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Army received one KH179 towed howitzer, 155mm shells and two auto-grenade launchers from South Korea in January.



Pakistan Exim Trade Info’s shows that the Pakistan Army’s Inspectorate of Armaments imported a Hanwha Corporation KH179 155 mm towed howitzer and two Hanwha Corporation 40 mm auto grenade launchers (AGL) in January and Poongsan Corporation 155mm rounds in March of this year.

The Hanwha Corporation is also partnering with India’s Larsen & Toubro to jointly manufacture and supply K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzers to the Indian Army. The Vajra-T is derived from the Hanwha Techwin K9 Thunder. Turkey manufactures a variant of the Hanwha K9 in the form of the T-155 Firtina.

In 2012, Poongsan Corporation Pakistan Ordnance Factories’ 7.62mm ammunition plant.

Notes & Comments:

Considering the small quantities acquired, the Pakistan Army is likely trialing these weapons. However, it is not known if there are active bids for towed howitzers and/or AGLs.

The KH179 is a 155mm/39-calibre towed howitzer. Weighing 6,890 kg, the KH179 can fire a sustained two rounds per minute (up to four per minute at maximum). With standard shells, it has a range of 30 km.

Pakistan had examined towed howitzer guns in the mid-2000s, such as the Turkish Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK) Panter, which it bought in very limited quantities. However, it did not issue follow-up orders. Currently, the M198 is Pakistan’s primary 155mm towed howitzer.

In 2016, Pakistan 155mm/52-calibre wheeled self-propelled howitzers (SPH), namely the Denel Land Systems T5-52 and Yugoimport-SDPR NORA B-52. IHS Jane’s had that Pakistan could spend $844 million U.S. by 2024 on SPH.

If Pakistan is examining the prospect of inducting SPH and towed howitzers concurrently, then an option may be to consider standardizing the gun. Re-using the SPH’s gun as a towed 155mm/52-calibre gun would help scale the logistics, maintenance and defence production (i.e. transfer-of-technology) costs. Pakistan can then focus on arming its howitzer units with guided and velocity enhanced artillery shells.

Moreover, Pakistan has not signalled an intent to acquire lightweight howitzers for use in the Northern Areas and Kashmir. Not only would such howitzers provide high-impact firepower, they could be ferried using mainstay aviation assets, such as the Mil Mi-171 transport helicopter.

While the is unlikely to be an option, China’s NORINCO has an analogous system in the . Alternatively, Pakistan could consider the Denel’s G7 , a 105mm gun with the range and terminal performance of a 155mm system. In contrast to the near 7,000-kg KH179, the Denel G7 and NORINCO AH4 weigh 3,800 kg and 4,500 kg, respectively. The Mi-17 can carry up to 5,000 kg in payload with its external sling.

In terms of the 40mm AGL, if there is an active requirement, Hanwha Corporation will compete with Daudsons Armoury (DSA), which had displayed its own AGL during Pakistan’s biennial defence exhibition, IDEAS 2016. According to DSA (in November), the was undergoing trials with the armed forces.

Pakistan would likely deploy AGLs in a manner similar to that of other countries, such as mounting it on a vehicle (such as the ) or by infantry. In 2016, the Pakistan Army explored various avenues of modernizing its small arms arsenal, from the to acquiring the .

Source: Quwa..

PAKISTAN ORDERS OFFSHORE PATROL VESSEL FROM NETHERLANDS’ DAMEN


The Pakistan Navy has ordered a “multipurpose offshore patrol vessel” (OPV) from the Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards on Monday, June 12.



The contract as signed by the Managing Director of Karachi Shipyards & Engineering Works (KSEW) Rear Admiral Hasan Nasir, an official from Damen Shipyards and the Director of Military Procurement (Navy) Commodore Shafqat Azad.

The Netherlands’ Ambassador to Pakistan Jeannette Seppen and the Secretary of Defence Production Lt. Gen. (R) Syed Muhammad Owais were also present at the signing event.

