THE TIGERS JUST MOVED THEIR NAVY CLOSER TO THE FRONT RANK OF THE WORLD'S NAVIES
Photo from report of sea trials in the Indian Ocean contained in the ASIA PACIFIC DEFENSE REPORTER Click to read the complete coverage.
TIGERS TAKE DELIVERY OF THEIR FIRST STATE OF THE ART SUBMARINE RESCUE UNIT.
We refer to the Indian Navy as "The Tigers". We greatly admire them. Their rise from third world status to one of the top five navies in the world reminds us of something that Ginger Rogers once said. Referring to her dance partnership with Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers once noted that fans were so astounded by Fred's talent but hardly noticed that she did all of the same moves"backward and while wearing high heels". The Tigers have come from a long way behind in a short time and from a disadvantaged start. Their Navy in recent years is becoming standardized and receiving some first rate equipment but they obtained first rate skills long before obtaining first rate equipment. Using craft and other equipment of opportunity gathered from whatever source they could afford at the time, the tigers quickly mastered such first rate naval skills as air craft carrier operations, launching missiles from submerged submarines, and underway replenishment. These are skills found in the American Navy, British Navy and as yet not fully mastered by the major naval power wanna bes of Russia and China. Now the Tigers add another critical skill to their inventory and some brand new state of the art equipment.
In Mumbi on December 12, 2018 the Tigers took delivery of the first of two air transportable submarine rescue units. Each of their undersea rescue units is capable of transporting the mini sub's three man crew and up to 17 survivors per trip from a disabled submarine. Only a very elite group of navies have such capability. The Tigers are closing the gap; their skill set soon will be rivaled only by the US Navy. China will probably always have more ships than anybody but their skill sets are not too impressive. Russia is rebuilding their navy but shows none of the inspirational leadership of the Indian Navy. The Japanese have highly skilled sailors and excellent ships but limited public support for a fleet. Fortunately for the world the fastest up and coming high quality naval force belongs to the world's largest democracy. We don't worry about India's neutrality. They are capable of enforcing the International law of the Sea in the Indian Ocean and are trust worthy to do so. The U.S. has never asked for anything other than our due under the International Law of the Sea. The Tiger will be a fair and effective enforcer of the International Law of the Sea we have no need to try to pull them into an entangling alliance. We should give them every encouragement to become exactly what they are becoming, a first rate sea power and reliable guardian of international order in their primary area of responsibility. We congratulate the Tigers and note again to their commissioned corps the fact that they could never have advanced so far and so fast without a truly cracker jack petty officer corps who have been able throughout their entire era of craft of opportunity operations to adapt or maintain almost anything they could find to press into service. This petty officer corps will do a great job as the service enters into a new era of purpose built ships and equipment. We hope in the coming years the Tiger Navy will find ways to enhance the status and career satisfaction of their petty officer corps.
As we say in Louisiana to our flagship state university football team, we say to the Indian Navy:
GO TIGERS!
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