The Indo-Pacific region has a significant number of shipyards that have the capability to undertake naval shipbuilding. However, depending on the sub-region and the country, the extent to which that capability has developed enough to build more complex warships varies greatly.
Most of the highly developed naval shipyards in the Indo-Pacific region are clustered in North East Asia where China, Japan and South Korea have been building large and complex warships for some time and have a long history of naval construction. These three countries have the largest commercial shipbuilding enterprises in the world and contribute to the relatively small but important naval shipbuilding. However, it is only China’s shipyards that can build the full range of vessels for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) from nuclear-powered attack and ballistic missile submarines, conventional submarines, large hull aircraft carriers and amphibious ships, as well as surface combatants like frigates and destroyers. The industrial might of China means that is has been able to increase the size of the PLAN fleet by orders of magnitude over the past two decades and is the only country in the region that is close to the capability of the United States.
According to figures from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in the four years from 2014-18 China launched more tonnage for its navy (678,000t) than the total of tonnage of in-service ships for the French (428,000t) or Indian (529,000t) navies and almost as much as the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (681,000t) or UK Royal Navy (692,000t).
Denne historien er fra April/May 2021-utgaven av Asian Military Review.
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Denne historien er fra April/May 2021-utgaven av Asian Military Review.
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SMART MUNITIONS INCREASE MARKET SHARE
Top attack munitions are now widely developed for different artillery calibers with varied ranges.
NEXT GEN NVGS - A CLEAR IMPROVEMENT
Fused and enhanced night-vision technology will make the difference to soldiers fighting at night.
MILITARY ROTORCRAFT DEVELOPMENT - NO MORE ‘STOVEPIPES'
New rotorcraft are going to come with new abilities founded on open systems that provide easier upgrade paths and cheaper through life costs.
INDO PACIFIC UAV DIRECTORY 2021
The development of unmanned aerial vehicles is growing apace, especially in China. New longer range ISR platforms are also on the procurement list of several nations.
TIME TO RESET TRILATERAL RELATIONS
United States President Joe Biden has made it a top priority of his Administration to repair and re-energize global alliances during its first year in power. This is a necessary strategic and political calculus made in light of growing global security, public health, and environmental challenges that will require cooperation and multilateral contributions. President Trump’s ‘America first’ policy did much to undermine confidence in such relationships over his time in office.
SOCPAC KEEN TO SHARE JOINT DOCTRINE AND TRAINING
The return of Great Power competition means that US SOCPAC is more than ever seeking joint training opportunities with regional special forces.
MARINE ENGINE POWER - NOT JUST ABOUT KNOTS
Navies not only want more engine power, there are also coming under increasing pressure to become environmentally conscious.
AMPHIBIOUS FORCES
New amphibious concepts are re-shaping marine forces to break the A2AD defensive line.
SPACE V AIRBORNE ISR OR MIX AND MATCH
Owning satellite based ISR for military use is still an exclusive ‘club’, but airborne ISR still provides that most countries need.
SHIPBUILDING - A NUMBERS GAME
While experience grows among Indo-Pacific naval designers, order numbers remain crucial to keeping costs down and yards in business.
