Kamla reveals new defence plan
By SEAN DOUGLAS Thursday, June 9 2011
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the country would be protected by 12 Coast Guard stations from which fast interceptor boats could be launched, supported by larger patrol vessels, coastal radar and helicopters.
She was speaking yesterday at the formal commissioning of two Agusta Westland AW139 helicopters at the TT Air Guard Headquarters at Piarco.
She said her Government’s new Naval Operational Plan replaces the former regime’s costly “cosmetic plans and policies” such as Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).
“We scrapped the OPV deal and thus saved billions of dollars which can now be used for other more critical and productive national security assets,” she declared.
The Prime Minister explained that the deal for an “armada of OPVs” was scotched on the advice of top officers of the TT Defence Force, previous Chiefs of Defence Staff, diplomats, and local and foreign security consultants.
Instead, a three-pronged plan would safeguard this country as virtually impenetrable, she said.
The first line of defence was 12 Coast Guard stations strategically placed around the country with fast boats to secure the country better than an OPV patrolling 100 miles off the East Coast (where most smuggling does not occur).
Each station will have two interceptors to be on patrol, or on standby. “This will ensure a rapid reaction with the crew onboard being armed and awaiting word...”.
These boats would patrol bays, coastal areas and shorelines up to four miles out to sea, said Persad-Bissessar.
“In the second line of defence, these installations will be ably supported by the six fast patrol larger crafts, already in service to patrol our territorial waters from six miles to 12 miles from our shoreline.”
Backing the interceptors, these patrol craft would work out of bases such as Galeota and Tobago.
“In the third line of defence, we will have a Long Range Patrol Vessel, which would be 60 to 75 metres in length, much less costly, more manoeuverable and adaptable to our shores than the OPVs, and hence of greater value. It will patrol from 12 miles to 200 miles from mostly the North and East Coast.”
This would protect TT’s Exclusive Economic Zone. All would be coordinated through a 360 degree radar system run by a new National Security Operational Centre, said Persad-Bissessar.
The centre would send interceptors to any suspect vessel entering TT’s waters, and communicate with police stations, near to the relevant Coast Guard stations.
“The two Agusta Westland Twin Engine multi-purpose helicopters which we have acquired today will patrol our shorelines, and work alongside these Coast Guard installations and the interceptor vessels patrolling our waters as well as the six Fast Patrol crafts and the Long Range Patrol vessel patrolling the North and East Coast,” she enthused.
“They will provide the powerful eyes, at day or night around our island to act as a support element for the Coast Guard in the patrolling of our borders. The Radar Centre would have the capability to speak to the helicopter crew and the Coast Guard vessels so that a combined effort can be made.”