Military Cooperation in the Gulf: Action Rather than Words and Intentions Anthony H. Cordesman Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy October, 2008 1800 K Street, NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20006 Phone: 1.202.775.3270 Fax: 1.202.775.3199 Web: www.csis.org/burke/r eports
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Military Cooperation in the Gulf: Action Rather than Words and Intentions Anthony H. Cordesman Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy October, 2008 1800 K.
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Military Cooperation in the Gulf: Action Rather than Words and Intentions
Anthony H. CordesmanArleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy
October, 2008
1800 K Street, NW Suite 400
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 1.202.775.3270Fax: 1.202.775.3199
Web: www.csis.org/burke/reports
2
The Evolving Range of Threats
Conventional Military Threats and the Lack of Unity and Mission Focus in the GCC
Asymmetric warfare and “Wars of Intimidation”
Iranian Missiles and Proliferation
Iraqi Instability
Energy and Critical Infrastructure
Terrorism o Region-wide impact of Neo-Salafi Islamist extremism.
Franchising of Al Qa’ida, Sunni vs. Shi’ite tension, and its impact inside and outside the region
o War in Afghanistan, potential destabilization of as nuclear Pakistan, and impact on proliferation and Islamist extremism in the Middle East
0 = Data less than $50 million or nil. All data rounded to the nearest $100 million.
Source: Richard F. Grimmett, Conventional Arms Transfers to the Developing Nations, Congressional Research Service, various editions.
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Land Force Threats
Iranian Threat to Kuwait and Iraq
Iranian permissive amphibious/ferry operation.
Iranian dominance of Iraq; Invited In to Replace US?
Spillover of Iraqi Sunni-Shi’ite power struggles.
Yemeni incursion into Saudi Arabia or Oman
But:
Low near-term probability.
High risk of US and allied intervention.
Limited threat power projection and sustainability.
Unclear strategic goal.
7
Comparative Military Manpower in 2008
Derived from IISS, Military Balance, 2008
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Comparative Total Armor Strength By Category
Derived from IISS, Military Balance, 2008
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
APCs 640 3190 235 321 191 226 860 710
AFVs 773 1270 71 450 145 108 619 330
Tanks 1613 910 180 368 117 30 471 790
Iran Iraq Saudi Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar UAE Yemen
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Comparative Total Gulf Tank Strength versusHigh Quality Tanks
Derived from IISS, Military Balance, 2008
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
Total 1613 55 910 180 368 117 30 471 790
High Quality 730 0 765 180 218 117 0 426 110
Iran Iraq Saudi Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar UAE Yemen
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Air/Missile Threats
Precision air strikes on critical facilities: Raid or mass attack.
Terror missile strikes on area targets; some chance of smart, more accurate kills.
Variation on 1987-1988 “Tanker War”
Raids on offshore and critical shore facilities.
Strikes again tankers or naval targets.
Attacks on US-allied facilities
But:
Low near-term probability.
High risk of US and allied intervention.
Limited threat power projection and sustainability.
Unclear strategic goal.
12
Comparative Gulf Total & High Quality Combat Air
Strength
Derived from IISS, Military Balance, 2008
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Total 286 279 33 50 64 18 184 75
High Quality 55 254 21 39 12 12 149 20
Iran Iraq Saudi Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar UAE Yemen
40-60% of Iran’s Total holdings
are not Operational
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Naval Threats
Iranian effort to “close the Gulf.”
Iranian permissive amphibious/ferry operation.
Variation on 1987-1988 “Tanker War”
Raids on offshore and critical shore facilities.
“Deep strike” with air or submarines in Gulf of Oman or Indian Ocean.
Attacks on US facilities
But:
Low near-term probability.
High risk of US and allied intervention.
Limited threat power projection and sustainability.
Unclear strategic goal.
14
Comparative Major Naval Combat Ships
Derived from IISS, Military Balance, 2008
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Ending the GCC Threat to the GCC
Leaders must take deterrence, conflict prevention, and defense as seriously as their militaries.
End pointless intra-state feuding; create a real GCC
Interoperability and standardization versus glitter factor and prestige buys. Coordinated requirements and procurement planning.
Focus on key mission needs.
Integrated battle management and IS&R.
Standardized, demanding, real-world CPX and FTX training, contingency plans and doctrine.
Joint warfare planning, end stove piping, prepare for real time defense in breadth and width.
Establish partnership with US, UK, and France; not just de facto dependence.
