A nation’s security surplus status is the real measure of the credentials of a great power. From a maritime perspective, this power surplus contributes to burden sharing towards protection of global public material and the oceanic commons to achieve firstly, freedom of navigation and safety at sea; secondly, promote regional stability through an open and participative security architecture; thirdly, proactively alleviate suffering during disasters in the littorals and, finally a constabulary capacity to maintain order at sea for the common good. Whilst ships, submarines and aircraft are all qualified in some way or the other for fulfilling the above missions, each of these platforms are limited by some capability gap or the other. In addition, vulnerabilities of assets to attack by enemy forces or by natural forces pose a real problem to timely and opportune deployment in crisis.
Then imagine a situation where deployment is not impaired by enemy action or natural elements. Imagine an asset that is deployed over the entire expanse of the earth–be it earth, water or aerospace. Imagine delivering several tonnes of food and provisions, spares and even repair expertise to a fleet at sea or a unit ashore in the hinterland combating terror or for troops engaged in HADR missions with equal dexterity. Imagine evacuating patients from isolated islands or ships at sea or offshore platforms with equal ease.

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