Durlabh Ashok, who represented Pakistan at the Glasgow Conference, has been active in environment protection since he was 13. In an exclusive interview, Durlabh Ashok talks about the significant cause of global warming that is irresponsible human activities, with growing industries and greenhouse gas emissions. He has worked on 18 projects that aimed at facilitate
According to experts, indiscriminate deforestation and the use of wood and coal as fuel have gradually given rise to global temperatures. But with the use of oil and natural gas, the temperature has risen even more sharply. Combustion of these fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, etc., which increase the atmosphere’s temperature by absorbing and trapping the sunlight. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by about 12% in the last two decades.
Why is the Glasgow Conference so important?
Opening the World Environment Conference in Glasgow, COP26 President Alok Sharma said, “We all know that the planet is in turmoil at the moment. We are all here together to find the desired solutions to these problems. The problem is not so simple as it involves a lot of government policy. Governments generally do not formulate their policies following the guidelines provided by environmentalists, which are necessary to deal with climate change.
Pakistan based environment activist Durlabh Ashok says that the United States, European Union, China, and Russia are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases worldwide, while poor and developing countries, including Pakistan, have a mere share. But everyone is being affected, so representatives of several developing countries are putting forward their demands in Glasgow conference, which include top-notch funding for tackling climate change.” The dangers to the planet are common to all, so everyone must help each other clean up their mess.
Where does Pakistan stand in the environment war?
Durlabh Ashok said that our share in climate change is negligible; Pakistan’s share in the total global greenhouse gas emissions is only 0.72%, “but we see that Pakistan is being severely affected by climate change.
Several Pakistani cities topped the list of hottest cities in the world this summer. Sindh and Balochistan are in the grip of severe drought due to a change in rainfall patterns, and rising temperatures are causing the Himalayan glaciers to melt faster than ever before. At the same time, Pakistan also faces an energy crisis. Durlabh Ashok further said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced the closure of coal power plants as they have played a key role in increasing carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
Durlabh Ashok, who represented Pakistan at the Glasgow Conference, has been active in environmental protection since the age of 13
Climate change is having devastating impacts on human life. According to Ashok, however, the problem is that layperson in Pakistan are not well aware of finding the solutions to these problems on their own, as we see in Africa, Bangladesh, China, and India. There are positive outcomes from the efforts of the layperson and their self-sustained projects.”
Durlabh further added that in COP 26, as a board member of the “Plant for Plant Foundation”, he represents Pakistan in two more panel discussions, including Climate Change Youth Leadership. When forests are cut down or burned, carbon dioxide is lost. This is why several European countries, including the United States, are opting for bio-energy or biomass instead of wind and solar energy as renewable energy resources, which not only allows us to restore our lost forests but also through the use of biomass, the emissions of greenhouse gases could be minimized.
He says this requires mobilizing the younger generation and launching tree planting campaigns at the national level with proper planning and strategy. Durlabh hopes that he will learn a lot and return to Pakistan with several new projects.
According to a report released by the IPCC in 2021, extreme heatwaves, storms, catastrophic rains, and floods are now common in different parts of the world due to rising temperatures. If global warming is not limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the coming years, there will be more horrific natural disasters in the future.
The 2015 Paris Agreement stipulates that countries that are causing more greenhouse gas emissions will co-operate to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. But due to the countries’ own interests and non-cooperation, this has not been possible so far.
The hole in the ozone layer that develops annually is “rather larger than usual” and is currently bigger than Antarctica, say the scientists who have monitored it for decades.
The ozone layer. Ozone cover, a safe zone for Earth, is one of the predominant features supporting life on this planet. Engulfing the upper layer of the atmosphere, the stratosphere (between 10 km to 50 km altitude), ozone comprises three oxygen atoms (O3).
This chemical composition of the layer makes it reactive towards different other chemicals. This blanket prevents ultraviolet rays of a wavelength less than 290 nm (nanometer) from reaching the Earth by absorbing them. Not all the ozone resides in the stratosphere (the upper atmosphere): a part of it lies in the troposphere, the lowest region of the Earth’s atmosphere. Ozone depletion is a matter of grave concern and for all the right reasons.
Figure 1: Location of Ozone in the atmosphere
Meeting Ozone
Ozone gas (O3) is a pale blue gas with a pungent smell composed of inorganic molecules. The ozone layer is thicker in the atmosphere over the poles as compared to above equator. It functions by absorbing the ultraviolet rays (UV) of the highest energy, the UV-B and UV-C.
How is it produced?
The concept of a white blanket surrounding the Earth seems mythological; its presence is what has made the Earth a habitable planet for all. The phenomenon of its production is a crucial aspect in understanding its role. The oxygen molecules in the atmosphere are split into individual oxygen atoms due to the action of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. These single oxygen atoms have the affinity to bind with adjacent oxygen molecules to form ozone (O3). Ozone is the result of both natural processes and human activities.
Figure 2: The process of ozone formation
Ozone as sanctuary
Ozone is a protective duvet around the Earth that absorbs the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, thus halting them from reaching the Earth’s surface. In the absence of ozone, Ultraviolet rays would reach the surface and cause severe damage that includes skin cancers, eye cataracts, and damaged DNA in plants and animals, leading to various mutations. Scorching heat and high energy of Ultraviolet rays negatively affect plant and plankton growth. Plankton or marine drifters form the base of the food chains, responsible for maintaining the food chain. Their lack of production will disturb the majority of food chains and hence be detrimental to the survival of other organisms.
Commination to Ozone
Prospective scarring of ozone became an eyeopener when a Dutch scientist, Paul Crutzen, published a paper showing that the nitrogen oxide catalytic cycle negatively affects ozone layer concentration. In the 1970s, the production of supersonic transports (SST) was resisted due to their potential release of nitrogen compounds, primarily nitrogen oxides, which could impair ozone. This phase marked the enlightenment of the scientific society with the realization that the ozone layer was diminishing.
The concept of a white blanket surrounding the Earth seems mythological; its presence is what has made the Earth a habitable planet for all.
On a larger scale, there are two significant reasons for ozone depletion: Anthropogenic and Natural.
1. Anthropogenic activities
Commonly known as human activities, anthropogenic activities increase the concentration of atmospheric pollutants, thus playing a significant role in ozone slumping. Chemical compounds (Ozone-Depleting Substances) that release gaseous chlorine and bromine are most prone to ozone damage. Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) that release chlorine encompass chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform. Once CFCs are released into the atmosphere, they make their way to the upper layers of the atmosphere stratosphere, where the action of ultraviolet rays breaks them. This dissociation liberates chlorine atoms which are detrimental to ozone.
Halogens and methyl bromide are the ODS that liberate bromine. These chemicals are released on the Earth’s surface; they can travel to the stratosphere, thus posing a threat to the ozone layer.
Another drawback of ODS is that they remain within the atmosphere and do not come down to land with rain. Thus, their ability to stay within the atmosphere for a more extended period makes them harmful substances to the ozone layer.
Key ODS sources
Halocarbon refrigerants
Aerosol propellants
Fire extinguishers
Foam blowing agents
Figure 3: The effect of anthropogenic activities on ozone
2. Natural causes
Sunspots, volcanic eruptions, and stratospheric episodes pose a small percentage (1%-2%) of threat to ozone depletion.
The Current Status
The ozone hole over the Antarctic is the biggest one till now. Till early October 2020, it covered an area of 24 million square kilometers. Post extensive studies and close monitoring of the ozone hole, the scientists at NASA claim that the ozone hole over the Antarctic has reached its peak. According to the UN Environment Programme Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion (presented in 2018), it is stated that the ozone layer will possibly recover to its pre-1980 levels by 2060. However, this ozone depletion is not restricted to the Antarctic only but occurs over other regions, including North America, Europe, and Asia.
