Pakistan Wins Approval To Purchase Mi-35 Helo
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s attempts to acquire new helicopter gunships appear to be nearing success with news that a deal for
Mi-35 Hind helicopters has been approved.
Speaking to Radio Pakistan on Wednesday, Russia’s ambassador to Pakistan, Alexy Dedov, said the deal had been approved but political and commercial negotiations continued.
Pakistan has sought new helicopter gunships for the best part of a decade to
replace AH-1F Cobras, which have been fast wearing out due to the pace of operations against the
Pakistani Taliban(TTP) and its allies in and around the Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan.
Analyst Haris Khan of the Pakistan Military Consortium think tank said Pak-Russian ties have been growing closer and more defense deals are likely.
“Ever since former President Musharraf and President Putin developed a rapport, the Pak-Russo relationship has taken a mutually beneficial path. Recently, Russian Navy ships have docked at Karachi and both the navies have indulged in naval exercises. Both Russia and China have also actively supported Pakistan to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a full member,” Khan said.
“In the coming weeks, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu will be visiting Islamabad and more than likely the deal would be finalized. There is also a possibility of other military equipment that Pakistanis are interested in buying”, he added.
Similarly, Salma Malik, assistant professor in the Department of Defence & Strategic Studies, at Islamabad’s Quaid-i-Azam University, says there are political considerations that have come into play, and ultimately both sides benefit.
“This is not the first time Pakistan and Russia [formerly as the Soviet Union] have entered into high-level cooperation. Unfortunately like the past, this too is in the context of balancing relations vis a vis India. However, this time round the added dimension, which is positive for us, is the financial dividend and alternate military purchase option such a deal brings to both Russia and Pakistan, respectively,” she said.
She believes geo-political considerations have also pushed Russia to court Pakistan.
“Also in the backdrop of the Afghan scenario, however grudgingly, the international powers have to accept and acknowledge Pakistan’s role in a peaceful and stable future, which is beneficial to all, and with lesser friends in the international circuit [because of the] Ukrainian issue, Moscow would not like to lose out on any footholds it can reach in case of a breakout of a new Cold War.”
Though the Defence Ministry here did not reply to requests for clarification on details of the deal, the variant being negotiated for is the Mi-35M all weather day/night capable version.
Analyst, author and former Australian defense attache to Pakistan, Brian Cloughley, welcomes the deal despite the obvious cost issues for Pakistan, and highlights how it will bring Pakistan and Russia closer.
“It certainly seems that the deal will go ahead, but of course the financial details are most important. It is highly likely that Russia will offer very attractive terms and also lock Pakistan into a long-term agreement, which will be no bad thing for either country,” he said.
Adding, “It’s politically even more significant than it is militarily important,” as it would help Pakistan “even more on the international stage, and gradually remove it from US dominance, which has grown increasingly intense in the past five years.”
In purely military terms he believes the Hind will be warmly welcomed.
“Certainly it’s going to help Pakistan enormously, by putting in place a [comparatively] cheap, well-proven [general purpose], but mainly attack helicopter,” he said.
“For COIN and such against militants it is a viable platform,” Khan said. “It is heavily armored, has weapons for its own defense and to a certain degree offense, and is a combination of armored gunship and troop transport which has no equal in the world.”
There were generally considered to be three long-term alternatives to the AH-1F.
The Turkish TAI T-129 nearly secured an order from Pakistan but a potential deal was scuppered due to financial difficulties despite very generous terms offered by Turkey.
It had been seen as a strong contender by analysts, however, and was deemed to be ideally suited to Pakistan’s topography and climate.
The Chinese CAIC WZ-10 was also thought to be an increasingly strong option, not least because of the generous financial terms the Chinese would have been able to offer.
Despite it being a relatively new type, Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for Military Aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, believed an export is possible.
“The Chinese military appears now to be building experience with its Z-10 units, including mixed type exercises. Developing the tactics and procedures to gain the most from what at least seems a reasonably capable attack helicopter is an ongoing process,” he said.
“While comparatively early in terms of its service life, an export at this point would not be impossible,” he added.
What many had considered a natural option, and which had been much discussed over the years, the US AH-1Z Viper, is seen as increasingly unlikely despite some support from the US State Department.
Cloughley said the Hind is Pakistan’s only likely acquisition.
“The Cobra was getting too expensive to run, and replacements weren’t likely to be approved by Congress, even if Pakistan could afford them. Don’t think the 129 is in there,” he said. ■
Email: uansari@defensenews.com.
Pakistan Wins Approval To Purchase Mi-35 Helo | Defense News | defensenews.com
.. Good for insurgencies and other ops though..
