Royal Navy photo

Representatives from Bangladesh, China, France, Malaysia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the U.S. attended the February 2007 Final Planning Conference for AMAN 2007 at Pakistan Navy Tactical School, Karachi.
Official Pakistan Navy photo

Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf boards Pakistan Navy auxiliary PNS Nasar to take part in Exercise AMAN 2007.
Official Pakistan Navy photo