Search results

So, the future PAF is basically JF-17 NG (e.g., 4, 5, 6 etc) and a larger FGFA? If so, then it's well crafted -- implicit understanding that FGFAs may be tough to field in great numbers, need a proven and lower cost asset in concert.

This is where the US Senate or Congress committee grilling is useful. They put armed forces decision makers on the spot, and while a lot of the questions seem uninformed, they typically get the rot out in the air for someone competent to solve. I'm sure @MastanKhan will love to be on such a...

Well, not everyone who's against JH-7 or J-10 believes the F-16 Block-72 will come. Pakistan's macroeconomic picture is as clear as day, there are scarcely few dollars available. Full stop. It's a mathematical constraint, we can't import a nice new jet unless we have $1bn+ in hard dollars...

Currently, there's limited trust in Ukraine's net-new output. I don't know much else about HIT's plans right now. But as the PA keeps shelving current/previous plans, it'll need to keep revising future plans to accommodate for the capability debt left by shelving past plans.

umm...Oplot-P upgrade? @Signalian @Oscar

PAC itself doesn't know what's on its website.

You'd probably have to design a smaller airbreathing engine (ramjet or scramjet) to do it though, otherwise you'd heavily compromise the range and payload when miniaturizing a supersonic AShM. That's why India and Russia are basically designing a new missile in the BrahMos NG

too heavy.

Depleted airframe life, will probably need to remanufacture or zero-hour them.

These entities are viewed like armories that make weapons, not product development organizations. With Project Azm (and the jury is still out on it to be fair) the PAF created a new entity separate of PAC to spearhead the design work (AvDI and AvRID), ostensibly under engineers and not pencil...

Technically, you can just use the C-802A AShM as a LACM. Otherwise, you can use the Ra'ad's engine and flight control system, but develop a smaller/more compact airframe (i.e., resulting in less range and payload capacity) -- aka 'Ra'ad Lite.'

I think using cruise missiles to that effect had been the general hope in Pakistan, at least from an observer's standpoint. The net-benefit of cruise missiles is that you have a long-range attack asset that you can launch through any type of platform, so doubling down on that is a good idea...

Interesting concept, I'd only question scale, cost, and bang for the buck. A cruise missile uses a miniature air-breathing engine and a flight control system of some kind, those are very expensive. So, you're not going to use Delilah-like ALCM/LACMs for tanks and the like, rather, for high-value...

Yup, that's why for contested airspace, the PAF's approach (if it has one) will probably center on the JF-17. And even then, it might not come as close to the place as A-10. I think the preference now would be to use stand-off weapons (SOW) wherever possible. And the two SOWs we all have an...

Be it Hurkus or Bader, if there's a turboprop COIN plane in the pipeline, it'll probably be the same as the basic trainer platform (simplified logistics and maintenance). As for anti-armour ops, the only risk with using a slower turboprop aircraft is that it'd be susceptible to opposing fast...

If we're talking CAS for COIN/CT, then Turkish Aerospace's Hurkus can be an option. First, the Hurkus-A can work as a basic trainer (replacing the T-37), and the PAF (and/or PAA) can use the Hurkus-C with LGBs, PGBs, AGMs, etc for CAS. If we're talking about conventional ops CAS (vs armour...

We can preserve the Mirages even further if we add longer ranged conventional SOWs to the JF-17. So a Ra'ad Lite' ALCM (or just the Turkish SOM) and longer ranged versions of the REK (maybe add booster rockets?) would make the JF-17's conventional attack capability very potent. It'll also free...

The AH-1Z and ATAK were supposed to be a heavy/light combo. If the Zulus are coming, then working out a bypass over the US-Turkey standoff is possible. E.g., TAI can set up an assembly line at PAC for the ATAK, and PAC can buy the CTS-800 turboshaft directly from the US, and then fit the engine...

To be honest, it's hard to tell. The PN is great at keeping its cards close to its chest, and it has gotten into the great habit of underpromising and overdelivering. It turned a policing OPV from Damen into an AShM-capable corvette; it turned an ASW corvette from STM into a multi-mission...