Missile News

[qsaark]

China offers HQ-9 SAM for export

Hong Kong, China — China has put its HQ-9 surface-to-air missile on the export market, under the name FD-2000. Brochures advertising China’s latest missile appeared at the most recent African Ground Force Equipment Exhibition in Cape Town, South Africa and also at the Defense Exhibition in Karachi, Pakistan last November.
The China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation is the exporter of the long-range SAM. The name FD-2000 was first revealed by the Kanwa Information Center in 1998 as the export name of the HQ-9; more than 10 years later China has finally introduced this missile system to the international market.

The PLA Air Force has already deployed the HQ-9 at its bases in Xi’an and Lanzhou.

The HQ-9/FD-2000 unveiled at those exhibitions included its guidance radar. A model of this phased array guidance radar was put on display at the PLA Equipment Exhibition in Hong Kong last summer.

The four-celled HQ-9 launcher is very similar to that of the Russian S-300 SAM. The Chinese introductory brochure says that the missile’s range for aircraft targets is 7-125 kilometers, much lower than the 150-kilometer range of the Russian S-300 PMU1. This is the main reason China continues to import Russia’s S300 PMU2, which has a range of 200 kilometers. The HD-9/FD-2000’s firing altitude is 0.025-27 kilometers.

The HQ-9’s range for missile targets, or air-to-ground missiles, is 7-50 kilometers, with a firing altitude of 1-18 kilometers. Its range for cruise missiles is 7-15 kilometers, at a firing altitude of 0.025 kilometers. The range for ballistic missiles is 7-25 kilometers at a firing altitude of 2-15 kilometers.

The HQ-9’s guidance system is composed of inertia plus uplink and active radar terminal guidance systems. The manufacturer claims that its response time is 15 seconds and it is capable of dealing with 48 targets simultaneously.

The brigade-level combat system is composed of one command vehicle, six control vehicles, six track-radar vehicles, six search-radar vehicles, 48 missile-launch vehicles and 192 rounds of missiles. In addition, there is one positioning vehicle, one communications vehicle, one power supply vehicle and one support vehicle.

The composition of the combat system indicates that one HQ-9 battalion is equipped with eight missile launch vehicles, which is consistent with what satellite photos of the system have shown.

One industry source said that China has also developed a new version of the HQ-9/FD-2000 for naval ships, which can be installed on the export versions of combat ships. However, the source did not disclose the firing rate of the HQ-9.

A careful comparison of the Chinese FT-2000 anti-radiation missile and the FD-2000 launch system reveals that the transport vehicles of the two missile systems are quite different in exterior structures. Nonetheless, both have 8x8 wheels, and their launch tubes both have 11 reinforcing bands. The FT-2000 has a maximum range of 12-100 kilometers, a firing altitude of 3-20 kilometers, a missile length of 6.8 meters and a diameter of 466 milimeters.

These figures indicate that the FT-2000 and FD-2000 use different types of missiles. At present, only Pakistan is believed to have expressed an interest in purchasing the FT-2000. But according to a source from Islamabad, even Pakistan is not considering importing the missile system at this stage.

The FD-2000 may be able to compete with the Russian S300 PMU SAM, which has only a 90-kilometer range, on the international market, due to the lower cost of the China-made missile.

But the effective ranges alone show that a substantial technological gap must be overcome before the HQ-9 can replace the S300 PMU2. Nonetheless, the Chinese designers claim that in terms of the technological standard of its computer design and display and control systems, the HQ-9 is superior to the Russian S300 PMU1.

Given the fact that the HQ-9 has already been approved for export sales, there is a possibility that China has upgraded the missile system on the foundation of the original, bringing it closer to the standard of its Russian competitor.

Source: http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2009...r_export/6690/

 

[qsaark]

Agence France-Presse | Mar 12, 2009

Washington: The United States, China and negotiating partners are willing to discuss a range of responses, even UN action, if North Korea test fires a missile, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday.

After her talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Clinton said China as well as South Korea, Japan and Russia are committed to dismantling North Korea's nuclear program and to opposing its planned missile launch.

Under a landmark six-party agreement signed in 2007, North Korea agreed with the United States and the four other countries to scrap its weapons-grade nuclear program in exchange for energy aid.

