Emerging from obscurity: small navies and sea-launched land-attack cruise missiles. (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Koh, Swee Lean Collin
• Is Part Of: Maritime affairs. Volume 12:Number 1(2016)
• Page Start: 46
• Page End: 57
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Sea-launched land attack cruise missile -- SLCM -- small navies -- expeditionary force projection -- sea denial -- defensive sea control; Merchant marine -- India -- History -- Periodicals; Navigation -- India -- Periodicals; Merchant marine; Navigation; India; History; Periodicals; 387.50954
• DOI: 10.1080/09733159.2016.1175130
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0973-3159

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Sea-launched land-attack cruise missile (SLCM) strikes, one of the most common expeditionary force projection tasks, is traditionally performed by major navies using long-range offensive platforms such as major surface warships and nuclear submarines prized for their range, endurance and capacity. By contrast, small navies are deemed unsuited for such a role, since they typically comprise small warships and conventional submarines, which thereby suit them for peacetime constabulary and wartime sea denial and defensive sea control missions. However, the Russian Navy's use of such assets in late 2015 to launch SLCM strikes against Islamic State (Daesh) targets in Syria demonstrates that expeditionary force projection is not an exclusive province of major navies. Attendant challenges such as the lack of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities may limit such roles by small navies but will still potentially spark greater interest amongst them in acquiring SLCMs to bolster their deterrent capabilities.