Asymmetric Warfare and “Wars of Intimidation”
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Most Likely Foreign Threats
Are Not Formal Conflicts• Direct and indirect threats of using force. (I.e. Iranianefforts at proliferation)• Use of irregular forces and asymmetric attacks.• Proxy conflicts using terrorist or extremist movementsor exploiting internal sectarian, ethnic, tribal, dynastic,regional tensions.• Arms transfers, training in host country, use of covertelements like Quds force.• Harassment and attrition through low level attacks,clashes, incidents.• Limited, demonstrative attacks to increase risk,intimidation.• Strike at critical node or infrastructure.
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Some Tangible Examples• Iranian tanker war with Iraq
• Oil spills and floating mines in Gulf.
• Libyan “stealth” mining of Red Sea.
• Use of Quds force in Iraq.
• “Incidents” in pilgrimage in Makkah.
• Support of Shi’ite groups in Bahrain.
• Missile and space tests (future nuclear test?).
• Naval guards seizure of British boat, confrontation with US Navy, exercises in Gulf.
• Development of limited “close the Gulf” capability.
• Flow of illegals and smuggling across Yemeni border.
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The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps•125,000+, drawing on 1,000,000 Basij.
•Key is 20,000 Naval Guards, including 5,000 marines.
• Armed with HY-3 CSS-C-3 Seersucker (6-12 launchers, 100 missiles, 95-100 km), and 10 Houdong missile patrol boats with C-802s (120 km), and 40+ Boghammers with ATGMs, recoilless rifles, machine guns.
•Large-scale mine warfare capability using small craft and commercial boats.
•Based at Bandar e-Abbas, Khorramshar, Larak, Abu Musa, Al Farsiyah, Halul, Sirri.
• IRGC air branch reported to fly UAVs and UCAVs, and
control Iran’s strategic missile force.
•1 Shahab SRBM Bde (300-500-700 km) with 12-18 launchers,1 Shahab 3 IRBM Btn (1,200-1,280 km) with 6 launchers and4 missiles each.
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“Closing the Gulf”
• 3 Kilo (Type 877) and unknown number of midget (Qadr-SS-
3) submarines; smart torpedoes, (anti-ship missiles?) and
smart mine capability.• Use of 5 minelayers, amphibious ships, small craft,
commercial boats.• Attacks on tankers, shipping, offshore facilities by naval
guards.• Raids with 8 P-3MP/P-3F Orion MPA and combat aircraft
with anti-ship missiles:(C-801K (8-42 km), CSS-N-4, and
others).• Free-floating mines, smart and dumb mines, oil spills.• Land-based, long-range anti-ship missiles based on land,
islands (Seersucker HY-2, CSS-C-3), and ships (CSS-N-4, and others). Sunburn?• IRGC raids on key export facility(ties).
The Entire Gulf: Breaking the Bottle at Any Point
21Source: EIA, Country Briefs, World Oil Transit Chokepoints, January 2008
• Create own conventional deep strike air (and missile?) options.
• Create collective defense options for land forces.
• Develop interoperable capabilities to deal with threats to tankers, shipping, offshore facilities and coasts.
• Emphasize joint warfare approaches that tie in paramilitary and security forces..
• Show can work effectively with US, UK, France.
• Forward defense cooperation with Iraq, facilities in Saudi and Kuwait.
Keeping a Decisive US Qualitative Edge in US
Forces and Arms Transfers to the Gulf ($10.5B in FY087 &
FY09)
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Planning for Asymmetric Warfare
• Deterrence and conflict prevention as critical as defense.
• Again, need integrated GCC force planning and war planning efforts.
•Must show GCC will act together. Cannot divide or exploit weakest link.
. Exercise realistic “red-blue” war games to determine common options and requirements.
• Follow-up with realistic CPXs and FTXs.
• Emphasize joint warfare approaches that tie in paramilitary and security forces.
• Demonstrate have exercised a retaliatory capability.
• Show can work effectively with US, UK, France.
• Strike at critical node or infrastructure.
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Planning for WMD Warfare• Collectively emphasize diplomacy and arms control options.
• Coordinated and integrated missile and air defense, border security, and specialized counterterrorism assets.
• Seek US guarantees on extended deterrence.
•Consider full impact of Israeli-Iranian level of deterrence.
•Make it clear that GCC states will act in unity; collective defense and deterrence.
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Options for Missile Defense
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Planning for Counterterrorism (CT)• Interoperable quick reaction forces.
• Interoperable (integrated) intelligence, data bases, human factors, immigration, law enforcement data.
• Integrated infrastructure and petroleum defense, repair, recovery.
• Expand pipelines, LOCs to Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
• Cooperation, training, exercises in using internal security and military forces in counterterrorism missions. Common approach to border and coastal security.
•Integrated CT staff in GCC headquarters.
•Integrated cooperation with UN and friendly state CT operations.
The Key to Credibility, Deterrence, and Effectiveness: Transparency