However, not only has North Korea balked at their terms for verifying nuclear disarmament, it also insists it will launch a satellite that US officials say would amount to a missile test-fire in breech of UN resolutions.

"We are outspoken in our opposition to the North Korean's missile launch, and we believe that that is a unified position, and that each of the members of the six-party talks have attempted to dissuade North Korea from proceeding," Clinton said.

"And we are also agreed that we will discuss a response if we are not successful in convincing them not to go forward with what is a very provocative act," she said.

"And there are a range of options available to take action against the North Koreans in the wake of the missile launch, if they pursue that, but also to try to resume the six-party talks," said the chef US diplomat.

"Let's not confuse the two."

Clinton noted that missiles were not part of the brief of the six-party negotiations, although she said she would like them to be included.

When asked whether the Chinese shared the US view that a missile launch would violate UN resolution 1718, she said: "I think that our partners in the Six-Party Talks are concerned about the missile launch."

"They are willing to address it if it does happen with us in a variety of ways, including the Security Council," she said. "But I don't want to, you know, talk about hypotheticals. We are still working to try to dissuade the North Koreans.

The Clinton-Yang talks took place after State Department spokesman Robert Wood dismissed as "baseless" fresh North Korean charges that US-South Korean military exercises amounted to war preparations and accused Pyongyang of stoking more regional tensions.

North Korea's foreign ministry described the annual ongoing drill involving tens of thousands of troops as "nuclear war exercises designed to mount a pre-emptive attack," and vowed to take "every necessary measure to protect itself."

But Wood said: "They're baseless. They're nonsense, frankly... These exercises which take place, as you know, annually, are not a threat to the North."

North Korea's "bellicose rhetoric is not helpful, it can only increase tensions in the region," he added.

"And what we want to see happen is we want to see the North comply with its international obligations with regard to the six-party framework."

 

[qsaark]

Korean Information Service | Mar 12, 2009

North Korea has been confirmed to have recently deployed new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with a range of 3,000 kilometers, as well as advanced "Chonmaho" combat vehicles.

The Ministry of National Defense on February 23 published 2008 Defense White Paper that introduces such latest changes in North Korea's military and the new defense policies and achievements of the Lee Myung Bak administration.

“The Ministry published the defense white paper to satisfy the people's right to know and help raise their overall understanding and support on our defense policy,” Shin Won Shik, deputy director of policy and planning at the Defense Ministry, said. “The defense white paper explains the direction of new security measures and defense policies of the Lee Myung Bak administration and its achievements, in addition to an analysis of current security conditions surrounding the Korean Peninsula.”

“Especially, the defense white paper focuses on letting the people understand how our military has developed over the past 60 years since its establishment and its firm defense posture,” Shin said. “We hope this will provide an opportunity for the people to better understand and support the military and increase their trust in the military that is working to become an advanced force.”

Consisting of 34 sections under 10 chapters that lay out all available aspects of the military, the defense white paper has been improved greatly in its style and composition to make it easier for the people to read and understand. By increasing the number of visual aids, such as charts, graphs and photographs, as well as footnotes, the white paper allows readers to understand all contents as they read.

Also, by significantly increasing expository notes on military terminology, the white paper allows people to better understand military and defense affairs. It also contains detailed introduction on North Korean threats and our military's measures to counter such threats, as well as other defense issues such as efforts to reshape the military, the military's participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations and efforts to create new economic growth engines.

On issues such as North Korea, inter-Korean relations and Dokdo islets that draw most attention and interests from the people, the defense white paper states the military's firm determination to defend and protect our territories. On the North Korean issue, the defense white paper states North Korea as an “immediate and grave threat” to help people understand the increased threat from North Korea while it explains the changes in the threat based on established facts such as the deployment of new intermediate-range ballistic missile.

According to the defense white paper, North Korea strategically deployed the new IRBM, which it began developing in late 1990s, in 2007. The white paper also says North Korea is believed to be continuing to develop its long-range ballistic missile Taepodong-2 while working to correct defects in the missile since its failed test on July 5, 2006.