The Unfortunate Effects
Ozone shrinking is a matter of grave concern giving rise to numerous unfavorable aftereffects. Some of the significant drawbacks of ozone depletion include:
Damage to human health
Exposure to high-energy ultraviolet rays can cause cancers, severe sunburns, and the gradual weakening of the immune system. Such adverse effects can subside the quality of life.
Environmental deterioration
Plants also have a range of tolerance of UV light of a given energy. Continuous exposure to highly high-energy UV rays can hamper the average growth and reproduction of plants, such as the process of germination, photosynthesis, and flowering. Crops sensitive to high-energy UV radiation include wheat, barley, tomato, etc.
Risk to Marine life
Just like land beings, life underwater is also exposed to energetic UV radiations. These high-intensity radiations can prove to be detrimental to plankton, the basis of the food chain. If plankton growth is reduced, it will disrupt the entire food chain mechanism and thus the productivity of sea life.
Ozone for life
Restoring ozone levels to how they initially were, is a vast but acute undertaking. The Montreal Protocol of 1986, an international agreement aimed to address the ozone depletion issue, should be focused on. Firstly, we need to cut down cleaning agents containing corrosive and harmful solvents and replace them with non-toxic agents. Secondly, there is a need to minimize the use of ample transport vehicles. Rather than using a separate transport accommodation, where possible, we should use public transport.
This will contribute to a decrease in the carbon footprint. Thirdly, to further narrow down the carbon footprint, we must source and utilize locally manufactured products. In addition, proper maintenance of refrigerators and air conditioners should be done as their inefficient working can release CFCs into the air. Though the recovery process is time taking, one step at a time can make a crucial difference.
Earth without ozone is like a house without a roof.
Foxtrot is a student-run team based in Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI), which specializes in building planes, drones, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). With the passion for developing UAVs and the intention of representing Pakistan and GIKI internationally, the team competes in the UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Challenge which is hosted annually in the United Kingdom by IMechE (Institution of Mechanical Engineers).
It is to be noted that autonomous systems are very different from radio-controlled (or RC) systems. Autonomous systems operate completely on their own, without any human intervention once they are commanded to run: unlike RC operations, where human input is required each time an action is to be performed.
Team Foxtrot has been competing in the IMechE UAS Challenge in the United Kingdom (UK), and in the debut year of the challenge won the “Highest Place New Entrant Award of 2019”, and also stood among the top 10 participating teams from across the globe. This year, in 2021, Team Foxtrot bagged the Business Proposition award, while also finishing in an esteemed 5th place in the competition. The team also scored a perfect 15/15 score on its First Design Review: a feat that is worthy of appraisal.
Foxtrot is a student-run team based in Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI), which specializes in building planes, drones, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Team Foxtrot also organizes STEM outreach programs in schools to enlighten students about the endless possibilities and opportunities in the world of engineering and to empower girls who are interested in the field. It focuses on enabling young minds to acquire UAV-related cognitive skills and teaching pupils about the practical applications of autonomous UAVs in the present period, including their use in humanitarian aid missions.
Team Foxtrot also organizes STEM outreach programs in schools
About the IMechE UAS Challenge
For the past seven years, the IMechE UAS Challenge has been held in the UK. The challenge’s main goal is to train and develop professional engineers while also providing them with a dynamic and specialized environment in which to hone their problem-solving abilities.
The challenge is divided into three major stages, which are as follows:
1. Design
2. Development
3. Demonstration
A plethora of teams from around the world design their UAVs and compete in this challenge, where they perform timed tasks and follow a strict set of guidelines by performing a full design and building cycle of UAS with specific goals prioritized. The main task for each is to construct a UAV for the tasks to be completed successfully. These include area searches, waypoint navigation, dropping an aid package correctly, and consequently returning to the base via a well-defined route.
It is not unusual to hear that despite its many benefits, cyberspace has, at the same time, opened doors for that intent on achieving criminal aims. Cyber blackmail, identity theft, and fraud are some of how these have been previously witnessed. Cybersecurity poses an existential threat to the way of life; more specifically, it appears to be a matter of national security these days.
The driving force behind cybersecurity is the threat of cyber attacks. Each level of a cyber-physical infrastructure, comprised of operational software, information, and people -is susceptible to security breakdown, whether through attack, infiltration, or accident. Cyber threats are asymmetric because they allow the few to perpetrate attacks upon the masses.
To get an insight into the role and impacts of cyberspace in national security, Our team member Abdullah Khan reached out to Dr. Fauzia Idrees Abro, Pakistan’s first female military cyber-security analyst. Dr. Abro currently works as the Director of Business Incubation Center and cybersecurity program coordinator at Dawood University of Engineering and Technology. She is a pleasant surprise for many science enthusiasts.
Dr. Abro started her educational career when she obtained her Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Jamshoro. She hails from rural Sindh, and despite all the hurdles against the education of women, she pursued her passion and obtained a master’s in Cryptology from NUST. This was just the beginning of her career which took her to pursue a Ph.D. in Cyber Security from City, University of London.
Her research interests are malware analysis, detection and prevention, mobile security, VoIP, network security, machine learning, IoT, and Artificial Intelligence, published in various academic journals and conference proceedings. She serves on several editorial boards and program committees of international journals and conferences.
Dr. Abro (on left) at UK Alumni Awards
Below are some excerpts of her conversation about the impacts of cyberspace on national security.
Abdullah: The concept of security has evolved from the traditional security dilemma of a state to the vulnerabilities faced by individuals. What are the threats and challenges faced by individuals and states in the context of cyber security?
Dr. Abro: With the ever-increasing role of the internet in almost everything we do, we’re more and more vulnerable to cyber threats. Anyone using the internet for anything is exposed; hence awareness about requisite security measures is essential for each individual. It’s an ever-evolving field that requires persistence and continuous focus of both the developers and end-users. Although every organization is conscious of the threat and ensures regular measures, we still see so many breaches worldwide very frequently. This implies that the importance of cyber security will always remain highly critical for both individuals and organizations all over the globe.
Abdullah: The emergence of cyberspace has opened new battlegrounds. How will future developments in cyberspace and new technologies shape any future warfare?
Dr. Abro: Almost all contemporary and future concepts of warfare has a very heavy dependence on cyberspace. With the emergence of super computational technologies and rapid developments in associate gadgetry, each segment of cyberspace is being exploited as an essential tool of warfare. A paradigm shift in warfare is that cyber warfare is now an everlasting activity that would only intensify in times to come.
We should realize that each smart gadget is not very smart against cyber threats and each social media application is accruing our personal information from our gadgets.
Abdullah: What can be done at an individual level to get secured from cyber threats?
Dr. Abro: First of all, each individual should get himself acquainted with the potentials and impact of cyber threats on our daily life. Usage of social media is increasing, and so are the chances of cyber threats for the users. We need to educate our children to be careful while sharing their personal information on social media. We should realize that each smart gadget is not very smart against cyber threats, and each social media application is accruing our personal information from our gadgets.
We must know that Cameras, Mics, and our files in our gadgets are accessible to cyber attackers. We need to be careful about what we are sharing on social media, storing on our smart devices, and how we are accessing the internet. Use strong passwords for online services accounts, install good anti-virus programs and update the software regularly.
Abdullah: Are there any global efforts done by the international society and bodies to overcome the threats of cyberwar between states or any cyber-attack by a group or individual?
Dr. Abro: International bodies monitor hackers and cyber activities, but we must know that all international intelligence agencies are intensely involved in cyber monitoring and use individuals’ data for their covert activities. The UN, Council on foreign relations, and some other international organizations and think tanks for regulating cyberspace, especially cyber-attacks and cyber warfare, are ongoing global efforts.
Abdullah: Pakistan drafted its cyber security policy in April 2019. Is this policy comprehensive enough to tackle the challenges faced by Pakistani users and state?
Dr. Abro: As per my knowledge, some work was kick-started to formulate the cyber security policy guidelines, but it’s not complete yet. Cyber security policy is a subject that needs to be reviewed very frequently and should be formulated by competent professionals with the involvement of different state stakeholders.
