Two dozen ships from twelve navies on Tuesday took part in an international fleet review off the coast of Pakistan – the grand finale to multinational naval exercise Aman 2025 that saw a record 60 nations participate.
This year’s iteration of the biennial exercise – held in Karachi from 7 to 11 February – is the largest since inception in 2007. Aman 2025’s fleet review witnessed 13 foreign vessels, 15 Pakistan Navy ships and two submarines as well as a sailing ship and multiple aircraft take part.
Participating vessels formed up during a calm and sunny Tuesday morning. The Pakistan Navy’s replenishment ship PNS Moawin, leading the flotilla, then carried out a replenishment at sea demonstration with the Type 054A/P frigates PNS Tippu Sultan and PNS Taimur – new additions to the Pakistan Navy fleet.
With piracy being a serious threat to the region, especially resurgent piracy off Somalia, it was fitting that a counter-piracy demonstration was next. One of the Pakistan Navy’s frigates was captured by ‘pirates,’ prompting a rescue effort by patrol boats and a Sea King helicopter that fast-roped friendly forces onto the deck.
After the ‘captured’ vessel had been liberated, rocket depth charges were fired simultaneously from the Tippu Sultan and Taimur as a show of force to deter any other nefarious forces.
With a ‘killer tomato’ target set up several kilometres away, Pakistan Navy and foreign vessels then had the chance to practice their aim by firing their naval cannons.
With participating ships lined up many kilometres across the horizon, the Pakistan Navy and Air Force arranged mass formation flypasts of Sea King and Z-9 helicopters, P-3 Orion and ATR 72 maritime patrol aircraft, and JF-17 Thunder multi-role combat aircraft. The Pakistani ATRs were joined by Turkish ATR maritime patrol aircraft also present for the exercise.
PNS Moawin, with numerous dignitaries on board, then broke formation and sailed back along the seemingly endless line of assembled ships, with sailors on each passing vessel lined up on deck to salute the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and other officials, and in many cases cheer loudly as the ships passed each other.
The scope of international cooperation was evident in the diversity of nations and vessels taking part, ranging from China to Iran and the United States. Participating foreign vessels included frigate BNS Somudra Joy from Bangladesh; the guided missile destroyer CNS Baotou and replenishment ship CNS Gao You Hu from China; the corvette KRI Bung Tomo from Indonesia; the destroyer JS Murasame from Japan; the corvettes HMS Jazan and HMS Hail from Saudi Arabia; the offshore patrol vessel KD Terengganu from Malaysia; the patrol vessel RNOV Sadh from Oman; the offshore patrol vessel SLNS Vijayabahu from Sri Lanka; the expeditionary base vessel Lewis B Puller from the United States; the frigate IRINS Jamaran from Iran; and corvette Abu Dhabi from the United Arab Emirates.
The Captain of the PNS Moawin, Humayun Yaqoob Awan, said Exercise Aman has become a global platform, uniting international navies. All these forces came together for peace, he said, referencing the exercise’s slogan ‘Together for Peace’. No single navy by itself can combat terrorism and other naval challenges, he reiterated. With ships from a dozen nations joining in, Aman gives weight to the message that the global maritime domain will be safeguarded, Awan said.
With the maritime landscape evolving rapidly, “Aman 2025 reaffirms commitment to negotiate obstacles together,” Ashraf said earlier during the exercise. “Let us reaffirm our dedication to the ideals of peace on the oceans, of shared prosperity,” he emphasised. Differences should not divide but should strengthen, he added, with collaboration, understanding and goodwill the cornerstones of global harmony.
Commodore Ahmed Hussain, Director General of Public Relations (DGPR) for the Pakistan Navy, firmly believes that Aman has gone global, noting it has succeeded in its objectives of connecting regions and continents. He said that there are common maritime security challenges that need collective action in order to be tackled, with Aman getting stakeholders from around the world to contribute strategies, share information and build capacity. “I’m proud that our call and message has been taken positively,” Ahmed said.
Of the 60 nations that took part in Aman 2025, a sizeable number are landlocked. However, Ahmed pointed out that landlocked – or landlinked – countries are just as dependent on the sea as coastal countries are, hence their inclusion in Aman.
Aman Dialogue addresses maritime challenges
A first for this year’s exercise was the addition of the Aman Dialogue, a two-day conference that discussed numerous maritime security issues as well as solutions, providing insight and fresh perspectives from countries around the world.
Speakers shared consensus on the importance of the oceans as an asset and resource for humanity, and the need to preserve and protect them. They identified a number of shared and common maritime security challenges, including illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing; piracy and robbery at sea; drug, and gun smuggling; terrorism; and human trafficking, amongst others.
A growing number of new maritime security challenges were also identified, ranging from cyber attacks to climate change, rising sea levels, and the proliferation of unmanned vehicles being used to target shipping. Increasing militarisation and the contestation of territorial waters – including the construction of artificial islands – was also touched on.
Dialogue presenters were unanimous that the oceans are too vast for one nation alone to safeguard, and that partnerships, collaboration and cooperation are essential to taking on this shared responsibility. They emphasised that initiatives like the Aman Dialogue are a key part of working together, forging relationships and building bridges for cooperation.
Guy Martin is in Pakistan as a guest of the Pakistan Navy.