Taepodong-2 is believed to have a range of over 6,700 kilometers while the Defense Ministry believes North Korea could increase the missile's maximum range if it succeeds in reducing the missile's weight or adding a third propulsion rocket.

On the South-North relations, the Defense Ministry stated the military's efforts to support the government policy on the coexistence and co-prosperity of the two Koreas in the defense white paper, as well as the military's efforts to ease military tension and build trust between the two sides. The ministry also made it clear that Dokdo islets are our sovereign territory by stating its firm determination and military posture to defend the islets throughout various chapters of the white paper, along with related pictures and maps.

 

[qsaark]

RIA Novosti

13/03/2009 12:55 TOKYO, March 13 (RIA Novosti) - Japan is ready to intercept a North Korean rocket if it appears to threaten the country's security, Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said on Friday.

Pyongyang has notified global agencies of its plans to launch a communications satellite on April 4-8, indicating that the first stage of the carrier rocket would fall into the Sea of Japan and the second stage would splash down in the Pacific Ocean.

"If the rocket launch threatens to harm our country in any way, we will take decisive countermeasures," Nakasone said, adding that Japan would certainly "take up the issue at the UN Security Council."

The communist state announced plans last month to launch a satellite using a three-stage rocket from the newly constructed Musudan-ri launch pad on the country's northeast coast.

Seoul and Washington believe the real purpose of a satellite launch would be to test a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, which is thought to have a range of 6,700 kilometers (4,100 miles) and could possibly reach the U.S. states of Alaska and Hawaii, as well as South Korea and Japan.

Pyongyang first tested a long-range missile in 1998, when it launched a Taepodong-1 over northern Japan and claimed that it carried a domestically-developed satellite.

In 2002, Pyongyang and Tokyo agreed to a moratorium on missile tests, but the secretive regime has continued research on ballistic missile technology.

In 2005 North Korea announced that it had nuclear weapons and in July 2006 test-launched a Taepodong-2 long-range missile and later staged an underground test of a nuclear device.

The UN Security Council passed Resolution 1718 on October 14, 2006, which forbids North Korea from conducting further nuclear tests or launches of ballistic missiles.

"Even if it is a satellite launch, as North Korea insists, it will be a violation of a UN Security Council resolution. The United States and Britain share our opinion [on this issue]," Nakasone said.

Some analysts believe, though, the impoverished country is not capable of developing a domestic space program, and that the planned rocket launch is simply an attempt to draw the attention of U.S. President Barack Obama's new administration to the issue of the stalled six-party talks on North Korea's controversial nuclear program.

The six-nation talks, involving North Korea, South Korea, Russia, Japan, China and the United States, were launched in 2003 after Pyongyang withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Source: Japan says 'ready to shoot down N. Korean long-range missile'

 

[qsaark]

18/ 03/ 2009




MOSCOW, March 18 (RIA Novosti) - Iran has not yet received any S-300 air defense systems under a 2007 contract and the deal depends on the leadership in Moscow, a Russian military exports source said on Wednesday.

"S-300 systems have not been yet delivered to Iran under the contract concluded two years ago. The contract itself, though, is being gradually executed," the source in the Federal Military-Technical Cooperation Service told RIA Novosti.

Iranian media have repeatedly reported, citing senior security officials, that Russia has started delivering elements of the advanced version of the S-300 missile to Tehran.

"Russia is interested in fulfilling the contract, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars," the source said, adding that the future of the contract would largely depend on the current situation in international affairs and the position of the Russian leadership.

The latest version of the S-300 family is the S-300PMU2 Favorit, which has a range of up to 195 kilometers (about 120 miles) and can intercept aircraft and ballistic missiles at altitudes from 10 meters to 27 kilometers.

It is considered one of the world's most effective all-altitude regional air defense systems, comparable in performance to the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot system.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that military-technical ties between Moscow and Tehran had always been transparent and confirmed that S-300 air defense systems had not been supplied to Iran yet.

"We have delivered to Tehran a variety of equipment for defense purposes, which cannot destabilize the situation on the region," the ministry said in a statement.

Iran recently took delivery of 29 Russian-made Tor-M1 air defense missile systems under a $700-million contract signed in late 2005. Russia has also trained Iranian Tor-M1 specialists, including radar operators and crew commanders. The S-300 system is significantly superior to the Tor-M1.