In in its official , Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) states that the new OPV will have a length of 90 m, top speed of 22 knots and full-load displacement of 1,900 tons.

As per the MoDP, the multi-mission OPV “is especially suited for anti surface [and] anti air operations, maritime security operations, day [and] night helicopter operations, combat search and rescue, and surveillance and intelligence gathering operations.”

The OPV will be constructed at KSEW.

Notes & Comments:

Though not as fast or well-armed as corvettes and frigates, OPVs are optimized for long-range and long-endurance operations, such as policing a country’s exclusive economic zone against maritime criminal activity, such as trafficking and piracy.

The MoDP‘s press statement did not state the specific Damen ship the Pakistan Navy is buying, but the specifications (of 90 m and 1,900 tons) suggest that it is could be the Damen OPV 1800.

The Damen OPV 1800 is slightly shorter at 83 m, but it has a top speed of 22 knots and displacement of 1,800 tons. It has a ferry range of 5,000 nm and endurance of 30 days. It’s flight deck and hangar are large enough for a Sea King-sized helicopter.

Unveiled in 2015, the OPV 1800 is among a series of ‘second-generation’ OPV Damen is marketing along with its Multi-Mission Bay (MM Bay) modules concept.

The MM Bay modules enable the end-user to configure the OPV for a variety of roles without modifying the core design. MM Bay modules for search-and-rescue, mine countermeasures, counter-piracy and counter-narcotics operations are available. The OPV 1800 can carry up to three MM Bay modules.

In terms of armaments, the OPV 1800 can be configured with a 76-mm main gun and two 20-mm guns. Its sensor suite can include a medium range surveillance radar and electro-optical fire control system.

In March 2017, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) unveiled an OPV design based on the Damen OPV 1800. As per , the MMEA is acquiring three of these OPVs for $167 million U.S.

Pakistan’s acquisitions show that it is pursuing corvette-sized ships to recapitalize its surface fleet. Cost is a major factor behind these decisions, corvettes are cheaper to procure and operate than frigates.

In May, KSEW signed a letter-of-intent with Turkish defence contractor Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret (STM) to construct for the Pakistan Navy. It will ink the agreement by the end of June. The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) is receiving two Chinese .

Source: Quwa..

PAKISTAN ARMY CHIEF IN TURKEY, VISITS DEFENCE MINISTRY AND TAI...

General Qamar Javed Bajwa visiting Turkish Aerospace Industries' (TAI) T129 production plant. Photo credit: Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR)

The Pakistan Army’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is on an official visit to Turkey. According to , Gen. Bajwa met with Turkey’s Minister of Defence Fikri Işık to discuss areas of mutual interest, particularly “security policies, defence production and … training.”

The COAS also visited Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), where “he was briefed about the projects being undertaken by TAI in both military and civil aviation industry.” Gen. Bajwa had also inspected – and flew in – the TAI T129 ATAK attack helicopter, which .

Notes & Comments:

Alongside China, Turkey is among Pakistan’s leading defence partners. Over the past decade, Ankara and Islamabad have developed programs to facilitate defence-related training, exchanges and trade.

Pakistan also sees Turkey as its surrogate source for American and European technology, which Turkey produces under license or benefits from to varying degrees for its own programs. Turkey has been able to leverage its acquisition programs and scale to acquire technology transfers and export licenses. In turn, it markets the hardware to countries such as Pakistan. Sales generate additional scale, which distribute the development overhead across a higher number of units (i.e. increasing affordability of subsequent units).

For example, the T129 ATAK is an upgraded variant of the Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland) AW129 Mangusta, which Turkey selected as part of its next-generation attack helicopter program in the 2000s. Turkey acquired the Mangusta with the technology to manufacture the airframe domestically as well as to market the platform for export to third-party users.

In 2016, Pakistan had evaluated the T129 as part of an apparent ‘’ attack helicopter requirement to compliment the heavier Bell Helicopter AH-1Z Viper, three of which are by the end of this year. With the Chinese Z-10 as the sole active competitor, it is not clear which platform the Pakistan Army will ultimately select (assuming the program will be pursued).

