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292 australian maritime issues 2009: spc-a annual
• Interoperability. Even if there is willingness between nations to
cooperate, successful execution is not guaranteed unless there is
interoperability between them. ‘Interoperability is about much more
than commonality of equipment, and we would be unwise to restrict
ourselves to unduly narrow mental constructs’. 21 It includes the
development of standard operating procedures, common or compatible
doctrine and tactics, techniques and procedures. 22 Interoperability is
required at the minimum across the core management foundations
of policy, organisation, training, material, leadership and education.
Consequently, there is a need for existing mechanisms at various
levels to be aggressively and imaginatively used to promote
interoperability. An interoperability model elucidating cooperation
at various levels is illustrated below and shows how the lack of
interoperability inhibits cooperation.
Conclusion
Although our forces can surge when necessary to respond to crises,
trust and cooperation cannot be surged. They must be built over time.
A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower 25
The end of the Cold War has irrevocably altered the character of international relations.
One of the most noticeable changes has been the increased willingness of nations to
‘cooperate’ in a mutually beneficial way. Likewise, in the maritime domain, naval
cooperation activities have also received a fillip. Increasingly, navies are cooperating
for combating crime at sea, pollution control, exploitation of oceanic resources and
mutual assistance during disaster situations. Besides these, the indirect spin offs of
cooperation have been cost cutting by sharing of assets and mutual learning. That
good relations between nations augur better cooperation can be understood without
difficulty; however this essay asserts that the converse is also true. In sum it proclaims
that ‘defence cooperation follows as well as builds good bilateral (and multilateral)
relations’. 23 While naval cooperation promotes transparency between states and
prevents assumptions of worst case scenarios, absence of cooperation frequently leads
to expansion of disputes. Consciously aware, nations use cooperation as a platform to
showcase their preparedness and economic, industrial, scientific and military might.
This adds to the net deterrence value of the armed forces and also improves the national
image. Sustained cooperation helps in changing mindsets not only of the participants
but of the nations through the media. Greater economic relations as a result of naval
cooperation increase dependency and develop into disincentives to conflicts. Despite
this, much remains to be accomplished in the realm of naval cooperation. International
naval cooperation needs to be dovetailed with the actions of the UN. There is also a