Farhan Bokhari, Islamabad - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
11 February 2014
Pakistan's Shahpar (shown) and Burraq UAVs are to patrol the country's FATA region, where the United States' use of UAVs has been controversial to say the least. Source: GIDS
Pakistan is to deploy at least 20 "indigenously developed" unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with "reconnaissance and offensive capabilities" across the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), a senior Pakistani government official has told IHS Jane's .
The UAVs will be deployed along the Afghan border ahead of the US drawdown from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
The development is important for the country's army-led security services for two reasons. First, in recent years Pakistan has tried to acquire UAVs from the United States despite the controversy over their use in targeting suspected militants in FATA, notably in the North Waziristan region, but has had its requests refused. Second, the Pakistani UAV programme continues to attract global interest over the extent to which Pakistan's 'indigenously produced' UAVs rely on Chinese components.
In November 2013 IHS Jane's reported the introduction of a fleet of UAVs by Pakistan's army and air force following the first formal acknowledgement that the programme existed. The Inter-Services Public Relations office described the induction as a "landmark and historic event" and revealed that two different types of UAV, the Burraq and the Shahpar, would enter service. At the time no information was given on the number of platforms to be introduced.
IHS Jane's has previously reported that the 470 kg medium-range Shahpar is produced by Pakistan's Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS), but bears more than a passing resemblance to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) CH-3.
IHS Jane's also reported in 2010 that China was preparing to deliver 20 systems, along with the CASC FT-5 65 kg-class 'small diameter bomb', to Pakistan in 2011.
According to GIDS, the Shahpar is powered by a 100 hp Rotax piston engine and has a maximum speed of 150 km/h and an endurance of 7 hours. It is said to be capable of day and night surveillance.
No details are available on the Burraq, although some analysts believe it might also be based on the CH-3. Pakistan also operates a batch of Selex ES Falco medium-altitude tactical reconnaissance UAVs.
ANALYSIS
Acquiring UAVs, notably those with offensive capabilities, will be a significant morale booster for Pakistan's armed forces, which see the absence of a UAV platform even remotely resembling the offensive capabilities of more advanced US UAVs as a major gap. A Western diplomat in Islamabad told IHS Jane's that any offensive capability in future UAVs "will help Pakistan demonstrate that it is filling the gap in an important area". While cautioning that initially Pakistan's UAVs "will not have the strike capability of American drones [UAVs]", he added that "a growing capability in this area could still make a difference [to the operational capabilities of the Pakistan Army] in FATA".
(452 words)
Pakistan to deploy its own UAVs over FATA - IHS Jane's 360
11 February 2014
Pakistan's Shahpar (shown) and Burraq UAVs are to patrol the country's FATA region, where the United States' use of UAVs has been controversial to say the least. Source: GIDS
Pakistan is to deploy at least 20 "indigenously developed" unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with "reconnaissance and offensive capabilities" across the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), a senior Pakistani government official has told IHS Jane's .
The UAVs will be deployed along the Afghan border ahead of the US drawdown from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
The development is important for the country's army-led security services for two reasons. First, in recent years Pakistan has tried to acquire UAVs from the United States despite the controversy over their use in targeting suspected militants in FATA, notably in the North Waziristan region, but has had its requests refused. Second, the Pakistani UAV programme continues to attract global interest over the extent to which Pakistan's 'indigenously produced' UAVs rely on Chinese components.
In November 2013 IHS Jane's reported the introduction of a fleet of UAVs by Pakistan's army and air force following the first formal acknowledgement that the programme existed. The Inter-Services Public Relations office described the induction as a "landmark and historic event" and revealed that two different types of UAV, the Burraq and the Shahpar, would enter service. At the time no information was given on the number of platforms to be introduced.
IHS Jane's has previously reported that the 470 kg medium-range Shahpar is produced by Pakistan's Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS), but bears more than a passing resemblance to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) CH-3.
IHS Jane's also reported in 2010 that China was preparing to deliver 20 systems, along with the CASC FT-5 65 kg-class 'small diameter bomb', to Pakistan in 2011.
According to GIDS, the Shahpar is powered by a 100 hp Rotax piston engine and has a maximum speed of 150 km/h and an endurance of 7 hours. It is said to be capable of day and night surveillance.
No details are available on the Burraq, although some analysts believe it might also be based on the CH-3. Pakistan also operates a batch of Selex ES Falco medium-altitude tactical reconnaissance UAVs.
ANALYSIS
Acquiring UAVs, notably those with offensive capabilities, will be a significant morale booster for Pakistan's armed forces, which see the absence of a UAV platform even remotely resembling the offensive capabilities of more advanced US UAVs as a major gap. A Western diplomat in Islamabad told IHS Jane's that any offensive capability in future UAVs "will help Pakistan demonstrate that it is filling the gap in an important area". While cautioning that initially Pakistan's UAVs "will not have the strike capability of American drones [UAVs]", he added that "a growing capability in this area could still make a difference [to the operational capabilities of the Pakistan Army] in FATA".
(452 words)
Pakistan to deploy its own UAVs over FATA - IHS Jane's 360
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