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The respected military journal, Jane’s Defence Weekly (JDW) has revealed that Pakistan is operating its own fleet of drones. JDW quotes air chief marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed saying the drones would be used in “live operations” this year.
JDW says the drones are produced by the Selex-Galileo consortium and that Pakistan has ordered five of their “Falco” systems, each consisting of four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) one spare and one Ground Control System (GCS.) At least eight of the UAVs are already in “intensive” operational use, JDW says.
Unlike the U.S. Predator and Reaper drones, the Falcos do not carry weapons, but act as both reconnaissance vehicles and as combat surveillance. The magazine quoted a source describing the two missions:
Surveillance means identifying and tracking critical targets like convoys or “terrorist establishments.” In hunter operations the Falco goes out looking for targets, identifies them and relays their position to the command and control centre, where priority-one targets are allocated for attack by fast jets
.
Pakistan uses U.S.-built F-16 jet fighters, and is currently working on a joint project with China for a new fighter. JDW went on to say:
The sensor system is world beating and can identify an individual person from the appropriate altitude… When the attack is inbound the Falco will climb and loiter at a higher altitude. It can provide a real time view of the attack, although that’s over in seconds, and then do an immediate damage assessment.
The source told Jane’s:
I have witnessed several of these operations. It’s not being done on paper; these are real missions.
The European-based consortium has no current plans for arming the 420-kilogram UAV, although the JDW article does not rule out future developments.
JDW says the drones are produced by the Selex-Galileo consortium and that Pakistan has ordered five of their “Falco” systems, each consisting of four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) one spare and one Ground Control System (GCS.) At least eight of the UAVs are already in “intensive” operational use, JDW says.
Unlike the U.S. Predator and Reaper drones, the Falcos do not carry weapons, but act as both reconnaissance vehicles and as combat surveillance. The magazine quoted a source describing the two missions:
Surveillance means identifying and tracking critical targets like convoys or “terrorist establishments.” In hunter operations the Falco goes out looking for targets, identifies them and relays their position to the command and control centre, where priority-one targets are allocated for attack by fast jets
.
Pakistan uses U.S.-built F-16 jet fighters, and is currently working on a joint project with China for a new fighter. JDW went on to say:
The sensor system is world beating and can identify an individual person from the appropriate altitude… When the attack is inbound the Falco will climb and loiter at a higher altitude. It can provide a real time view of the attack, although that’s over in seconds, and then do an immediate damage assessment.
The source told Jane’s:
I have witnessed several of these operations. It’s not being done on paper; these are real missions.
The European-based consortium has no current plans for arming the 420-kilogram UAV, although the JDW article does not rule out future developments.