Abdullah: What is next for you? Your message for womenfolk in Pakistan?
Dr. Abro: I try to remain abreast with the latest research and development in the domains of cyber security. I see myself as a leading cyber security entrepreneur in the next five years, providing its products and services worldwide. I’m an enthusiast to provide a flexible and conducive working platform for cyber security and STEM women.
My message to the women of Pakistan is to work hard and know their potentials. Only courage can lead to success and motivate others who struggle to survive in very challenging environments. To get something extra, you need to do extra.
“We plan on the adversary’s capabilities, not intentions.” Gen(R) Kyani.
To understand Pakistan’s missile program and its motives, one first needs to grasp the idea of deterrence. An effective defense is based upon factors like detect, deter, deny and defend.
The word deter means to scare off; hence deterrence would be anything that scares off the adversary, e.g., a weapon, technology, or diplomatic means.
Pakistan, unfortunately, has arch-rival many times bigger in size, resources and military might. In an all-out war, Pakistan would be at a significant disadvantage vs. India as it neither has large territory to trade for time nor the resources to fight a long brutal war. The wars of 1965 and 1971 both taught Pakistan some precious lessons. The deterrence then possessed was not enough to scare off an enemy three times larger in military might. Pakistan vowed never to let that happen again. Hence it started the quest for nuclear weapons. On 11 March 1983, PAEC did the first subcritical test of a nuclear device, proving Pakistan’s capability of making a successful atomic device.
The next step in the process was nuclear arsenal dispatch. For that purpose, we had aircraft like Mirages and later F16s. But during the 1980s, India started a program for a ballistic missile named Prithvi. Eventually, India also had aircraft for nuclear delivery, so the question was why to go for ballistic missiles that are far more expensive and complex.
Ballistic Missiles
Ballistic missiles are more survivable, can carry larger payloads to a greater distance, and sometimes can carry more than one warhead; they can use to target multiple cities. A ballistic missile follows a ballistic trajectory to aim at a predetermined target. Guided and powered only for a short duration of their flight, they were initially not very accurate but improved later on. The types of Ballistic missiles, depending upon their ranges, are
Battlefield Range Ballistic Missile with range less than 300 Kms,
Short Range Ballistic Missiles with ranges between 300 to 1000 kms,
Medium Range Ballistic Missiles with ranges between 1000 to 3000 kms,
Intermediate Range Ballistic missile with ranges between 3000 to 5,500 kms,
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile with ranges more than 5,500 kms.
Intercepting a ballistic missile need tons of infrastructure ranging from satellite sensors, kinetic hit to kill interceptors carry out mid-course interception, ground or sea-based radar systems, effective command and control center, and interoperability among the assets mentioned above. Few countries possess this kind of capability, and even fewer can perform in real-time.
Dawn of Pakistan’s missile program
Pakistan’s missile program started in 1988 with PM Benazir Bhutto and General Mirza Aslam Baig as COAS. It was started as a response to the already existing Indian program of developing different kinds of missiles using knowledge gained from soviet technology. One of those missiles to be designed and produced was “Prithvi.” It was named after a Hindu raja; it was a short-range ballistic missile, first tested on 25th February 1988.
Pakistan started its program to develop short to medium-range ballistic missiles. Planning of the program began in 1987 under the supervision of Gen. Zia-Ul-Haq, based upon intelligence gathered about the Indian program.
Under this program, PAEC, KRL, SUPARCO, and DESTO were authorized to start designing and developing their designs separately for the first ballistic missile of Pakistan.
Among these institutions, SUPARCO was best qualified in rocket sciences as they had been working with rockets in cooperation with NASA to carry out atmospheric studies. Missiles of Pakistan were given the name “Hatf” and their individual names, such as Ghauri, Abdali, Ababeel, etc., in cooperation with NASA to carry out atmospheric studies.
During Benazir Bhutto’s era, the rapid design and deployment of missiles were emphasized to thwart the already present Indian missile threat. Joint SUPARCO and KRL project cooperation resulted in the production of the Hatf-1 missile.
Hatf-1
Class: BRBM
Mass: 1500 kg
Range: 100 km (upgraded hatf-1b version) Payload: 500 kg conventional/nuclear warhead In service: 1989-present
Manufacturer: SUPARCO and KRL.
Hatf-1 is Pakistan’s first BRBM. It is more likely to be used as an artillery shell to bombard an area. Cheap to produce and easy to maintain and transfer, Hatf-1 has a TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) launch platform, making it highly mobile. It uses a solid propellant which means it can be launched on short notice, unlike liquid propelled missiles which need to be fueled before launch.
Hatf- One missile, Copyright to ISPR
Many suspect French and Chinese assistance in building Hatf-1 as its design remarkably resembles the French missile Eridan sounding rocket.
Hatf-1 initially had poor accuracy and could land within several kilometers of the target, but later Hatf-1b possessed guidance systems making it land within several meters of the target. Pakistan states that it is a conventional missile, but theoretically, if mated with a miniaturized nuclear warhead, it can also be used as a nuclear-tipped missile.
Abdali (Hatf-2)
Class: SRBM Mass: 1750 Kg
Range 280-450 Km
Payload: 300-500 kg conventional/submunitions In service: 2005-present
Manufacturer: SUPARCO.
Hatf-2, Abdali missile, Copyright to ISPR
Hatf 2 was initially planned to be a two-stage Hatf-1 missile. A solid-propellant stage was considered for attachment with Hatf-1 for extending its range; SUPARCO, later on, rejected the idea due to lack of resources and designed a single-stage missile with the characteristics mentioned above and named it Abdali-1. Hatf-2 comes with a built-in guidance system, making it land within 100 to 150 meters of the intended target. Its large payload and accuracy make it ideal for targeting vital military installations and resources, whether they are enemy communication lines or supply lines. It has a TEL-based launch platform.
Ghaznavi (Hatf-3)
Class: SRBM Mass: 5,256
Range: 290 Km
Payload: 700 Kg
In service: 2004-present Manufacturer: NDC.
Hatf-3-Ghaznavi missile. Copyright to ISPR
Hatf 3 is a short-range ballistic missile in use by Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC). It has an inertial navigation system and can hit a target with 250 meters of CEP (Circular Error Probability). This missile closely resembles the Chinese DF11 missile. Pakistan initially tried to procure Chinese missiles off the shelf but abandoned the idea due to international limitations. Some still speculate that the Chinese sold this missile to Pakistan but officially, there is no confirmation to date.
Pakistan has successfully carried out many tests for training and validating weapon parameters.
Shaheen-1 (Hatf-4)
Class: SRBM
Mass: 10,000 Kg (Shaheen 1-A) Range: 1000 Km
Payload: 1000 Kg single conventional/nuclear warhead
In service: 2003-present Manufacturer: NDC and NESCOM.
Hatf-4-Shaheen-1 missile, Copyright to ISPR
Shaheen 1 is a part of the Shaheen series of missiles (Shaheen 1, 2, 3) and boasts much more sophisticated features than missiles tested before. It features an excellent terminal guidance system. Its stealthy warhead design makes it difficult for Missile defense systems to intercept. The goal of the shaheen program was to develop a missile capable enough to defeat modern air defense systems. As the adversary’s capability grew in missile defense, so did the need for better missiles. Shaheen 1 features a Post Separation Altitude Correction system and thrusters to correct the warhead’s trajectory via satellite navigation, dramatically increasing its accuracy.
Developing Shaheen 1 was a challenging task. Still, it was accomplished thanks to the resilience and hard work of Pakistan’s scientists.
Ghauri (Hatf-5)
Class: MRBM Mass: 15,850 Kg
Range: 1500-2300 Km (Hatf 5-Hatf 5A) Payload: 700 Kg conventional/nuclear warhead In-Service: 2003-present
Manufacturer: KRL.