Commenting on the S-300 deal, Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, suggested that the Kremlin regards military-technical cooperation with Iran as leverage in a political game with the West.

"Moscow is using the S-300 contract, as well as its cooperation with Iran in general, simply as a tool in a political tradeoff with the West, rather than as a means to satisfy its fundamental defense and commercial interests," Pukhov said.

Meanwhile, he said that arms deliveries to Iran are important to Russia because Moscow is quickly losing its positions on key Asian arms markets in China and India.

"In these circumstances, it would be unwise to ignore the Iranian market with its potential demand valued at $300-500 million a year," the analyst said.

Pukhov warned that if Russia continued its cautious and two-faced policy in relation to Iran, Tehran would eventually choose China as key arms supplier, which could in the near future offer the Islamic Republic competitive products in all segments of the arms market.

Source: RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia has not delivered S-300 missile systems to Iran - source

 

[qsaark]

MOSCOW, March 19 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Navy will conduct at least three test launches of the new Bulava sea-based ballistic missile in 2009, a senior navy official said on Thursday.

"We are planning three test launches of the Bulava missile from the Dmitry Donskoi submarine. If the tests are successful, they will continue on board the new Yury Dolgoruky nuclear-powered submarine," said Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev, deputy chief of the Navy General Staff.

Despite five failures in 10 trials, Russia's Defense Ministry is planning to complete a series Bulava tests and put the ICBM into service by the end of 2009.

The Bulava-M (SS-NX-30) ICBM carries up to 10 nuclear warheads and has a range of 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). The three-stage ballistic missile is designed for deployment on Borey class Project 955 nuclear-powered submarines.

Sea trials of Yury Dolgoruky, Russia's first Borey class strategic nuclear submarine, are due to start in the summer, when navigation begins in the White Sea.

"The tests of the Bulava missile will coincide with the sea trials of the Yury Dolgoruky submarine after the thawing of ice floes in the White Sea. As a rule, this is in the second half of June," the admiral said.

Two other Borey class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash shipyard and are expected to be completed in 2009 and 2011. Russia is planning to build a total of eight submarines of this class by 2015.

Source: RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia to conduct 3 tests of Bulava missile in 2009 - Navy

 

[qsaark]

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - The second regiment equipped with advanced S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems has been put into combat service in Russia, the defense minister said on Tuesday.

In 2007, Russia successfully conducted live firing tests of the S-400 air defense complex at the Kapustin Yar firing range in south Russia's Astrakhan Region, and deployed the first missile regiment equipped with the new system to protect the airspace surrounding Moscow and industrial zones in the center of Russia's European territory.

The S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler) air defense system is expected to form the new cornerstone of Russia's theater air and missile defenses up to 2020 or even 2025.

The S-400 is designed to intercept and destroy airborne targets at a distance of up to 400 kilometers (250 miles), twice the range of the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot, and 2.5 times that of the S-300PMU-2.

The system is also believed to be able to destroy stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, with an effective range of up to 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and a speed of up to 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per second.

A regular S-400 battalion comprises at least eight launchers with 32 missiles and a mobile command post, according to various sources. The new state arms procurement program until 2015 stipulates the purchase of enough S-400 air defense systems to arm 18 battalions during this period.

Source: RIA Novosti - Russia - Second S-400 air defense regiment put into service in Russia

 

[qsaark]

MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will put a regiment of new-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles into service in December, the Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) commander said on Tuesday.

"After December 5, 2009, when START-1 expires, Russia will put a regiment of RS-24 missiles into service," Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov said.

He also said the SMF would conduct at least eight missile test launches, including space launches, in 2009.

Solovtsov said the next launch was scheduled for April 10.

The commander said earlier that RS-24 ICBMs, with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) warheads, would help bolster the SMF's ability to overpower missile defense systems, "thus strengthening the nuclear deterrence potential of the Russian nuclear triad."

The SMF reportedly has a total of 538 ICBMs, including 306 SS-25 Topol (Sickle) missiles and 56 SS-27 Topol-M missiles.

