Indonesia’s Path to The world’s Maritime Axis, Make Marines Great Again
In measuring the Indonesian Navy, we can ask some basic questions such as ‘what are the risks to Indonesia’s security at sea?’ or ‘how does Indonesia develop diplomacy at sea towards surrounding countries?’ If that has been answered, then we can measure what the main needs of the Indonesian Navy are?
Perhaps the Indonesian Navy’s doctrine has stuck to the statement that increasing the number of fast boats with missile is the most appropriate step. However, how can a navy only rely on fast boats missile, that are only equipped with medium-range sea-to-sea missiles?
We will deconstruct the main point again into how does the Indonesian Navy have a deterrence effect in the region? Of course, that is quite difficult to answer if we refer to the current posture of the Indonesian Navy.
With the vision of the ‘World Maritime Axis’ by President Joko Widodo, Indonesia should have the capacity of a ‘Blue Water Navy’.
This means that the strength and posture of the Indonesian Navy are no longer fundamental to providing troops to the islands within Indonesia. The posture of the Indonesian Navy must develop into how the Indonesian Navy can occupy strategic positions in the oceans throughout the world.
For example, the US Navy has seven fleets available in various regions, Indonesia should have something similar.
Indonesian Marines Posture
The most appropriate first step is to build a diverse fleet and support an enlarged Indonesian Marine Corps. It no longer consists of 1 to 3 but dozens of divisions.
Currently, the Indonesian Marine Corps is still under the Indonesian Navy. From available data, there are only 27,000 active marine personnel. This has not been further detailed into specific divisions regarding which are combat troops, which are logistics troops, which are communications troops and which are other types of troops.
The condition of the Indonesian Marine Corps is also inversely proportional to what marine doctrine should be. In Indonesia, the Indonesian Marines focused on developing special forces specifications. This can be seen from the similarity of the ranks of special forces commanders in Indonesia.
The process undertaken is similar to the formation of the Komando Pasukan Khusus from the Indonesian Army (Red Berets) or the Pasukan Gerak Tjepat from the Indonesian Air Force (Orange Berets).
The focus of Indonesian Marines’ growth path is how to create troops that can have anti-terror qualifications, but forget the true identity of the marines.
Make Marines Great Again
By looking at the weak posture of the Indonesian Marine Corps, military officials should realize that the Indonesian Marine Corps needs to be separated from the Navy.
In achieving the vision of a world maritime axis, the marine posture of being independent and standing as a force under the leadership of a Four Star General is the right choice. That way, marines will become more independent, flexible and sovereign.
It is even possible that the Indonesian Marine Corps will have a doctrine like the Indonesian Army but with an ‘amphibious’ version. Like what the US Marines did when facing Japan in the Pacific Islands.
Imagine if the Indonesian Marine Corps existed as a military force. Indonesia can subdivide troop distribution areas as the Indonesian Army has a ‘Military Regional Command’ (KODAM).
In fact, the posture can be developed into dozens of divisions supported by one to three strategic divisions that can be mobilized at any time.
The ideal number for the Indonesian Marine Corps is 150,000–200,000 active troops, this is based on Indonesia’s separation as small islands. Small numbers will make it difficult to mobilize troops from very long distances.
Apart from that, support is also really needed, starting from modern tanks, coastal missiles, modern personnel landing equipment and troop standards in daily warfare that must be raised.