Hatf-5, Ghouri missile launch in Oct 2018. Copyright to ISPR
Gauri missile is made by KRL and is Pakistan’s only liquid-propelled missile program. Missile design is considered to be heavily influenced by the North Korean missile Rodong-1. The missile initially had a range of 1500 Km, which later extended to 2300 Km, making it capable of targeting most of the Indian territory with a 700 Kg warhead. Ghauri is guided by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) and has a CEP of 190 meters. The missile has to be refueled before launch, making it vulnerable to pre-emptive strikes, but it is cheaper than solid-fueled missiles. First tested in 1988 Ghauri missile was handed over to Pakistan Army in 2003
Shaheen-2 (Hatf-6)
Class: MRBM Mass: 25,000 Kg
Range: 2000 Km
Payload: 700 Kg conventional/nuclear warhead In Service: 2014
Manufacturer: NESCOM and NDC.
Hatf 6, Shaheen-2 missile test in 2019. Copyright to ISPR
Shaheen 2 is a 2-stage solid propelled MRBM developed by NDC and NESCOM. First tested in 2004, Shaheen 2 has a TEL-based launch platform. It features Delta control fins at the rear fuselage and has side thrusters mounted at the re-entry vehicle to provide more accuracy before entering the atmosphere; the same thrusters can be used to carry out maneuvers to prevent interception as they would deny defense to calculate the accurate trajectory for interception. Hatf-6 has terminal guidance in the form of INS and has a CEP of 350meters. Re-entry vehicles are also speculated to feature GPS guidance that, if true, would increase missile accuracy up to a great extent.
Note: Hatf-7 and Hatf-8 are cruise missiles and will not be discussed in this article.
Hatf-9
Class: BRBM
Mass: 1200 Kg
Range: 90 Km
Payload: 400 Kg conventional/ tactical nuclear warhead In Service: 2013
Manufacturer: NDC.
Hatf-9, Nasr missile. Copyright to ISPR
Nasar is a BRBM believed to have been developed as a direct response to the Indian Cold Start Doctrine. Indian doctrine revolves around saturating Pakistani defenses by gathering many forces along the border and making shallow incursions in Pakistan’s territory. Under the assumption that by the time Pakistan counterattacks, it would have lost territory to Indian assault, UN and International intervention would come in place, thereby declaring India victorious.
Therefore, Nasr was developed to deliver the same deterrence at a shorter range than Shaheen-2, and Ghauri delivered at longer ranges. Nasr can be mated with a low-yield tactical nuclear warhead against Indian forces on Pakistani soil. It has a minimum blast effect and maximum ionizing radiation effect, making it more dangerous/damaging for the enemy. Nasr provides the ability to “Shoot and Scoot” and can defeat enemy air defenses. Although the actual CEP of Nasr has not been revealed, the test video shows it to be highly accurate.
Shaheen-3
(Hatf 10) Class: MRBM
Range: 2750 Km
Inservice: Speculated not to be operationally deployed right now Payload: Conventional /Nuclear.
Manufacturer: Nescom and SUPARCO.
Initially designed as a space booster for future SLV of Pakistan, Shaheen-3 currently has the most extended range among missiles in Pakistan’s arsenal. Shaheen-3 was first tested on 9 March 2015. It is a two-stage missile featuring solid propulsion and is road-mobile. This missile is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead up to 2750 Km. For the first time, Pakistan is now capable of striking the whole Indian mainland along with Nicobar and Andaman Islands, which resided outside of Pakistan’s missile envelope.
India was developing them as strategic bases. The idea behind this Shaheen-3 was to develop a missile, which would leave India with no safe havens and would deny India “the second-strike capability.” To reach the Nicobar Islands, these missiles are required to launch from very eastern parts of Pakistan. This missile can reach up to 18 times the speed of sound. They were making it extremely difficult to intercept.
Ababeel is a three-stage, solid-propelled MRBM. This missile holds a unique place, at least for now, in Pakistan’s missile arsenal as it is the first Pakistani missile capable of delivering multiple warheads at different locations with accuracy over a distance of 2,200 Km. This missile was developed by KRL and was publicly tested on 24 January 2017. Ababeel is believed to be based upon the Shaheen-3 airframe. This missile was a breakthrough in Pakistan’s missile technology as by successfully testing this missile, Pakistan stood among very few nations that possessed MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle).
Today, Pakistani missiles cover all Indian territory. They can hit a target in even the middle east, so now Pakistan might emphasize improving the missile’s survivability rather than its range. Attaining MIRV technology can be a step towards it as MIRV vehicles can be an excellent challenge for BMD (Ballistic Missile Defense) systems. A BMD works by calculating missile/warhead trajectory and then releases an interceptor for a mid-course interception, but in the case of MIRV, it would be facing multiple warheads and decoys, traveling many times the speed of sound and targeting different places at once; hence it would be hard to defend against such missile.
Pakistan’s journey in the world of ballistic missiles might continue or end, but one thing’s for sure that the nation owes it to all those who soldiered on in the face of hardships, ridicule, fear, resource lessness and made us what we are today.
V for Vendetta was directed by James McTeigue, written by Wachowski, and came out in the year 2006. The film stars Natalie Portman as Evie and Hugo Weaving as V- the protagonist labeled a terrorist by a totalitarian government that has taken control over England in a very vicious way. They have outlawed art; a harsh curfew is imposed upon everyone and police officers that are in control are not abiding by the law themselves, committing heinous crimes.
This movie is based on Alan Moore’s graphic novel which, if you have not read, is filled with a ton of great characters, and has a really great storytelling element to it. One may think of it as just an action-packed extravaganza, and yes, there are great action sequences in V for Vendetta, but it is also a movie that talks about politics and how a government can control its people, and how people can rise up against its government in vengeance when the environment becomes unbearable. It subtly presents a lot of ideas along with fantastic action. The movie has great storytelling, and its performances are stellar.
The movie is set in a “futuristic” fictional world. The year is 2020 and a virus has spread globally (pretty much true of what happened last year). Many Americans lose their life. Britain is ruled by fascist leaders, and they have imposed a curfew on everything. During these times rises a man in a mask named V. He thinks that killing significant dignitaries and bombing important sites will wake up the people against the corrupted government. He tries to commemorate Guy Fawkes who blew up British Parliament in 1605 and hopes to do the same on November the 5th.
V saves a reporter girl (Evie) from rapist policemen on eve of the 5th of November. She forms an alliance with him later in the movie and helps him in his cause. V bombs an old building and later announces on national TV that within 12 months’ time he will blow up the parliament. People who are against the corrupt government should show their support. Either he is a terrorist or a freedom fighter – that is for the audience to judge, I won’t give away much.
The film stars Natalie Portman as Evie and Hugo Weaving as V
This movie came out only five years after the devastating attack of 9/11. This film has a main character labeled as a terrorist and portrays him in a sympathetic light, so we understand his motivations and what he wants to do, and why he’s doing it. It was very brave to release such a movie in that tense environment when labeling anyone a terrorist was easy.
Now granted the world surrounding V in this movie is a futuristic depiction of a fictionalized world in which everything has gone disarray. And there is this one government that is acting like everything is fine. So, in that way you can watch and understand why someone would revolt against it, but also must reiterate that this is a fictional film. Many critics at that time said that this is a disturbing movie and sympathizes with terrorism, which is not much true as it is a fictional world, and it should not be compared to real-life situations.
V for Vendetta has the most phenomenal performances by Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman. The script for V is great and poetic, filled with quotes such as, “People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.” And the most famous “Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.”
All in all, the movie is a classic. It is riveting and exciting to watch. It checks all the boxes being gripping, chilling, intense, exciting, heartbreaking all at once. It is not a big typical action movie, but it has some striking action sequences. The most surprising thing is that even after 15 years, this movie is still relatable regarding what is happening in the world right now. Watching this today is eerily identical to current events.
