I mean for example look at hurkus and hurjet. Does Turkey REALLY need to make those aircraft locally? No. There are many options on the market that would definitely be cheaper to procure. But running those programs is building an ecosystem like no other and laying the vital groundwork for the TFX. Just an example of institutional thinking as opposed to shashka thinking.
Not only that, while the Turks were negotiating for the SAMP/T, they've been working on the SIPER. Yes, at some level there's a relentless push to develop stuff and localize inputs. But I also feel that they're benefitting from R&D outgrowth and are just putting it in different areas because, well, they now can.
Thats called Allah ki shan. There are vultures every where but somehow they are fed and still country is breathing and Allah is the biggest planner and the provider.
It has always been petty inter services rivalry. Plus a cultural thing. The PA is willing to accept lower quality stuff if it means they can have gaurenteed access to the system and it’s support. The PAF isn’t. Example the Shaheen missile system, its testing problems were legion, that tge PAF kept refusing to induct it, meaning that we lacked a Ground based deterrent for years until the Army finally took over.
How would the air force train attack helicopter pilots? Does not make any sense. Sounds like the right decision.
I was also thinking... If we really wanted to go all-in on next-gen stuff, we could've worked on a complementary project. So, for example, a larger UCAV that can carry a big payload, carryout air-to-air refueling, etc.
I'd rather see it in naval use.
Agreed they are main mission and designed on Naval warfare operations but they lack the endurance here
Frankly, more than making a platform, i think Pakistan needs to think mutli dimensionally. Making somethink as complex as a helicopter, plane (jet or prop) or even trucks/cars requires multiple different components. Currently Pakistan would have difficulty designing and then mass producing a car engine, let alone turbo prop training aircraft. What i would prefer instead is for multiple public/private partnership corporations to be set up (with goal of spinning them off to be completely private in 10-15 years), each tasked with developing a niche for itself in the industrial marketplace. Some should be for design of airframes (ideally for choppers, transports, trainers, and assist in the development of Jets on a multinational front, but the bulk of the efforts shouls be put into subsystem development programs such as a missile house (ideally NESCOM, tasked with next gen ballistic missiles, a2a, a2g, ashM etc), an radar house (for air, naval and ground radar research and development), a signal intelligence house (for ESM, ECM, ECCM development), a jet/turbine house for the development of helicopter and jet engines, a munitions house (derived from POF), a naval design house ect. Many production facilities are there that have small design wings (inside HIT, PAC, POF, Karachi Shipyards) ect but they need to dig deeper and develop real R&D culture with smaller projects that focus on specific needs. Those can then be brought to bear under singular projects. You dont see TAI designing everything from Airframe to Electronics under one project. They have different companies who are responsible for different components. If anything this was the modality PAF forced on china with the JF-17 (Super 7) project. They uncoupled airframe from electronics so the airframe could move forward despite failed electronics procurement efforts. Eventually this move saved the project. Similar process can be done here as projects can proceed incrementally even if certain aspect of it lag behind. For this to work Pakistan needs to change the education culture in Pakistan, and push for more accredited graduates programs in STEM areas.
