Navies in the 21st Century by Waters Conrad;

Author:Waters, Conrad;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Military / Naval
ISBN: 4760887
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Limited
Published: 2016-09-30T00:00:00+00:00

4.4.2

Richard Beedall

MIDDLE EASTERN NAVIES

This chapter provides a high-level review of the status and capabilities of the navies of Middle Eastern countries at the end of 2015. The high level of spending on defence by Middle Eastern countries – often over ten per cent of GDP – has not led to the development of proportionally strong navies. Despite the turbulent nature of the region, countries with friendly relations with the United States have chosen to rely heavily on that country for their maritime security, rather than develop their own naval capabilities at considerable expense.1 In practice the primary role of the fleets of almost all the countries in the region is limited to protecting the safety and security of their ports and offshore installations, and preventing illegal and dangerous activities in their waters, including smuggling and terrorism.2 This requires modestly-sized patrol vessels with reasonably competent crews, not large and expensive warships with highly-trained sailors. The bulk of local defence spending has consequently tended to gravitate to other branches of the armed forces.

In the future, both Egypt and Turkey have plans to substantially grow the size and capabilities of their navies, but other countries in the region have had similar unrealised ambitions in the past. It also remains to be seen if Russia will seek to maintain a substantial regional naval presence after its intervention in Syria in late 2015. Another interesting question is whether China will attempt to develop a permanent naval/military presence in the Middle East – or close by in Africa – following the discussions with Djibouti to construct support facilities that were revealed at the end of 2015.

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