Space: The last frontier, or perhaps the first doorway towards the heavens. Mankind developed a relation with Space after Yuri Gagarin became the first visitor in Earth’s orbit. Space travel and Space exploration became the next big dream of many nations. But as is the case with many good-intended endeavors, this novel dream was militarized citing security as an exigent factor of Space. No doubt the space programs of almost all countries are basically under the command of their armed forces. But the influence of the militarization aspect in space has grown with the advancement in space.
Among the famous and iconic Films or series to date, Star Trek and Star Wars stand out as the most recognized and loved ones (though I recommend “The Expanse” all the same to understand the theme!). A constant theme of these marvels and many other entertainment pieces is warfare in space. Perhaps mankind’s romance with conflict demands to see it played out in Space as well! So it is inevitable that space exploration and space conflict will go hand in hand. But the preparations of Space warfare lead to the gradual but advanced militarization of space over the recent past decades.
Significance of Space
What makes Space a possible theatre of armed conflict? The answer is multi-faceted and complex. Without going into the details of modern defense strategy, an understanding of the importance of space establishes space as the pivot of modern defense. Space itself is a complex place that requires a high level of sophisticated technology to function and serve various purposes. Space-grade tech. is the penultimate creation of any given time. Many examples show that inventions that were meant to be developed for space eventually found useful applications on Earth. To understand the importance of Space as an armed conflict zone, you only need to look at the top five or top 10 nations that are advanced in space technology are exactly the same that are far ahead of other nations of the world. If you are a power in space, you are a power to be reckoned on Earth.
Present scenario: Militarization of Space
Now if you have the capability to develop high-functioning space tech, it’s logical to explore the Moon and Asteroids for minerals (i.e Rare-Earth Metal that is used in Rechargeable batteries). Just like there is conflict on Earth over the minerals present here, similarly, there is a conflict in space for the same purpose. Although it is still a far-fetched scenario, it’s a very possible one. The present active utilization of space technologies is found in almost all equipment that is used in air, land, and sea warfare (fighter jets, submarines, frigates, aircraft carriers, tanks, missiles, and missile defense systems). Now Cyberspace and space itself are considered battle zone. As the Head of US Strategic Command, General John Hyten, once said: “Space is now a potential battle zone…the Air Force wants to ensure ‘space superiority’ which he says means “freedom from attack and freedom to maneuver.”
To face this challenge, some countries have established dedicated “Space commands” structured in their Strategic defense commands. A Space command manages the Cyberspace threats and works with other entities of the Strategic Command to develop offensive and defensive strategies to mitigate such threats. A basic difference can be identified between a Space command and a space force. The space command develops space systems for cyber warfare, establishes coordination between the conventional and non-conventional armed commands to meet all requirements of modern dimensions of warfare. It does not necessarily develop space weapons for warfare in space (yes literally in space!). Whereas a Space force is a dedicated force that consists of personnel, technology, and weapons to be functional in space warfare. A Space force is structured under the Space command and serves as a specialized branch for space warfare. Long-range missiles (ICBMs-Inter Continental Ballistic missiles) already travel in space as a part of their journey to the target. These types of missiles, space, and cyber systems are already operated by the Space Command so feasible to structure the space force under the space command.
The biggest example of a dedicated space force is the “US Space Force”. It is the world’s first and currently only independent space force. Its personnel are mostly raised from the USAF to serve in this space service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Presently, the following countries have officially declared to constitute a space force. Among these, only the US has officially announced its space force to be an independent entity under the US Space command (a separate force). Each country has structured its Space commands/forces best suited to the structure of its armed forces. We have listed these space forces in terms of the declared number of personnel.
Space forces of different countries
These Aerospace/Space forces are responsible for highly sophisticated technological developments to tackle cyber, space, and electronic warfare. They also perform threat and risk detection, assessments, and mitigation planning in the aerospace domain to protect the assets and interests of their respective countries in air and space.
Many other countries that have functional and profitable space programs also have designated space commands but none of them have declared to have a space force to date. These countries include Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, India, Brazil, Korea, and Peru.
Future scenario: Weaponization of Space
The present space technologies and primitive space weapons give us a good idea of what might be the future of space weaponization. The future (perhaps not so distant) will see more countries entering space and joining suitable “Space alliances” as partners in technology and profit sharing, along with being “space forces” for mutual security in Space.
Every military/force needs weapons. Space forces will be equipped with a large range of Space weapons with cutting-edge technology. Presently, there are many types of weapons under development. Although most of these are highly covert projects whose details are not publicly available. However, the basic operational capabilities are based on present space technologies so it is possible to understand their application. Here are some examples of possible types of Space weapons based on presently known technology:
Types of Space Weapons
As space warfare is an integral dimension to warfare as a whole, so it is governed by the general theory of war as developed in the classics, especially “Clausewitz’s On War” and Sun-Tzu’s “Art of War”. No matter how unfamiliar the military technologies or strange the environment, warfare is still warfare!
Space theorist Everett C. Dolman predicted that “the future lanes of commerce and military lines of communications in space will be the Hohmann transfer orbits between stable spaceports”.
This signifies the critical importance of space weapons that can affect the economy and military of any country. Here we look at some of the most advanced space weapons that have been developed completely or partially to date.
Cyber Warfare
In today’s era of satellites, satellites are no longer just a source to transmit television signals or perform reconnaissance missions! Satellite technology has come a long way during the past couple of decades. The emergence of commercial space companies has cut down the cost of satellite development and launch. Similarly, there has been a rapid advancement in satellite technologies as well. With satellite internet being in the test phase and more countries adopting cyberspace to develop their “integrated warfare systems”. So in a modern warfare scenario on Earth where GPS, BEIDOU satellite systems are pivotal for military communications, whoever has the command on cyberspace and information, easily wins the war before it even starts on Earth! This is the reason why many countries have designated cyber commands in their strategic defense commands. A military force that is blind in cyberspace can be easily crippled to fight on Earth by an adversary that has advanced cyber power.
Electroinic, Electro-magnetic weapons
Advancements in electronics are a major catalyst in all modern weapons. Drones, satellites, Rail-Guns are all good examples of the use of electronic and electro-magnetic technologies in warfare. In space as well, these technologies have played an important role to enhance the impacts of space warfare. One good example is Electro-Magnetic pulse weapons. The deployment of such weapons in space can pose a serious threat to the enemy’s electronic infrastructure on earth, satellites, spacecraft (human or non-human), and even other space weapons. These weapons can cripple enemy electronic systems (on earth and in space) by firing an electromagnetic pulse on their target. Just imagine such an “EMP bomb” attack on a modern city, all infrastructure that is totally operational on electronics will fail to cause mass chaos. Even worse, all military equipment (fighter jets, ground defense systems, etc.) will be taken out of the equation within seconds and the war can be won without firing a single bullet!
Killer Satellites
Russia, United States, China, and India have all tested the “anti-satellite” technology. Even though this technology creates a mass of space junk that can be harmful to an attacking satellite itself, so many “Killer satellites” are self-destructive in the sense that they are built to serve this single purpose. A killer satellite can be mounted with small warheads, types of lasers, jamming technology, or physical collision techniques to destroy an enemy satellite. The target satellite can be any type of satellite i.e communications satellite, reconnaissance satellite, etc.
Re-entry missiles/Objects for terrestrial bombing
The idea of keeping Nuclear warheads in Earth’s orbit isn’t a new one. The US and Russia have pondered on this option for a long time but certain International treaties prohibit them to carry out such an act. A good substitute weapon for an equivalent (or even more) impactful catastrophe is a heavy Tungsten rod placed in orbit and dropped to impact the target location with a great powerful impact. Such weapons are dubbed as “Rods from God”. These weapons can hit their targets on Earth with an equivalence of the impact of a powerful ICBM but without any radiation! An excellent example is the US Air force’s project “Project Thor”. Have a look at this video to understand the most lethal Non-Nuclear weapon possessed by the US:
Project Thor: US’s Most lethal Non-nuclear Weapon!
