Ben Morgan’s Pacific Update: ADV Reliant a study of ‘soft power’ projection in the Pacific

At first glance, the Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Reliant may not look like a tool for power projection. But this small, utilitarian ship provides an interesting insight into how ‘soft power’ is used in the Pacific.

The ship is an interesting study in how perceptions of conflict are changing. Competition between nations becoming multi-domain, instead of focusing on military force. Now, international competition is focused on ‘soft power’ or developing influence and relationships that can be used to create the conditions for success if competition does escalate into military activity.

ADV Reliant can carry freight, launch landing craft, support divers or provide an offshore headquarters when responding to natural disasters. For instance, on this voyage, it will deliver humanitarian supplies to Fiji, military equipment to Tonga and spare parts to Tuvalu for its Australian supplied patrol boats. Previously the vessel has delivered fire trucks to Tuvalu, humanitarian aid to Solomon Islands and performed a variety of other tasks in the Pacific.

ADV Reliant’s work supports Australia’s Pacific neighbours, building relationships and influence. For example, in a future conflict Australia may wish to deploy military resources to Tuvalu like surveillance aircraft, or ships. A strong existing relationship makes this more likely.

Pacific geo-politics is currently defined by large powers like the US, China, Australia, Japan, and NATO using various types of diplomatic ‘soft power’ to compete for influence. Military theorist Carl von Clausewitz famously said that ‘war is diplomacy by other means,’ and ships like ADV Reliantdemonstrate how the reverse should also be considered, that ‘diplomacy can be war by other means.’ The relationships this ship strengthens, building influence that if required translates directly into military advantages like access to bases, intelligence or military support.

This is not a new phenomenon, countries have always competed using ‘soft power’ but around the globe there is a trend towards greater synchronisation between ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ power, often expressed in terms of an ‘all of government’ approach to international relations. In the case of ADV Reliant, the vessel is a naval auxiliary, but performs tasks identified by all branches of Australia’s government.

Providing some additional context, retired Australian general Mick Ryan, highlighted the trend in a Times Radio interview on 1 May. Ryan’s position is that China and Russia have been at war with the West for a decade, saying ‘they just have a different conception of war.’ Ryan’s words referencing the body of thought that argues these nations take a long-term strategic approach to competition in which everything including diplomacy, peace-time cyber operations, building political influence in other countries, disinformation campaigns, and the deployment of force are all parts of a unified plan.

A conception of ‘war’ that is sometimes called ‘hybrid’ war and that is useful to understand because it provides insight into geo-political issues, including Sino-American competition for influence in small Pacific nations. ADV Reliant and vessels like her playing a small but important role in this competition.

Exercise Bersama Shield tests cyber skills

In April, the Five Powers Defence Arrangement partners conducted Exercise Bersama Shield. The partnership includes, the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand and was established in 1971 as the UK withdrew its forces from South East Asia. This year’s exercise scenario involved defending a small island off the coast of Malaysia.

The exercise included ships, aircraft and ground forces from the partner nations exercising together and practicing inter-operability. A key difference this year was the inclusion of cyber operation, like; ‘deepfake’ videos being used to create disinformation, and ‘phishing’ attacks on headquarters to gain access to digital networks.

This activity is an example of how militaries in the region are starting to change their approach to war-fighting. Moving beyond traditional ‘kinetic’ activities to managing cyber threats. A key vulnerability in the modern age because militaries rely heavily on digital networks for all aspects of their operations.

On the frontline, target information is sent instantly using digital networks, and battlefield trackers monitor friendly and enemy locations. Logistics support and resupply is coordinated using digital networks. And, GPS is universally used for navigation. Any breach of cyber security could compromise digital networks so is a significant risk. Therefore, expect to see cyber activities becoming a key feature of all future exercises.

Australia exercises its drones

Recently, the Australian Army tested its drone capabilities during Exercise Chimera Walk. 20th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, operates the new ‘Integrator’ drone introduced into Australian service in 2022. Essentially, the regiment exists to provide ‘sensors’ for long-range fire by ‘shooters’ like artillery, attack drones, or missiles. The regiment’s drones monitoring the battlefield, identifying targets and providing their location to ‘shooters’ that can engage them.

The Integrator is small only 2.5 meters long and has a wingspan of 4.8 metres, and its most important part is its modular sensor package. The Integrator drone’s standard sensor package includes a high-definition camera, an infra-red camera, an infra-red indicator and a laser range-finder. The laser range-finder allows the drone to measure the distance from its own location to a target, allowing it to provide accurate coordinates to the planes, attack drones, artillery or missiles that will engage the target. Or it can ‘mark’ the target with its infra-red indicator, so any infra-red camera on an attacking platform can see it. An upgrade option is available that uses a laser indicator to ‘mark’ targets, for laser-guided bombs.

