Floating fortresses: US Navy will convert oil rigs into mobile military bases

NEW DELHI: The US Navy has embarked on an innovative but controversial project to transform its surplus resources oil platform in mobile missile defense and supply bases in response to escalating missile threats in the Pacific, particularly from China. This initiative, developed by Gibbs & Cox, a Leidos-based company, was unveiled at the Sea Air Space 2024 expo in Washington DC. The Mobile Defense/Depot Platform (MODEP) concept is designed to transform oil platforms into large floating island bases that can operate independently for more than 12 months, positioned at an ideal distance from the coast.
The converted platforms will potentially play a dual role in improving U.S. air defense capabilities or aiding strike missions, with the capacity to hold up to 512 vertical launch system (VLS) cells or 100 large rocket launchers. According to Naval News, this capacity is approximately five times that of an existing Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.
Outlining the strategic importance of these floating bases, Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari, a US Navy official, noted: “The platforms could potentially lead to a substantial reduction in the risks and costs associated with land-based defense systems.”
The concept also includes plans for these mobile platforms to support the US Navy’s surface combatants and nuclear submarines through an Afloat Forward Staging Base configuration, providing a cost-effective solution at just 10% of the price of a new-build Ballistic Missile Defense System. (BMD) system.
However, the feasibility of such floating bases has been a subject of debate. In 2018, experts Jose Delgado and Eviya Vitola discussed the political and security challenges of creating semi-permanent offshore military bases, noting their high cost, vulnerability to missile attack, and relative ineffectiveness compared to conventional capabilities.
More recently, Sam Tangredi of the Foreign Policy Research Institute highlighted the strategic benefits of sea bases, including improved joint command capabilities and rapid strike potential. Tangredi also wondered whether new technologies at sea could keep pace with evolving threats against access/area denial (A2/AD). remains uncertain.
This ambitious project reflects a shift in military strategy as the US adapts to new geopolitical realities and technological advances in warfare, with the aim of effectively bridging the gap between naval and land-based BMD capabilities.