Doctrinal solutions of using the river flotilla in emergencies

Abstract

The main purpose of the Serbian Armed Forces is to defend the country against external armed threat, as it is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia. However, ever more frequent occurrences of natural disasters require active use of the Serbian Armed Forces, in addition to usual forces, to provide assistance to civil authorities in joint struggle against the devastating consequences of strong earthquakes, massive floods, drought, and snowfall. An important place in the third mission of the Serbian Armed Forces, especially when it comes to providing the assistance to civil authorities in the event of major floods, is taken by the River Flotilla with all its human, material and organizational resources. The River Flotilla, as an integral part of the Serbian Armed Forces, successfully performed the tasks of rescue and protection of people, material goods and the environment during the former declared states of emergencies in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. However, the lessons learned indicate the need for further development of operational capabilities that are used in performing the non-combat operations – the support of civil authorities in countering the security threats. The improvement and building of operational capabilities can be planned through the factors of development, namely: doctrine, organization, training, equipping and funding of the River Flotilla.

Keywords

• river flotilla
• emergency situation
• doctrine
• training
• equipping and funding