Even if the trend in naval affairs is supposedly towards 'brown-water' operations, those close to the littoral, there is still a constant - to operate effectively, any navy worth its salt must have afloat support if it is to be able to project, independently, combat and political power overseas. However, the need for this support is even more pressing for 'blue-water' fleets that are expected to project and sustain a presence for many weeks. Asia now sees the two kinds of operation coming together. There is certainly a desire and need to operate further afield as countries' economic interests outside the region swell, and political interest grows overseas. A number of Asian naval vessels were deployed in order to extract their citizens from Libya this year, including the Xuzhou, a Chinese Jiangkai //-class frigate, and the Choi Young, a South Korean KDX-II destroyer. Both were deployed on anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden or off the Horn of Africa. India also sent two destroyers and the Austin-class dock amphibious transport INS Jalashwa.
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