Conclusion
“There was never a territory in human history that someone didn’t think they could own or make money out of. And that goes for outer space as well…”-David Barnett, 2015
To be realistic, the possibility of space warfare is not an immediate threat. But the course of the advancement of space technology, human space travel, space exploration for precious minerals predicts a near-future of conflict and warfare in the complicated domain of space. Hence spacepower of any nation establishes its dominion over future energy resources and its dominance in modern warfare.
USEFUL READS:
“War in Space: The science and technology behind our next Theater of Conflict”, Linda Dawson, Springer Praxis Books, 2019.
Bambi had been living with her deer family for ages in the forest. They were free to roam about and eat grass whenever they pleased. Their fellow squirrels, insects, frogs, lizards, cats, and other animals were also seen freely prancing around, enjoying the peace and freedom of their home forest.
One day a human camouflaged in the same-colored dress as the soil and trees were seen with a shiny metal tube in his hand. Bambi and her family were frightened and disturbed. They ran away from the mysterious human lurking in the undergrowth. Bambi had encountered a human for the first time.
It was not long before there were humans almost behind every tree or plantation in the forest. The news that a military camp was being set up in the outskirts of the forest spread like wildfire across the animals. The wise Mr. Chimpanzee had spread the news, and almost everybody knew he was always right.
The humans had started cutting a few of the trees, and many of the birds and other animals and insects that nestled there had been snatched from their homes. Some of the birds and deer had even been hunted and killed by the mysterious men clad in green, roasted on the fire, and gobbled up by them. The men had set up tents, huge bags of cloth, onto the ground at certain points in the forest, and they patrolled through almost every pathway, cutting trees and trampling upon everything. Mr. Chimpanzee spied on them and reported that they were preparing to attack the nearby village of humans with those absurd-looking metallic tubes and other similar things he could not identify.
Panic spread among the animals. That would mean more cutting of trees, more killing of animals, and even fire and destruction. Many years ago, they had heard from their animal ancestors; the humans had attacked this land where the forest was. All the trees had almost been cut; animals had died of hunger; some had even suffered the bullets and arrows the humans threw at each other and died in pain on this very forest floor.
Although there had been a state of pandemonium for several days, the humans had left after a few weeks, and the forest land had healed itself over a period of some lengthy years.
Fear filled the heart of every animal in the forest, including Bambi and her deer family, and they had no idea how to cope with the impending doom.
Animal victims of war
To our great remorse, wars and conflicts indeed result in mass devastation. And most of the time, the victims are innocent and have no role in the events going on. One of these unimpeachable sufferers is the wildlife of the area.
Whether plants, forests, crops or vegetation, or animals, both face consequences of loss and destruction that were surely not meant for them. When we talk about the invasion of enemy lands in war, it usually means destroying land and crops. While this is done to weaken the enemy, it is totally forgotten that other life forms are inhabiting the lands, and they should be spared the consequences of human enmity.
To begin with, we should start with the animals which are chosen for services during the war. Soldiers often travel or fight on horses, mules, oxen, bullocks, and elephants in the army. Camels come in handy if the war is taking place in a desert area. Animals are used to carry the soldiers, the food or water supply, and the extra weapons of the army. The cavalry is a crucial part of the army for long-term expeditions.
Pigeons and owls are employed to carry messages between the armies. Dogs are an important part of the military due to their ability to track down enemies and underground bombs and guard their human owners and later dig out victims. It is estimated that about 16 million animals served in the First World War! Another unique example of animals in war is glowworms at nighttime during World War 1 for illumination to read maps and official documents.
Animals are used in military research for the testing of weapons and the impact of injuries as well. For this purpose, pigs, sheep, rodents, rabbits, and primates are used. To check the safety and efficacy of the weapons developed, laboratory testing on these animals is done, and the toxicity of the weapon is evaluated.
Wildlife
Animals and plants living out in the jungles, savannahs, oceans, seas, and other landscapes aren’t exactly directly affected most of the time. It works this way that war and fighting cause the demolition of the environment. Air, water, and land pollution are inevitable. This causes stress on the resources; thus, wildlife perishes. Wildlife is dependent on food, clean water, air, habitat, deforestation, usage of wild plants, and water as food for the soldiers fighting poses competition for the animals. In such circumstances, wildlife survival becomes a challenge, and many animal populations die.
War and fighting cause the demolition of the environment
Zoos
Zoos and conservation sites are meant to be recreational spots for the public. They are for observation, learning, and interacting to some extent with the animals present. In times of war and conflict, such areas are completely neglected, and a state of peril ensues. Animals are either released and used to divert or distract enemy combatants in the conflict zones. They eventually starve, get injured, are killed, or recaptured and put back into the zoo. Basically, they suffer one way or the other.
Livestock
In times of war, activities like farming come to a halt. Livestock cannot be fed and taken care of properly. They are over-worked, killed, or become prey to disease and die off.
Working animals
These are animals that transport people, food, water, and other supplies. Although they are helpful in times of war, they also need provisions and care. Horses, mules, and donkeys come under this category mostly. A pressure for resources and hospitality arises due to increased prisoners and refugees as well. Most animals are killed or die off themselves.
Companion animals
Pets face abandonment or extreme starvation at times of war. They become refugees or are killed in the chaos of war.
To give you an idea of how many animals suffer, it is worth mentioning that many species often go into extinction or become endangered in times of war and many years after.
Can animals ‘feel’ pain and loss?
Yes, of course, they do! They are living creatures with a brain, a nervous system, and perceive, react and coordinate. Animals and living forms of all kinds react to stimuli in their environments. Sensitivity and adaptability are the basic characteristics of life.
Coming to the fact whether animals feel pain and emotions just like humans is worth discussing. Humans undergo a series of emotions like happiness, sadness, worry, anger, etc. As far as mammals are concerned, they do have feelings just like we do. Elephants actually shed tears and stay depressed for days after they have lost a family member. Similarly, a mother cat wails in sorrow for days after she loses a kitten.
Animals are expressive of their feelings. For example, their facial features droop, their eyes well up, and they generally become less interactive.
If we come to smaller animals like reptiles or insects, they feel pain when squatted by us or sprayed and writhing. But their pain does not have a cognitive or emotional perspective like ours. Research has also further confirmed that reptiles are also capable of emotional states like pain, stress, suffering, excitement, fear, frustration, etc.
Of course, all these living things do not have the capacity to express their emotions as we do, but we should stop considering them as some robotic machine or useless life form.
NGOs working for animal protection rights
The most popular one in Pakistan is Todd’s Welfare Society. It was established in 2016 in Lahore, and it offers its services to injured, abandoned, and neglected animals in the city. Kiran Maheen is the founder of this organization, and she established it after she witnessed a dog’s heartless murder by a group of guards. She has named her NGO after her own pet dog, Toddy.
The vision of this NGO is to protect stray animals and aware the public as well. The main services offered are animal rescue, animal relocation, animal aid, foster care, and adoptions and awareness programs.
Another popular NGO is PAWS, Pakistan Animal Welfare Society. It was found in 2004 and is in Karachi. It aims to educate people to be kind and responsible towards animals and take care of the natural environment. PAWS carries out animal rescues, adoptions, and treatments.
Talking on an international level, almost every country now has several NGOs and animal activists spreading awareness against animal protection rights and welfare. In the US, one of these is the American Pet Association, which was established in Georgia in 1991. Its main goal has been to establish pet-friendly communities.
Another such organization in the UK is the Born Free Foundation, which strives to collect charity to support animals in the wild. There are hundreds of other such projects worldwide.
