Page 248 - MDSL Final

MARITIME DOCTRINE OF SRI LANKA
Demographics, technology and social change mean that the competition
for talented recruits will become increasingly passionate. SLN will
face great challenges in recruiting and retaining the men and women
of quality that will be needed to achieve the desired objectives in the
backdrop of lucrative opportunities outside as the country’s economy
globalises further. This will demand strong leadership at all levels and
responsive management linked to flexible career structures underpinned
by appropriate conditions of service, remuneration and care for families.
Meeting these challenges and becoming the employer of choice, will
require a process of continual adaptation and improvement that balances
the needs of people against the demands of maritime operations. This
will be a vibrant element of the SLN’s plans for the future.

Future SLN Fleet

Considering the SLN’s 2025 Maritime Strategy, SLN should pay attention
to following main key aspects prior developing the 2025 naval fleet:

• Influence events at a distance – SLN needs to be capable of
remove or at least mitigate the direct threat of danger to the
continental homeland and the immediate offshore areas.
• Freedom of the seas – SLN needs to nurture a stable
environment at sea sensibly managed through the cooperative
efforts of ocean users.
• Joint enabler – SLN needs to be capable of getting the Sri Lanka
Army to the required locations and sustaining it with logistical
and fire support. The ability to project superior military power
by sea is an essential component of modern diplomacy.
• Wide range of operations – A state’s global interests in the
maritime environment will continue to be served best by
remaining fully capable of conducting sea control and sea
denial operations in home waters, exploiting a broad range
of crisis management and naval diplomacy opportunities, and
cooperating in power projection operations on a limited scale.
• Versatile and combat capable – A broad base of capabilities is
the surest guarantee of a flexible response, of independence
of action in a crisis, and of managing the response to that
crisis.

228 To Nurture a Stable Environment at Sea