MiG-35-BD
BANNED
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2009
- Messages
- 210
- Reaction score
- 6
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- Location
While India is buying helicopters and building them left right and center, Pakistan has been looking to replace at least some of her own fleet of attack helicopters. While the Cobras gave sterling service, they are at their life's end, and only a few operational Cobras remain.
So Pakistan took its time to formulate a plan, after evaluating a number of available products. She also looked at a new niche element - the Mi-35 to insert commandos while providing them with fire support. In brief, this was what was available to Pakistan:
1. The Z-10. Was found to be of poor build quality and too heavy for effective operations in Pakistan
2. The Z-19. Too light
3. US new AH-1s. Pakistan was in the process of receiving these before relationships soured again. Even if it does receive a few more of them, they are too sanctions prone and too few to matter.
4. The T-129. Was the ultimate choice for the PA. However, with recent problems between the US and Turkey and US and Pakistan, its now become an issue as the powerplant, the heart of the aircraft, is American.
Here is my analysis of the problem. This is a COIN / CAS problem essentially, rather than just an issue about purchasing a platform. Two main scenarios:
1. Balochistan / NWFP where you need CAS / COIN like the US needs in Afghanistan. Incidentally, the best platform for this for the US was not the Apache but the A-10 Thunderbolt. This is because a plane can stay longer, have greater payload / armor than a helicopter, and are cheaper to purchase and run on a cpfh basis. At the same time, the A-10 could cover the troops for a long time, hanging up there, while other aircraft just came and left. The US grunts loved the A-10.
2. Defending against "Cold Start" basically a big blunder by a Hindutva extremist government. The only possibility of an armored thrust is between the desert and the fixed defences around Lahore sector. Here is where an armored battle will take place, and India is not only buying lots of more tanks, but a huge number of other armored vehicles. This is a serious threat despite nukes - a Nawaz government may not have the balls to use tactical nukes.
For thwarting an armored combined arms thrust, with SAM units and Apache and other attack helicopters, again, the best solution is NOT an attack helicopter. Attack helicopters are by design slower, with giant radar returns and will be hunted down by SAMs and the top radar equiped Apaches.
So what is the solution? Here me out:
If PA cannot get an attack helicopter, it can easily get an A-10 equivalent. According to a very senior LM / US mil person, the best replacement for the A-10 is the basic form of the British SABA. A relatively simple but sturdy plane, designed to counter an armored thrust in Europe, while fighting of attack helicopters. Was never put into production or even built as a prototype due to political changes, etc.
This can easily be built in Pakistan as the design is very simple and the parts, surprisingly, are easily available. VIZ:
1. The SABA is a single seat, single turboprop engined plane, with a pusher propeller, unlike other CAS turboprops, and more like a UAV design. This gives its enhanced survivability (engines are hiding behind like the A-10) while higher speeds (harder for IAF / SAMs to shoot down)
2. An engine of the class required is already produced by Ukraine, and is a highly mature and tested system, and would be cheap, given the economic condition there.
3. Use the Cirit as the major weapon system. Studies show that the 2.75 rockets can replace guns for basic CAS / COIN work and be highly effective.
4. Use the parts bin of the Chinese industry.
Cost for such a plane could easily be as little as 7 million USD and a major portion of this going to the local economy and in local currency.
The aircraft would be survivable and have STOL performance, meaning they can be based on semi-prepared runways, roads, flat fields.
Because of the inherent superiority of airplanes to helicopters in speed, range and loiter, they would easily overcome Indian attack helicopters and be Ababeels for any armored "cold" start.
So Pakistan took its time to formulate a plan, after evaluating a number of available products. She also looked at a new niche element - the Mi-35 to insert commandos while providing them with fire support. In brief, this was what was available to Pakistan:
1. The Z-10. Was found to be of poor build quality and too heavy for effective operations in Pakistan
2. The Z-19. Too light
3. US new AH-1s. Pakistan was in the process of receiving these before relationships soured again. Even if it does receive a few more of them, they are too sanctions prone and too few to matter.
4. The T-129. Was the ultimate choice for the PA. However, with recent problems between the US and Turkey and US and Pakistan, its now become an issue as the powerplant, the heart of the aircraft, is American.
Here is my analysis of the problem. This is a COIN / CAS problem essentially, rather than just an issue about purchasing a platform. Two main scenarios:
1. Balochistan / NWFP where you need CAS / COIN like the US needs in Afghanistan. Incidentally, the best platform for this for the US was not the Apache but the A-10 Thunderbolt. This is because a plane can stay longer, have greater payload / armor than a helicopter, and are cheaper to purchase and run on a cpfh basis. At the same time, the A-10 could cover the troops for a long time, hanging up there, while other aircraft just came and left. The US grunts loved the A-10.
2. Defending against "Cold Start" basically a big blunder by a Hindutva extremist government. The only possibility of an armored thrust is between the desert and the fixed defences around Lahore sector. Here is where an armored battle will take place, and India is not only buying lots of more tanks, but a huge number of other armored vehicles. This is a serious threat despite nukes - a Nawaz government may not have the balls to use tactical nukes.
For thwarting an armored combined arms thrust, with SAM units and Apache and other attack helicopters, again, the best solution is NOT an attack helicopter. Attack helicopters are by design slower, with giant radar returns and will be hunted down by SAMs and the top radar equiped Apaches.
So what is the solution? Here me out:
If PA cannot get an attack helicopter, it can easily get an A-10 equivalent. According to a very senior LM / US mil person, the best replacement for the A-10 is the basic form of the British SABA. A relatively simple but sturdy plane, designed to counter an armored thrust in Europe, while fighting of attack helicopters. Was never put into production or even built as a prototype due to political changes, etc.
This can easily be built in Pakistan as the design is very simple and the parts, surprisingly, are easily available. VIZ:
1. The SABA is a single seat, single turboprop engined plane, with a pusher propeller, unlike other CAS turboprops, and more like a UAV design. This gives its enhanced survivability (engines are hiding behind like the A-10) while higher speeds (harder for IAF / SAMs to shoot down)
2. An engine of the class required is already produced by Ukraine, and is a highly mature and tested system, and would be cheap, given the economic condition there.
3. Use the Cirit as the major weapon system. Studies show that the 2.75 rockets can replace guns for basic CAS / COIN work and be highly effective.
4. Use the parts bin of the Chinese industry.
Cost for such a plane could easily be as little as 7 million USD and a major portion of this going to the local economy and in local currency.
The aircraft would be survivable and have STOL performance, meaning they can be based on semi-prepared runways, roads, flat fields.
Because of the inherent superiority of airplanes to helicopters in speed, range and loiter, they would easily overcome Indian attack helicopters and be Ababeels for any armored "cold" start.