References:
How animals are harmed by armed conflicts and military activities, ceobs.org
Pain in animals
The surprisingly humanlike ways animals feel pain, Liz Langley, National Geographic
Yes, animals think and feel. Here’s how we know. Simon Worrall, National Geographic
Do insects feel pain? Dr Shelly Adamo, Dalhousie University
A review of the scientific literature for evidence of reptile sentience- NCBI
The term “National Security” implies the safety of a nation against terrorism or war. It is defined as the national defense to protect the economy, the inhabitants of a country, and its institutions. Similarly, “Climate change” relates to the cardinal undulations in the climate, its repercussions on the economy, and the lifestyle of people. The effect of climate change on national security is the one we cannot immediately relate to. This article will focus on the implications and the threats that climatic changes constitute to national security.
“Climate change constitutes a serious threat to global security, an immediate risk to our national security, and, make no mistake; it will impact how our military defends our country.”
– Barack Obama
Surprisingly, the national security of several countries has been jeopardized due to the natural disasters fueled by climatic changes. Increasing sea levels in Southeast Asia have intensified the refugee crises, the droughts stirred up the Syrian Civil war (2011), the swift surge in the water volume in the Artic made it a hub for the world powers to compete for water transport facilities and transport routes. Attention must be streamlined over this domain which can potentially wipe out the well-oiled functioning of a nation.
Implications of Climate Change on National Security
Risk at Coastal areas
Food Insecurity
Water Crises
Transportation Issues
Threat to Military and Defense setups
Risk to coastal areas
Extreme weather fluctuations pave the path for unexpected natural disasters encompassing floods, tsunamis, droughts, etc. The elevation of average daily temperatures contributes to global warming and the rapid melting of frozen water bodies.
This elevation of water volume beyond the capacity of water-storing bodies causes floods and storm surges. Such events are a menace as they derange the ongoing operations at naval bases, affecting telecommunications, cease the imports and exports, including military goods, and can cause the delay in the schedule of training institutions.
Hurricane Sandy is one true example of the devastation natural disasters pose on National Security. Else known as Superstorm Sandy or Post-Tropical cyclone Sandy, Hurricane Sandy ransacked the US mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states in October 2012. Marked as one of the worst disasters ever witnessed in US history, Hurricane Sandy spawned more than 20000 household displacements, several causalities, and substantial financial losses.
Hurricane Sandy (2012)
The reverberations of these natural disasters result in a hefty sum of money on providing aid to victims and repair costs. This creates an internal state of urgency in the country, often leading to migrations disrupting the setup of people and topology of the country.
Food Insecurity
The alteration in the patterns of climate change affects the growth and harvest period of food crops, often leading to a lack of profitable output growth or crop damage. Temperature, rainfall, humidity, and soil quality are prime factors determining crop production. Lack of food supplies to feed the affected population and others across the country leads to a major food crisis.
Internal and external security of any nation facing food security crises is at stake as there is less nutrition received by those working in the country’s defense sector. If the military is not well fed, it negatively impacts their ability to carry out their duties: protecting the country constructively. A weak army makes the country prone to additional hazards.
Lack of food supplies to feed the affected population and others across the country leads to a major food crisis.
Africa embodied as one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change, experiences events of food insecurity from time to time. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) stated that by 2080, the agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa would depreciate from 21% to 9%.
Climate change will broaden the gap between food production, distribution, and consumption according to the population. Global warming is one of the chief candidates playing its role in escalating the severity of food crises in Africa. The Statistical Review of World Energy 2016 predicts global warming to pose detrimental effects on food security, putting almost 5 million to 170 million hungry lives at stake by 2080.
Moreover, it undermines a country’s solidarity as people fight for their survival daily. Such a scenario leads to a shortfall of attention and zeal towards other system areas, including military, education, and economic development.
Water Crises
At first glance, water crises seem unrelated to National security, but there is a deep connection between both. According to the prognosis of the US Intelligence community, by 2030, approximately 1/3rd of the world’s population will reside near water basins where “water deficit will be larger than 50%”. Soaring daily temperatures and scarring ozone layer end up with rapid melting of frozen water bodies, disturbing the water cycle thus leading to floods.
A dearth of fresh, clean water or excess unclean water are challenges for any country. Droughts play a vital role in severing the water scarcity crises. Drylands or series of droughts automatically raise the demand for water supply.
National water security framework
Water bodies are connected or shared between different countries. Political incompatibilities, unhealthy competition in business and economic growth, or instincts of revenge and enmity for past events can be detrimental to National Security.
A great example is the famous Indus Waters crisis that led to the “Indus Waters Treaty,” which aimed to diffuse the tension over the water access between Pakistan and India. Post-1947 partition, when there was a topographical division between India and Pakistan, India got control over the upstream barrages, whose water later entered Pakistan.
There were disputes over the Indus River water distribution between both countries as India stopped water flow into Pakistan. For a newly established country, such a water crisis was a massive setback for the government. A treaty, known as the “Indus Waters Treaty, 1960,” was signed between Pakistan and India to solve the issue. One of the terms of this treaty gave Pakistan control over the western rivers, The Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, while India got their hands on the eastern tributaries, the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas.
With an exponentially rising population, the ample use of water in routine life, the consequences of these water crises can lead to geopolitical instability, population migration, and territorial segregation, all of which are vicious for national security.
Transportation Issues
The transport infrastructure of a given region is built keeping in mind the weather pattern of the area. The nature of weather markedly influences the longevity and construction of the transportation routes. For instance, extremely humid and warm weather can delay railway tracks, bridges, or roads.
Continuous snowfall or floods can weaken the base of bridges, make roads less usable, and potentially halt regular activities. Furthermore, vandalization of transport routes, the repair costs, and the repair time is an additional strain on the country’s finances and resources.
Tropical Storm Irene damaged 2,000 roads, 1,000 culverts, and 200 miles of rail, and closed 200 bridges in Vermont in 2011. Source: USGCRP (2014)
Climatic shifts, primarily an increase in the temperature at Earth’s core, cause the tectonic plates to move. This movement results in earthquakes bring along several losses. The 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, the deadliest one ever recorded, took the lives of 185 people accompanied by huge infrastructure damages. Although the magnitude of this earthquake was 6.2, it still poses significant damage as it hit directly underneath the city.
The copious amount of damage earthquakes and other natural disasters bring along takes months to restore. Destruction of transport routes makes it difficult for medical teams to reach the affected area and provide medical attention to the victims. Delivery of food, sanitation facilities, raw construction materials, and machinery gets strenuous.
But is National Security threatened by transportation issues? Yes! Poor transport infrastructure makes access to remote areas difficult. Quick access to the most isolated areas is a necessity and is a crucial aspect of counter-terrorism. Transport of military, freight, artillery on an immediate basis is also a must for national security.
Moreover, failure to secure the transport routes provides a gateway for illegal activities (extortion, kidnapping, smuggling), which pose a considerable risk to the country’s security. In addition to this, the use of transportation assets to carry out terrorist attacks is a matter of concern.
Threat to military and defense setups
When an episode of natural disaster hits a region, the National defense department is all hands-on to provide immediate relief. Such action requires a handsome amount of funding accompanied by resources. However, if the frequency of such natural disasters accelerates, the defense department is impaired from executing its duties efficiently.
Their focus is diverted from the primary National security missions to providing immediate interstate sustenance. Such shift of attention threatens National Security and poses additional underlying concerns.
Furthermore, the aftermath of natural disasters severely hampers the functioning of the National defense training institutions.
The ability to complete missions, maintenance checks, and necessary installations is troubled. The unannounced natural disasters affect the preplanned tasks resulting in an overall delay. Moreover, the financial losses are enormous. A great example of such a catastrophe is Hurricane Michael 2019, which contributed billions of dollars to Tyndall Air Force Base and $450 million worth of damage to the Pensacola base in 2020.
Is there a way out?
When it comes to national security, taking immediate action to strengthen it is the priority of any nation. Although climate change has been one of the grave issues this planet experiences, its impact on national security intensifies its danger. Government must draft an action plan, providing the defense and military departments with regular updates and reports about climate change so that activities are executed according to it. Furthermore, the transport department must construct the transport routes after in-depth study about the area and the type of weather the area is most prone to.
