Keeping technical facilities secure is part of technical support work during operations with appropriate implementation for each type and area of operations. Weapons and military equipment using more modern technology should be secured at higher level. Therefore, research on measures to secure technical facilities in counter amphibious warfare is of tremendous importance and practice.

Amphibious landing exercise by Vietnam’s Naval Marine Corps (illustrative photo)

First, to position technical facilities it requires improving terrain and making best use of it, building firm and strong systems of ditches and trenches. This is among the most important factors to secure technical facilities, reduce casualties and loss of weapons and technical equipment in technical supply process. A combat posture to counter amphibious warfare in peacetime should be proactively built in extensive, all-round, from-far-to-near, frontal, and deep direction with a focus on key areas and strategic directions. Coastal localities need to have a close combination between socio-economic development and defence and security improvement. For the seashores which are predicted to be vulnerable to an amphibious operation by the enemy, systems of defence facilities should be planned and built, and wood coverage should be raised by planting more trees. It is important to keep these areas secret right in peacetime, countering the enemy’s reconnaissance, particularly in reserve areas and front lines where technical facilities are supposed to be positioned. Inside technical facilities, there should be ditches and trenches for fighting, solid shelters for people, weapons, and technical equipment. Positioning technical facilities requires lands that help cover them; giving priority to choosing and improving natural caves located on the coast to position technical facilities and managing them right in peacetime.

Second, to train soldiers’ abilities of combating in the fierce conditions of high-tech war. One outstanding feature of a high-tech war is that enemy’s air raids are intense, precise, and conducted in a short time, which makes differences between lines unclear. There is a lot of pressure on technical staff during operations against enemy’s amphibious warfare. Therefore, commanders at technical facilities should focus on educating and building up political stance, determination for soldiers to safeguard technical facilities and fulfill other tasks. Training at technical facilities should focus on sharpening soldiers’ technical and tactical skills, and improving their fitness. Also, training should aim at broadening technical officers and staff’s knowledge of technical and tactical features of enemy’s frequently-used high-tech weapons, as well as their high-tech weapons’ strengths and weaknesses; arms, military equipment and vehicles used for amphibious warfare; tanks, cruise missiles, guided bombs, etc, that can be used by the enemy in amphibious operations; measures to lessen strength of enemy’s high-tech weapons. The last point that training should attach importance to is measures to camouflage and counter enemy’s reconnaissance and electronic warfare; training plans and skills for technical support run by technical facilities in complex situations and all weather conditions.

Third, to carry out the measures for camouflaging technical facilities. In all cases, technical facilities must be kept secret in terms of technique and tactics.

Regarding technique, it requires limitation of energy from electro-magnetic radiation, using transmitters with appropriate power, restricting signal transmitting and light, etc. For tactics, it requires making best use of terrain and weather to hide forces, weapons, and technical equipment. It also includes ways of faking technical facilities to deceive the enemy’s reconnaissance and lure them to false targets, limit the enemy’s reconnaissance and detection.

Lastly, to enhance mobility of technical facilities in possible conditions. Besides construction of firm facilities in peacetime, measures to displace them are critical. In the early stage of war, it is possible to use different ways of mobility, namely urgent mobility, periodic mobility, mobility in case of being exposed and detected, and on-the-spot mobility, which was conducted during the war of destruction by the US Air Force against Northern Vietnam. Notably, there should be support from local people and other units in defence zones to overcome difficulties and displace the facilities secretly and opportunely, ensuring safety for troops, weapons, and technical equipment.

Colonel, Associate Prof, Dr. Tran Minh Thang

Military Technical Academy