Pakistan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

this seems a general offering to the Pakistanis with them having to make the final call on Vipers or the Z10 Thunderbolt's they have been running through evaluation. The AH1Z makes it a competition. the PAF have had 3 of the Z10's in the stable now likely they will pick up a small number of Vipers and run them through the same tests and paces. In the End based on Cost, Politics and performance hopefully more the third and first then the second the Pakistani military would make there buy.
AH1Z like the Z10 has yet to find or really be offered to export with only the USMC buying them. I find this odd When you figure the Newer AH64E is already in export. So Pakistan is getting two totally new Bird offerings

It's a big year for the Pakistan military really pulling out the stocks and getting some much needed gear

Not only weapons but strategic weapons too

I hope we get high altitude SAM and frigate deal signed this year!!!

I would like to see JF-17 block II do some ALCM release with Ra'ad and also a nuclear capable version too

Supposedly the Mi-35 is on it's way from Russia too ! Can't wait

F-22P

Pakistan Navy will do well to get some new FFGs. I'm sure CSOC would be able to design a custom export 054A for them to provide a true area air defence capability.

Bltizo said:

Pakistan Navy will do well to get some new FFGs. I'm sure CSOC would be able to design a custom export 054A for them to provide a true area air defence capability.

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I would modify you analysis with this caviate...if the Pakistanis want or need medium range area anti-air coverage, then they need a new frigate to provide it...probably a multi-rile FFG with strong AAW capabilities..

As is it, for ASuW, ASW, and self defense, the ten frigates they have (not including the single OHP they have...and they are supposed to get two more) are actually pretty good.

They have the four new F-22Ps from China which are basically a mix of an upgraded Type 053H3 and the Type 54.

These are decent frigates and were all commissioned new since 2009.



A 76mm main gun, eight C-802 SSMs, eight HQ-7A (FM-90) anti-air missiles which are significantly better than the older HQ-7 and have the capability to engage super-sonic and sea-skimming missile with either radar or IR...out to a range of 9-10 miles. The also have two six cell anti-submarine rocket launchers and two three cell anti-submarine torpedo launchers. As well as the hanger and pad for a single Z-9 type helo.

They have six older, Tariq class frigates (which are Type 21 frigates purchased from the UK) are also well fitted for the ASuW and ASW role. They are decent vessels too.

But those vessels were purchased used in 1993 and 1994, having been commissioned new by the RN in the 1970s. So they are now 40 years old and would make an ideal candidate for replacing with a newer multi-role frigate that also had medium range, area AAW coverage.

That would be a good move if they could pull it off...and they should get new builds if theey can...with the idea of building four of the six in Pakistan. I actually think, in addition to a potential Chinese design, that the Pakisanis have shown interest in the new Turkish TF-2000 class frigates.

Either option would be a good move on their part.

@Jeff, my post was basically saying they need a new frigate (like 054A) to provide them true area air defence, in other words area air defence is something they lack atm

Bltizo said:

@Jeff, my post was basically saying they need a new frigate (like 054A) to provide them true area air defence, in other words area air defence is something they lack atm

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Agreed...which is what I was saying too...just wanted to make it clear.

I just saw a photo in the March issue of Air Forces magazine has photo of the Z-10 in Pakistani airforce hangar, so I came home and just google and found these. They aren't the same photo I saw in the Airforces magazine though.

The three Z -10 in Pakistan

I think I found the photo in that AirForces Monthly magazine:

^^ Z-10s are a new platform, untested in battle, but a brilliant piece of engineering by China. Pakistan Army will put this gunship through it's paces in the combat tests/evaluation phase. On the other hand, PAA has gone for the American AH-1Zs, 15 of'em, as well as the Russian Mi-35s. By the looks of it, the quantities in which these platforms are inducted. Plus, PAA had shown great interests and was close to securing a deal for the T-129 Mangustas. It does not seem like that these (AH-1Zs & Mi-35s) platforms would be the mainstay for PAA. Probability exists that these are just stop gap procurements.

In the long run though, Z-10s seem to be the more logical choice to form the backbone of PAA's gunship fleet. Of course it will take time, money and somewhere down the line, upgrades and further upgrades. But it would be worth the investment. And as Pakistan Military's track record goes when it comes to procurement of Chinese military hardware. You'd be sure to see specifications that would make the Z-10 in Pakistan Army, quite different that the one in People's Liberation Army.

Whatever the case, the fact that those gunships are now in Pakistan for test & evaluation. It would more likely be the case that this platform for would become the mainstay for Pakistan Army Aviation.