Framing down laws, rules, and regulations is meaningless unless there is proper implementation without corruption. To ensure the country’s safety, there should be internal and external security to eradicate terrorism. The role of the general population is paramount in ensuring national security. Efforts should be made to minimize the use of fossil fuels, the emission of greenhouse gases and promote environmentally friendly materials to curtail climatic shifts.
Climate change is not restricted to environmental protection; it’s about national security as well!
Biological weapons, termed as bioweapons or biological threat agents, are living organisms or replicating entities such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins deliberately produced and released to cause disease or death in humans, plants, or animals. Bioweapon is cheaper than high-tech equipment and armor and can easily attack the target, usually unseen. This weapon can be used to gain strategic advantages over the enemy either through threats or their actual deployment. However, their harms outweigh their benefits, due to which their use has been strictly prohibited globally.
Evidence lists several wars in history deploying biological weapons. Photo Massive Science
An overview of the history of Bioterrorism
Bioterrorism is when bioweapons are deliberately created by mutating the naturally existing bioagents or increasing their disease-causing capacity, or making them resistant to existing therapeutics with the intent of using them to destroy the enemy or their land. Several international pacts and treaties, including the customary international humanitarian law and the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), have essentially prohibited offensive biological warfare and have declared the use of biological agents in armed conflict as a war crime.3-5 This prohibition came as a consequence of the “not so pleasant” history of using biological weapons in the past.
Evidence lists several wars in history deploying biological weapons. An example as early as the 1300s, in the Mongolian era, tells us about the death of many Mongol soldiers at the hands of the plague. Which is consequently believed by the researchers to have been the cause behind the Black Death plague in Europe, killing nearly 25 million Europeans.6-9 Another early example of the deployment of bioweapons comes from 1763, where the British soldiers attempted to spread smallpox against the Native Americans by giving them blankets borrowed from the hospitals having patients with smallpox.
Although this was an indirect move, the intent was clear of using smallpox as a bioweapon.10 A couple of bioweapons, including anthrax spores, brucellosis, and botulism toxins, were being prepared to be used in World War II; however, fortunately, the war ended before their utilization, or perhaps if utilized, the documentation was destroyed to remove any form of record.11 Bioweapons, although easy and cheaper to produce in comparison to armor, are not as simple as they appear. They can be unpredictable and out of control when used on a battlefield, and there’s a fair chance of both parties being affected. Once gotten out of hand, it can be extremely difficult or even impossible to end a bio-war, leading to strict prohibitions of deployment of any bioweapons anywhere in the world.
The conspiracy believers suspect that the “bat coronavirus” has been genetically engineered to cause the disease in humans with an increased infectivity rate.
COVID-19; a pandemic or bio-war
The Lab-leak theory
Jumping onto recent times, the most crucial and acute issue globally is the current SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) pandemic, sweeping through the world since November 2019. A great deal of conspiracies has surrounded this current COVID-19 pandemic, causing suspicion on the virus’s origin, portraying it to be an attempt of bioterrorism or a biowarfare experiment gone wrong rather than a mere disease outbreak. The most heated conspiracy theory regarding this pandemic calls this virus a “bioweapon” designed in a Chinese lab.
This speculation parallels the co-incidence of a highly sensitive gain-of-function lab in Wuhan (Wuhan Institute of Virology). China is located close to the wet market from where the SARS-CoV2 has been allegedly transferred into humans.13 Gain-of-function research (GoFR) is a form of medical research where an organism or a gene is modified under lab conditions to gain a new function or enhance its existing function. Gain-of-function research carries inherent threats to biosafety and security and is referred to as dual-use research of concern (DURC).14,15
Hence, the presence of this advanced virology lab in Wuhan that was already known to be studying coronaviruses in bats fed these accusations of China’s intentional release of a more virulent form of the existing coronavirus into the humans. The conspiracy believers suspect that the “bat coronavirus” has been genetically engineered to cause the disease in humans with an increased infectivity rate.13
To investigate this, a team of experts had arrived in Wuhan earlier this year and had stayed there for 12 days investigating and looking into every possible detail. The report published by WHO following this visit completely dismissed this conspiracy and called for further research to identify the true origin of the virus. On the other hand, US officials and policymakers remained unsatisfied with the findings of this report.
Many prominent scientists also criticized these findings and demanded a more serious investigation into the lab-leak issue. Believers of the “lab-leak” theory have a divided view; some think the virus was directly picked up from the lab, while others believe the virus had leaked from the lab and had reached the wet market where the early cases of it emerged.16 However, to date, the origin of the virus remains unclear, with a large number of scientists and investigators putting plenty of their efforts into getting all the answers.
Antidots against conspiracies. Photo CSS Blog
Differentiating a pandemic from a bio-war
It is noteworthy that multiple similarities exist between a natural viral pandemic and the deliberate release of bioweapons worldwide. Both have a similar effect of causing panic, frustration, and despair among the public and the healthcare workers, overwhelming the healthcare systems. However, it is worth acknowledging that not all disease outbreaks are a deliberate attempt of bioterrorism with history providing sufficient examples of naturally occurring pandemics like the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (2015-ongoing), Severe acute respiratory syndrome (2002-2003), Hong Kong Flu (1968-1970) and the list goes on dating back to millions of years.17
Hence, epidemiological indicators need to be closely monitored to distinguish a pandemic from a deliberate bioweapon attack. It is important to monitor any unusual pattern in the geographic distribution of the disease or its behavioral differences in certain age groups of people, for example, the outbreak of influenza during the months of winter in most parts of the world is normal, but the spread of pulmonary anthrax in the Eastern Coast of US is alarming.
Hence, a significant number of healthcare experts and scientists advocate that there are no unusual epidemiological indicators about the current COVID-19 pandemic as the coronaviruses commonly occur in winters, just like they did in November 2019 in China. Moreover, it is believed to be very likely that SARS CoV-2 evolved from horseshoe bats that are abundantly consumed in China as part of their culture, causing the transfer of the virus from bats into humans, possibly marking the beginning of this pandemic rather than any offensive political move or an attempt of bio-war.18,19
Conclusion:
Bioterrorism or biowarfare is an extensive topic, and it was beyond the scope of this article to touch upon all of its aspects in detail. However, an utmost effort was made to succinctly summarize the key areas of this vast topic, giving a broad overview of the history of bioterrorism and, most importantly, touching upon its COVID-19 conspiracy theories. It is clear from the given arguments that bioweapons are cheaper and easier to develop than other forms of war equipment.
However, their relative characteristics of easily going out of control and the dread of being unable to put an end to a bio-war have resulted in the strict prohibition of the use of any bioweapons globally. It is important to note that there is a fine line between “defensive” and “offensive” biological research, and there are ongoing debates globally. Committees are being formed to strictly ensure that no offensive biological research is being carried out worldwide.
^ Customary Internal Humanitarian Law, Vol. II: Practice, Part 1 (eds. Jean-Marie Henckaerts & Louise Doswald-Beck: Cambridge University Press, 2005), pp. 1607–10.
^ Andrew G. Robertson, and Laura J. Robertson. “From asps to allegations: biological warfare in history,” Military medicine (1995) 160#8 pp: 369-373.
^ Rakibul Hasan, “Biological Weapons: covert threats to Global Health Security.” Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (2014) 2#9 p 38. onlineArchived 17 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine
Ranlet, P (2000). “The British, the Indians, and smallpox: what actually happened at Fort Pitt in 1763?”. Pennsylvania History. 67 (3): 427–441. PMID17216901.
Kaszeta D. Perspective | no, the coronavirus is not a biological weapon [Internet]. The Washington Post. WP Company; 2020. Available from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/04/26/no-coronavirus-is-not-biological-weapon/