Source: RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia to put regiment of RS-24 missiles into service in Dec.

 

[jawadqamar]

China seeks export customers for Yitian SHORAD system


During the IDEX 2009 defence equipment exhibition and conference held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) displayed two air-defence systems for the first time outside China. These were a truck-mounted twin 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system called the CS/SA1 (based on the Rheinmetall Air Defence Oerlikon twin 35 mm GDF towed anti-aircraft gun) and the Yitian short-range air-defence (SHORAD) mobile air-defence system. The existence of the Yitian SHORAD was first revealed some four years ago, when the system was claimed to be still in the final stages of development. According to NORINCO, the system is now in service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and is being offered on the export market.




In the form in which it was shown at IDEX, the missile system was integrated on the latest-generation NORINCO WMZ 551 (6x6) armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis, but could be installed on other tracked or wheeled chassis. Used in significant numbers by the PLA, the WZ 551 has been exported to a number of countries around the world. Its flexible design allows it to be modified for a wide range of missions, including being fitted with a turret-mounted 105 mm gun for use in the direct-fire role. According to NORINCO, the Yitian SHORAD system has a combat weight of 16 tonnes. Its air-cooled diesel engine gives a maximum road speed of 100 km/h and a cruising range of up to 800 km. The vehicle shown at IDEX retained the full amphibious capability of the WMZ 551 and is propelled in the water by two shrouded propellers situated one either side at the rear that are also used for steering when afloat. However, the vehicle will have a very limited amphibious capability in its Yitian form due to the additional weight on top of the hull when compared to the baseline WMZ 551. Both the vehicle commander and driver are seated at the very front of the vehicle, with driver on the left and commander on the right.




The commander also operates a remote-controlled 12.7 mm machine gun installed on the right side of the roof. Used typically for self-defence, this is laid on to the target using a flat-panel display and an associated hand controller. Banks of four electrically operated smoke-grenade launchers are installed on either side of the roof and cover the frontal arc. Standard equipment includes a land navigation system and a nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) system. In the baseline WMZ 551, the main diesel powerpack is to the rear of the commander's and driver's position. It is located on the left side of the vehicle, allowing enough space for a small passageway to the right that allows access to the rear compartment. This passageway has been omitted from the Yitian vehicle. Due to the space taken up by the additional electronics and the auxiliary power unit needed to run the missile system when the main engine is switched off, there is no access between the front and rear areas of the vehicle. A remote-controlled turret mounted on the roof of the vehicle carries eight TY-90 fire-and-forget surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), mounted as banks of four on either side of the turret.




Each missile is mounted in an individual container that serves for transport purposes and as a launcher. The TY-90 (Tian Yan - 'Heavenly Swallow') missile was originally developed by the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation for use in the air-to-air role from the Z-10 attack helicopter, although it has also been launched from a number of other helicopters. At one time, the TY-90 was thought to be a modified version of an existing shoulder-fired manportable SAM, but this is now clearly not the case. According to NORINCO, the TY-90 has a range of 500-6,000 m with altitude limits from 15 m up to 4,000 m. Maximum speed is Mach 2.2 and the single-shot kill probability is 80 per cent. The missile's nose-mounted infrared seeker was developed by the Luoyang Optoelectro Technology Development Center. It uses an indium antimonide (InSb) detector and is reported to provide an all-aspect capability. An expanding-rod warhead initiated by a laser proximity fuze is reported to have a kill radius of 4 m.



Although the system has been designed to engage fixed- and rotary-wing targets, according to NORINCO it is also capable of detecting and engaging other aerial targets such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and even cruise missiles. An advanced electro-optical package is mounted between the two four-round banks of missiles. Above this is the antenna of a 3-D X-band tracking radar that can be folded down for transport. NORINCO claims that the radar has a maximum range of up to 18 km against a fighter-sized aircraft and up to 8 km against a typical cruise-missile target. The electro-optical package includes day and thermal devices, a laser rangefinder and an automatic target tracker. The example shown at IDEX did not have any devices to keep the optics clear in bad weather. According to NORINCO, the electro-optical package can detect a typical aircraft target out to a range of about 12 km and start tracking at a range of about 10 km, but these figures depend on the ambient weather conditions. Two operators are seated in the very rear of the vehicle; each has a display and associated controls that include command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) and communications systems.