In the future, it is likely that the Australian developed Owl A and Owl X loitering, attack drones will work together with drones like Integrator. The surveillance drone locating targets, then directing loitering attack drones to destroy it.

Internationally, the ‘sensor-shooter relationship’ is being studied as an application for AI. Already AI is ‘trained’ and used in a range of civilian applications like spotting Health and Safety infractions, or identifying escalating security issues in public spaces so could theoretically be trained to identify an opponent’s uniforms, vehicles or tactical formations. From a strictly military perspective applying AI in this manner allows quicker response times between the ‘sensor’ and the ‘shooter.’

However, removing humans from this decision-making chain raises important moral questions about the application of lethal force. So, it is important that around the globe civilian communities engage actively in defence policy debates ensuring that military policy matches community expectations.

New Zealand and Philippines sign defence agreement

On 30 April, Reuters reported that New Zealand Minister of Defence, Judith Collins and Philippines Defence Secretary, Gilberto Teodoro signed a defence agreement. The agreement simplifies the process for either partner to deploy military forces on the other nation’s soil.

This agreement is another small example of the growing web of bi-lateral security agreements that are developing in the region. Smaller nations, concerned by China’s assertive foreign policy, and uncertain about US support are increasingly looking to develop new defence relationships. The South China Sea is a key area of dispute, China unilaterally enforcing its claim to large areas, already claimed by other nations.

Philippines is currently bearing the brunt of Chinese activity, and New Zealand’s partners like the US, Japan, Canada and its ally Australia are supporting it to retain its territorial waters in the South China Sea. An example of collective security arrangements being used to deter an escalation to violent conflict. This agreement’s objective is to probably to make it easier for New Zealand to participate in future collective security activities such as exercises, or ‘freedom of navigation’ patrols in the area.

Melanesian update

A regular update on the Pacific’s least reported trouble spot; Melanesia.

Political turmoil in Solomon Islands

Ten members of the Solomon Islands’ ruling coalition, led by former Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare broke ranks with the government last week. This reduces the government’s majority in the house and forces a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the current Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele.

The coalition government, called the Government of National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) contains members from three political parties OUR, the Solomon Islands People’s First Party, and Kadere. Sogavare claims he can put together a new coalition with enough support to remove Manele.

Regular readers will be familiar with concerns about governance in small Pacific nations, and the regular use of ‘no confidence’ motions that undermine political stability in the region. This activity appears to be another example of this trend, and will cause concern in Australia. Sogavare is known to be pro-China and during his tenure as Prime Minister strengthened Sino-Solomon Islands relations.

If his ‘no confidence’ motion is successful and he becomes Prime Minister, we should expect to see Chinese influence in Solomon Islands increase. Last week, we noted that an impact of the Trump administration’s foreign and trade policies is that Chinese influence may increase in small Pacific nations, and this situation could be an early example of this trend.

US plans to build a large fuel facility in Papua New Guinea

The Papua New Guinea Post Courier reports that the US will invest US$ 400 million building a large fuel storage facility in Port Moresby. The new facility will store 246 million litres of fuel and will be located at Port Moresby’s harbour.

Although this investment was requested by the Papua New Guinea Government, and will have significant economic benefits for the nation it is easy to see that the new facility could be useful to America in a future conflict. A point reinforced by the fact that it is funded by the US Department of Defence,

This project indicates how ‘soft power’ is used the US and other nations competing for influence in the Pacific to develop infra-structure with potential military applications.

Political tension continues to simmer in New Caledonia

New Caledonia is a French colony, with a long history of its indigenous Kanak people wanting independence. Early last year, protests by the Kanak community about proposed changes to voting rules escalated into violence. Since then, the New Caledonian community and French government have been involved in a reconciliation process trying to agree a plan for the nation’s future governance. Last week a ‘working paper’ was leaked that provided insight into France’s negotiating position highlighting the difficult political situation.

France’s lead negotiator, Overseas Minister Manuel Valls is currently in New Caledonia and the situation is tense. Negotiators trying to balance diametrically opposed points of view. Pro-France local factions want to remain a colony, and Kanak groups have a range of positions.

Concurrently, the demographics of New Caledonia are changing as immigration reduces the proportion of Kanak people within the population. A cause for concern among Kanak people and the reason why voting rights and a clear pathway to independence are such an important part of the discussion.

Meanwhile, the island is a useful military base and rich in natural resources like nickel so France potentially has a strategic interest in maintaining its foothold in the Pacific. A series of factors that combine to create a volatile situation in New Caledonia.