Arsalan Bey Effendi, InshaAllah there remains always venues for cooperation b/w Pak and Turkey.
As for Altay, this is just the beginning with the first product in this category. Once the machine of Zeka gets moving, new wonders are on the way. We can't ask a Na-Baleg kid to start a family, it takes time...
SO TRUE!!
There are SO many other venues of mutual cooperation. If things are kept on right track, we may see a new tank developed that suites our needs better and serves you well too. There is an other option, one that i have been insisting on, the integration of sub-systems (that will serve us best for now). Plus this do not ends with tanks, there are the ATGM that we would love to acquire from Turkey. There are radars/avionics upgrades, we can work on IFVs, UAV, there are SO MANY things. All i want to say is that there wont be much regarding ALTAY, or the frigate of the 5th generation plane for now. For these things we have traditionally looked towards China and if you or anyone else understand international alliances and relations, it is not difficult to comprehend that we wont just wake up one day and choose the Turkish frigate over Type 54 or Turkish 5th generation over J31. This will be a slow process, start small, build on that, set goals that benifit both, develop mutual interests and work for that together, increase partnership gradually. You and I both know that Pak-Turk friendship will evolve to a new level, some day, we will be close strategic allies but will need to work on that gradually. (I am not undermining our current relations, for me, the sad truth is that only China and Turkey are two true friends we are left with in the whole world)
My comment was not specifically for ALTAY but in general i.e for any product bought from Turkey.
I did specified who thing MAY work out, what other systems we MIGHT procure or will be interested in.
Pakistan's requirement is of 55-60 ton tank so that it can be used for all fields. Though Pakistan is also looking for a light weight and smaller tank (size) that can be used for the Western and mountainous regions. Chinese did offer one in this regards...
Sorry, but it is not true at all.
The immediate requirement is to get an air defence systems hence various systems would soon be evaluated including the Turkish and Italian.
We are already overdue on this. We have been talking here on PDF about SAM requirement since 2007, God knows how long before that this problem existed. I hope there is an evaluation and the best system is selected. However understand this, in some of the front line systems, we have China as our key partner. Things wont change over night and preferences wont be given to other systems so easily over Chinese ones, specially if they are as good as the others, even better. We have Chinese SAMs in service, radars and command and control setup is in place. I seriously doubt any advantage that HISAR will have over the HQ SAMS so do not understand what Pakistan will reject a Chinese system and chose a Turkish one. What i can analyze is that with Chinese systems in service, we will only valid on that and procure various versions to complete the ground bases air defense umbrella. Then for key points and to offer variation (different quality) we have SPADA at med-low level, that is an Italian systems. IF WE HAVE MONEY and NEED after the Chinese setup is done, the next logical option will be ASTER.
The Turk's are trying to sell ALTAY to the Arab Armies hence they are tying to get Pakistan to join their efforts and to use their good relations.