In a typical engagement, the surveillance radar would detect the target. If this were confirmed as hostile, it would be assigned to the electro-optical tracker, who would continue to track the target. Once the target was within the effective range of the TY-90 missile, it would be engaged. The system can deal with targets flying at speeds of up to 400 m/s and the overall system reaction time is being quoted as six to eight seconds. Although it would normally be integrated into an overall air-defence system, Yitian can be used as a stand-alone system. It could also operate with its radar switched off, receiving target information from another sensor. The system can be used to defend high-value static areas or to defend mobile columns. A typical Yitian SHORAD battery would consist of a headquarters section with a command-post vehicle, six Yitian SHORAD systems, missile resupply vehicles, a missile-testing and maintenance vehicle and a mechanical/electronic maintenance vehicle.


The command-post vehicle is also based on a modified WMZ 551 chassis. It has a raised roof at the rear and is fitted with a SHORAD surveillance radar. An IBIS-80 truck-mounted surveillance radar is being offered as an option. The TY-90 SAM is also used on the NORINCO Giant Bow II air-defence system. This consists of a battery command-post vehicle (BCPV), AS901A 3-D radar, Giant Bow II TY-90 launchers and Giant Bow II twin 23 mm light anti-aircraft guns. The latter are the Chinese version of the widely deployed Russian ZU-23-2 LAAG. The BCPV has a roof-mounted electro-optical package that can track the air threat for subsequent engagement by the Giant Bow II TY-90 launchers. The latter is based on a similar two-wheeled carriage and has a total of four ready-to-launch TY-90 SAMs. These missiles are launched from rails rather than the sealed container/launcher used by Yitian. In a typical target engagement, the TY-90 missiles would be used to engage targets at longer ranges with the 23 mm LAAG being used to engage close-in targets, as well as having a secondary ground role.

 

[nightcrawler]

Hey can some one clear two of my queries
1- Do Pakistan possess Juvenil missiles
2- Do Pakistan has got any subs capable of carrying SLBM??

 

[nightcrawler]

Here is what you must see about TOR_M1 LAunchers

 

[jawadqamar]

Slightly older news but interesting one

Pakistan Targets Air Combat

Needs To Protect Air Defense, C2 Early in War

By wendell minnick
Published: 14 July 2008

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has not seen serious air combat since the 1965 and 1971 wars with India, but the ability to defeat a massive Indian assault on its air defenses early in a war remains its primary mission.

In 1965, Pakistan successfully trumped India in air combat, but it was ill-prepared for the 1971 conflict in which India dominated the skies. Fears of losing another war, much less a nuclear war, are unthinkable, and the PAF is modernizing its air interdiction, air surveillance and reconnaissance, command and control, and honing its air delivery skills for nuclear weapons.

Air interdiction is the PAF's primary mission, but it has not ignored retaliatory strike missions, said Haris Khan of the Pakdef Military Consortium. The PAF has expanded modernization efforts to include "nuclear weapons delivery, support of ground operations, fleet protection/maritime strike, and search and rescue are secondary," he said.

The PAF believes the Indian Air Force will launch a massive assault on Pakistan's air defense and command-and-control hubs during the first wave of a war, said A.B. Mahapatra, director of the New Delhi-based Centre for Asian Strategic Studies - India.

The Indian Air Force's primary mission is to neutralize Pakistan's nuclear option, he said.

"Thus, PAF is enhancing its air combat profile to encounter such future challenges," Mahapatra said.

The PAF's interdiction efforts include new and refurbished Lockheed Martin F-16s, now on order, and JF-17 Thunder fighters, built by Pakistan with Chinese assistance, now being manufactured.

In June 2006, the PAF ordered 18 F-16 C/D Block 52M fighters along with an option to procure another 18. A midlife upgrade will augment its existing fleet of 40 F-16 A/B Block 15s, along with buying 20 more F-16 A/B models via the Excessive Defense Articles program.

