Contestation on the Strategic Relevance of Amphibious Warfare in ASEAN: Discourse Analysis of Defense Strategies and Evolving Security Doctrines in the ASEAN Regional Security Architecture

Abstract

This study investigates the strategic articulation, constructed relevance, and historical foundations of amphibious warfare within ASEAN’s evolving security discourse, particularly in the context of maritime disputes in the South China Sea. The researcher examined defense documents, official communications, strategic narratives, defense journal and academic articles among ASEAN member states including Timor-Leste and identified varying degrees of doctrinal emphasis and operational integration of amphibious capabilities.

The first part of the study explores how amphibious warfare is formally articulated in national policies and military modernization programs, revealing a spectrum from explicit doctrine to implicit functional adoption and the articulated value to their respective defense strategies.

The second section analyzes how the relevance of amphibious operations is constructed within ASEAN’s broader security dynamics, highlighting how such capabilities are framed not as instruments of aggression but as flexible tools for sovereignty assertion, deterrence, disaster response, and regional cooperation, particularly amidst Chinese maritime assertiveness.

The final section examines privileged themes emerging from historical and contemporary practices, including strategic geography, dual-use functionality, and symbolic contestation, underscoring how amphibious warfare informs and reflects the competing strategic priorities across the region. Amphibious capabilities are increasingly regarded as essential for states managing the intersection of national defense, ASEAN principles, and the evolving Indo-Pacific security landscape. This study draws on primary documents, defense white papers, and doctrinal texts to examine how regional states justify, define, and implement these capabilities. Rather than being framed solely as tools for deterrence or military power projection, amphibious forces are often presented as adaptable assets suited for humanitarian missions, maritime security, and regional cooperation.

Although ASEAN members operate within a shared normative structure under the Political-Security Community, their approaches to amphibious warfare vary significantly. These differences reflect not only distinct national security priorities but also broader geopolitical pressures, particularly those related to the South China Sea.

Strategic narratives and doctrinal developments reveal how national interests can both align with and diverge from ASEAN’s broader goals of regional stability. The study also explores how external partnerships, especially with the United States and China, influence the perception and development of amphibious capabilities. While these forces remain vital to the military strategies of several ASEAN countries, their future strategic relevance will hinge on whether they support collective regional efforts or contribute to emerging rivalries.