The 4 large frigates and proposal for nuclear subs, Milgem, and Su-35 are all examples of what i said...spending money. But just having the ships doesn't mean much if they are ineffective. For example, spending $200+ million on each Ada corvette with 8 harpoons and a 21 cell pdms is a relative waste money when the same job cam be done for less by Type 056. Spending $250-300 million on a ship (like the Istanbul class of LF-2400 with 16 cell vls (loaded with quad packed mrsam) , 16 AShM and a 21 cell pdms is far more capable and even cost effective because it is mote likely to survive a conflict.
Hi Tank131,
I'm not privy to the cost Pakistan is paying for Milgem corvettes, or what is included and what is not. Remember, the main costs of combat ships today relates to what you fit them with. And many of the sub-systems used in the Turkish ships are of Western origin, and have official and unofficial blockade of arms.
There are many other issues. 1 of a 100. for instance, PN needs to deal with Brahmos, which is a very serious threat. This needs either long-to-medium range sams or very fast reacting shorter range systems.
The typical CIWS is pretty ineffective against multiple supersonic AShM attacks, as the sheer mass, speed and reaction time available make defense a nightmare. The typical type of radar guided shorter range systems such as Sea Sparrow type and the type F-22Ps have, just don't have the reaction times necessary for a shorter range system.
Longer range systems require serious investment in detection and tracking radars. In short, a very expensive affair. Plus unofficial sanctions and intrigue, what have you. Chinese systems in this range are not cheap, nor are they of particularly good quality, nor reliable. Reliability is a serious concern as a dud means a ship and many lives destroyed.
So what would you like PN to do? Go for gold-plated systems whose upkeep in the future could be an issue?
If I had to speculate, the shortest reaction time systems are IR based, not radar based. Radar is better for longer ranges, due to certain lags in reaction times. If I had to speculate further (and I have no insider info mind you, nor am I even Pakistani) PN has most likely invested / or is investing in such a system.
You may just see a Turkish IR-based sam installed on the Milgem corvettes PN is buying. Technically no deal has been signed nor any cost figures publicly acknowledged. The whole point of PN going for a Turkish system despite CPEC and close ties with China is both the qualitative and technological edge of a western-tech based ship, as well as the relative competence of Turkey in IR based systems. IMHO.
So basically you will have 3-4 task groups each with an umbrella provided via 54As, and smaller ships complementing each other. This is a reasonable goal. Remember, PN's budget is a tiny fraction of IN's. The response has to be asymmetric, which basically means submarines and a2d. PN is also looking to purchase Su-35s, which again would be a major force multiplier.
