Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Marine Force

Southeast Asia's Emerging Amphibious Forces ( Source- The Diplomat, Author- Koh Swee Lean Collin)

United States Marine ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ United States DOD) Source- The Diplomat Author- Koh Swee Lean Collin As a natural consequence of the maritime geography and complex array of security challenges within, naval modernization programs in Southeast Asia have always been characterized by the quest for a balanced set of capabilities. They not only reflect unique national requirements but also differing economic circumstances, which dictate the need for prioritization. In this equation, amphibious forces – often regarded as the less “glamorous” branch of navies – have long taken a backseat to other high-end assets such as missile-armed surface ships and submarines. Over the last decade, this has begun to change. Six of the nine member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam – now possess varying-sized, specialized amphibious ground forces equivalent to the U.