The F-16s will not be outfitted with nuclear weapons, but question marks remain for the JF-17. Known as the Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon, the JF-17 will replace about 450 aging Nanchang A-5C Fantans, Dassault Mirage III/Vs and Chengdu F-7P Skybolts in the air-to-air combat and ground-support roles.

"The replacement will not be matched by an exact number, but initial reports indicate between 250 and 300 aircraft will be purchased by PAF," Khan said.

Khan said the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is conducting flight evaluations of prototype aircraft "fitted with the Chinese-built NRIET KLJ-10 radar" and "Chinese-designed SD-10/PL-12 active-homing medium-range air-to-air missile."

The first 50 JF-17s will be outfitted with Chinese avionics, radar and missiles. But under an agreement with France in February, newer JF-17s will be outfitted with MBDA Mica air-to-air missiles and Thales RC 400 multimission radars.

The Russian-built RD-93 turbofan engine outfitting the JF-17 will have to be replaced due to pressure from India on Russia. Khan said the Chinese-built WS-13 Taishan engine is the most likely replacement.

There are unconfirmed reports, Khan said, that the PAF has ordered four aerial refueling tankers, possibly the Ukrainian-built Il-76.


Tentative UAV Plans

PAF also is improving its surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

"Pakistan uses UAVs for surveillance and is keen to augment the reconnaissance capabilities to a new height," with plans to procure up to 60 UAVs by 2010, Mahapatra said. The Army has ordered the Luna short-range UAV from Germany and the Italian-built Galileo Falco UAV.

"An agreement was also signed in July of 2006 between the PAF and Turkey to jointly manufacture a UAV, which will meet the requirements of both air forces. The PAF UAV program is still in its adolescent stage, but they acknowledge the significance of the program for its future war plans," Khan said.

In April, the first of five Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft equipped with the Saab-Ericsson Erieye Airborne Early Warning & Command (AEW&C) system was rolled out during a ceremony in Sweden. Delivery to Pakistan is expected in mid-2009. Khan said there are discussions with China to co-develop an AEW&C aircraft designated as ZDK03 modeled on the Shaanxi Y-8F-400.

"PAF has mapped a very detailed and comprehensive plan for an early warning system to cover Pakistan's airspace with both airborne platforms and a ground-based radar network," he said.

Pakistan will integrate this plan with ground-based radar, including the U.S.-supplied AN/TPS-77 and Chinese-supplied JYL-1, JL3D-90A and JY-11 D air surveillance radars.

Khan points to other efforts, including a 2006 test of the Czech Vera passive radar system and an order for a number of MBDA Aspide/Spada 2000 low- to medium-altitude air defense batteries.

"These missiles are supposed to replace Thales Defence Systems Crotale. PAF is actively looking to purchase a high-altitude missile air defense system," with the Chinese-built FT-2000 as the front-runner, Khan said.

In the 1965 and 1971 wars with India, Pakistan successfully attacked ground targets, including high-value targets, within 200 miles of Pakistan's border.

Khan said in any future conflict with India, "I believe PAF will employ similar tactics," but with more intensity on high-value targets.

"PAF would, in the first instance, be tasked with countering India's planned advance into Pakistani territory by seeking to prevent the Indian Air Force from achieving local tactical air superiority," he said. "At the same time, it would be required to strike surface-to-surface missile launchers, if these can be identified. It would also be called upon to provide air cover for the strike corps in their limited advance to occupy Indian territory."

Pakistan has already purchased JY-11, JYL-1, (earlier version of the self propelled YLC-2V) YLC-2 and JL3D-90A radars. These radars serve as Acquisition Radars for HQ-12/KS-1A (Which lost to spada-2000) and HQ-9 / FD-2000 high-altitude missile air defense system. These purchases were done independent of any commitment to purchase HQ-9 / FD-2000 SAM, but such a purchase will make sense

 

[nadeem1414]

it is an advantage to the Pakistan and also too China, because both are friend and will became the power of the Region.

 

[khurasaan1]

it is an advantage to the Pakistan and also too China, because both are friend and will became the power of the Region.

They are already the powers of the region but very soon they will be the world sole super powers. inshallah...

 

[hardtarget]

They are already the powers of the region but very soon they will be the world sole super powers. inshallah...[/Q


INSHALLAH