Lessons for IONS from ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Experts’ Working Group

By:Suriani Ahmad

Ministry of Defence Malaysia4th IONS, 27 March 2014,Perth, Australia

Establishing the Expert Working Group(EWG)

Five focus areas i. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief

(HADR);ii. Maritime Security (MS);iii. Military Medicine (MM);iv. Counter-Terrorism (CT);v. Peacekeeping Operations

New area of focus – Humanitarian Mine Action

Establishing EWG on Maritime Security (MS)

Malaysia & Australia – Co-chairs 2011-2013 – EWG MS

ADMM-Plus MS Experts’ Working Group Concept Paper – agreed at the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting-Plus (ADSOM-Plus) - April 2011 in Indonesia

Concept paper recognizes two things:

Important to secure sea lines of communications, for the economy and security

Myriad of challenges

Establishing EWG on MS

Commenced with identifying areas of common interest across the spectrum of maritime security challenges

Further explored to develop practical initiatives for defence and military cooperation

The EWG aims at enhancing maritime cooperation at multilateral level, analyzing significant maritime security threats in the region and providing for wider information sharing

Establishing EWG on MS

ASEAN Regional Forum Inter-sessional Meetings on Maritime Security (ARF ISM MS),

ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF)

Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP)

Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS)

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)

Work Plan Acknowledges Other Arrangements addressing MS concerns

Establishing EWG on MS

The EWG only complements Starting up, focused on developing the common

understanding of maritime security, sharing of perspectives and developing cooperative mechanisms acceptable to all ADMM-Plus members

Met twice a year 2011, conducted meeting to identify common areas of interest,

priority challenges and concept for future cooperative activities Later, exchange of perspectives on the security impacts of the

issues and to improve information sharing. 2012, a scenario-based workshop to explore potential

cooperation and progress assessed and Work Plan refined 2013, expected the information sharing would become more

systematic and credible and practical cooperation materialized Most frequently held, seven occasions since 2011, concluded

January 2014

Implementation of the EWG ActivitiesField Training Exercise (FTX)

FTX is to promote practical maritime co-operation in information sharing among ADMM-Plus countries and build a common understanding to establish and practice baseline interoperability procedures in maritime security matters

29 Sept - 1 October 2013 - HMAS Cresswell, Jervis Bay Process - Planning Conferences and Table Top Exercise

(TTX) To prepare and structure the implementation of the FTX

through providing the possible scenarios and discussing potential responses and courses of action

Guiding principles to de-escalating situations, increase the likelihood of safe outcomes for mariners and encourage proactive assistance, support and partnership across ADMM-Plus

Implementation of the EWG ActivitiesField Training Exercise (FTX) cont..

FTX has four key objectives:

i) To enhance mutual understanding and interoperability in maritime security operations, focusing on boarding

exercises;

ii) To develop and trial an ADMM-Plus Maritime Security communications and C2 architecture;

iii) To derive maximum individual and unit training benefit; and

iv) To contribute to regional engagement and maritime security capability amongst ADMM-Plus countries.

Implementation of the EWG ActivitiesField Training Exercise (FTX) cont..

13 countries - focus on information sharing, building common understanding and establishing an interoperability baseline between ADMM-Plus countries

Five main phases covering from preparatory briefings and boarding demonstrations to post-exercise workshops to identify achievements and improvements to the FTX.

Field Training Exercise (FTX):Lessons Learnt

FTX lessons learnt; among others:

i) Useful to have umpires from the boarding party and the receiving ship.

Countries that do not assign a ship to participate should provide boarding party with necessary equipment.

ii) Communications plan is important and beneficial. Useful to translate key words and tactical/operational verbs into various languages.

iii) Information sharing – the continued high level collaboration between the Lead Planners of the different navies and defence departments are very useful.

iv) Lack of familiarity with multi-lateral SOPs, publications and language issues could be mitigated by a series of planning conferences, exercise instructions and other preparations.

Field Training Exercise (FTX):Lessons Learnt (cont..)

Field Training Exercise (FTX):Lessons Learnt (cont..)

v) Participating countries’ capabilities need to be effectively incorporated into the planning process.

vi) Sufficient time for pre and post exercise meetings and equal participation are needed.

vii) Early establishment of Logistics Cell is helpful.

viii) Useful to have lessons learnt workshop to gather comprehensive findings.

Field Training Exercise (FTX):Lessons Learnt (con’t)

The strong demonstration of support for the exercise from ADMM-Plus member countries

Culmination of practical cooperation among EWG members during the working group’s first term

Conclusion

Since July 2011 in Perth to 7th meeting in January 2014, EWG has grown positively – from identifying common interests, to the constructive work plans and last year’s FTX in Jervis Bay, Australia

Achievement - within a span of approximately three years, EWG members had grouped together and worked towards addressing the current issues and how best resolved in concert

In line with the guiding principles of open and outward-looking

Thank You