Pak seeks S African missiles for navy

[Janbaz]

AFZAL BAJWA
ISLAMABAD - Making its naval defense formidable, Pakistan has asked for long-range South African missiles having capacity of being routed under water in addition to hitting surface target from a ship, well-placed sources told TheNation on Tuesday.
According to the sources, the formal request from the government of Pakistan was placed before the last Joint Ministerial Commission meeting with South Africa here last month.
As follow-up of this and other items of the meeting, the sources added, a technical delegation would be visiting here by the end of June to assess the exact need of Pakistan Navy and ancillary specifications and modifications.
The sources were of the view that more than the products Pakistan would be interested in this particular missile technology that is purely meant for Naval forces. The South African missiles to be launched by a ship in both categories that are surface-to-surface meaning thereby ship-to-ship by air, and second is to target both ships and submarines moving under water with a reasonable long-range equivalent to surface length between 2000 to 2500 kilometers.
According to the sources, both of missile types are non-nuclear and their trade is nowhere barred under any international statute. However, the sources added, South Africa would not be able sale the required missiles are transfer technology at once rather it would have to go through cumbersome process of approvals by the relevant Parliamentary bodies.
The sources said that the Pakistan-South Africa JMC was held after a halt of nearly a decade. The JMC held last month was supposed to meet in 1999 but it could not due to temporary suspension of Pakistan’s Commonwealth membership after it had exploded nuclear device in 1998, the sources added.
Other than defense, the sources said, the two countries have agreed to cooperate in the fields of agriculture, tourism, energy especially hydrocarbons, and education including adult literacy, a system quite strong in South Africa.

The Nation.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/mar-2007/28/index3.php

 

[araz]

Sorry brothers, but does anybody know which missile is being considered here. Thanks in advance
Araz

 

[Neo]

I'm unaware of the existance of such weapon in South Africa. The missile development programme was reportedly abandoned in 1995 when SA signed the MCTR.

But they certainly have the capability to develop lethal designs, Israel helped them build it in the early eighties.

 

[Keysersoze]

Sounds like crap personally....2000 to 2500 km, and not covered by the MCTR?

 

[blain2]

Its 200-250 km as per another source. Under 300km thus not subject to MTC Regime.

 

[Keysersoze]

Its 200-250 km as per another source. Under 300km thus not subject to MTC Regime.

That makes more sense......

 

[EagleEyes]

Here is another article, apparently copied the same words from this same source without even looking at the range of the missiles.

Indian Online Newspaper: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200703281550.htm

 

[Quwa]

I think Pakistan is just requesting for certain technology. South Africa does not produce AShMs and anti-submarine missiles/rockets. However it did develop an Israeli AShM's seeker and warhead. Personally I think this is the beginning of the development of an anti-ship & anti-submarine version of Babur.

 

[Interceptor]

Sorry brothers, but does anybody know which missile is being considered here. Thanks in advance
Araz

South Africa, they wont sell any missile systems to Pakistan they hardly trust Pakistan I know this.

 

[Interceptor]

I think Pakistan is just requesting for certain technology. South Africa does not produce AShMs and anti-submarine missiles/rockets. However it did develop an Israeli AShM's seeker and warhead. Personally I think this is the beginning of the development of an anti-ship & anti-submarine version of Babur.

Pakistan already has tested a seakeaming system that attacks ships. But anti-submarine is hard to believe; Babur is a cruise missile.

 

[joey]

Pakistan already has tested a seakeaming system that attacks ships. But anti-submarine is hard to believe; Babur is a cruise missile.

Babur doesnt has any seeker for AshM role, it is a LACM.

 

[Interceptor]

Babur doesnt has any seeker for AshM role, it is a LACM.

I am not sure what you meant but the Babur is now reported to have the ability to launched from subs and navy vessels.

 

[Contrarian]

It is not reported to have this capability. It was just people on various forum saying that the next step WOULD BE to launch babur from a sub.

If you say something long enough, you start believing it.

 

[Interceptor]

Not only that the media also said this? But its going to happen anyways.

 

[blain2]

It is not reported to have this capability. It was just people on various forum saying that the next step WOULD BE to launch babur from a sub.

If you say something long enough, you start believing it.

Its not a matter of believing something. This is one of the goals of the Babur LACM program; Have a SLCM capability using the same CM.

Its not an easy task and will require a lot of work and appropriate platforms, but the groundwork is being laid right now with the RFPs going around for the next gen PN sub-surface assets.

Interceptor, Joey's point is simply that Babur LACM does not have a seeker or guidance currently for it to be used in Anti-shipping (Ash) role. However with the presence of AM-39 and SM-39, plus the 130 or so new Harpoons and existing inventory of Chinese AShMs, I do not think that Pakistan would go for a Babur AShM version.