However, at IDEF 2017 in May, TAI signed a memorandum-of-understanding with Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), which may enable PAC to manufacture and supply T129 parts as well as assemble the helicopter should the Pakistan Army select the T129 ().

It is likely that the offset package is being pitched to reduce the T129’s costs for Pakistan, albeit over the long-term through stimuli (via Pakistan contracting PAC for some T129 work) and exports to Turkey (for T129 parts). In a sense, the T129 could have broader implications than simply providing attack helicopters to the Army, it is also Turkey’s offer to support the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) initiative by packaging a helicopter industry work with the T129 acquisition.

TAI’s supporting T129 contractors Aselsan and Roketsan are also eager to engage with the Pakistan Army in the areas of electronics and munitions, respectively. In recent years, Aselsan has been supplying software defined radios to the Pakistan Army, but it is to include electro-optical and other electronics equipment for the . Roketsan is marketing its Mizrak/UMTAS series of anti-tank guided missiles and expertise in artillery rockets and ballistic armour.

Source: Quwa..

PAKISTAN SEES DEFENCE EXPORT GROWTH IN 2016-2017


The Chairman of the Pakistani Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence Production, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, reported that defence exports from Pakistan have grown to more than $98 million U.S. in fiscal year (FY) 2016-2017, a 55% increase from exports a decade ago in FY 2006-2007.

Notes & Comments:

Specific inputs driving Pakistan’s defence exports for 2016-2017 were not disclosed. However, in the past two fiscal years, Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) had booked export orders in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

POF, which is Pakistan’s principal small arms and ammunitions vendor, that it had secured sales worth $93.7 million in FY 2015-2016. Saudi Arabia was POF’s . Besides the possibility of work for the Saudi contract continuing into FY 2016-2017, POF also with Italian ammunition maker Fiocchi to pursue the to Fiocchi. Similar supply LoUs were signed with the Czechoslovak Group (CSG).

In partnership with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), POF inked a sale of 16 JF-17/FC-1 multi-role fighters to Myanmar in 2015. The first of these aircraft earlier in June, indicating that PAC’s had undertaken its share of the manufacturing work for those aircraft – and exported those parts – in FY 2016-2017. Three JF-17s were also by Nigeria in 2016.

PAC inked orders for its Super Mushshak trainer from , and in 2016 (for 8, 10 and 52 aircraft, respectively), but it does not appear that deliveries were made for new-built aircraft in 2016-2017. However, PAC did deliver on-hand Super Mushshak trainers to Nigeria in December (these will be replaced by new-built units when complete).

Fruition in ongoing Super Mushshak, JF-17 and POF supply contracts should markedly increase Pakistan’s annual defence export figures. In March, Pakistan’s Minister of Defence Production (MoDP) Rana Tanveer Hussain told that Islamabad is aiming to propel defence exports to $1 billion over the next two years. Pakistan is viewing Turkey, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka as prospective markets to drive this growth.

Critical to this objective would be major increases in the sale of big-ticket equipment, most notably the JF-17 Thunder as well as complete systems manufactured by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) and Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW). Pakistan has struggled exporting the HIT al Khalid main battle tank (MBT) and maintaining sales momentum for HIT’s series of armoured personnel carriers (APC). However, the forthcoming , which is envisaged to use a 1,500-hp diesel engine and exhibit noticeable improvements to its armour and electronics, could draw foreign interest.

Moreover, in the MoDP’s yearbook for 2015-2016, the Directorate General for Munitions Production (DGMP) of the Army and Navy commissioned the design and development of a and , respectively. Though driven by Pakistan’s domestic requirements, these systems could form the basis of competitively priced solutions for developing countries.

Pakistan may also begin actively tying its future big-ticket purchases to commercial offsets, which would involve the likes of PAC, POF, HIT and KSEW to function as parts and services suppliers for foreign original equipment manufacturers in Turkey, Ukraine and other countries. Indications of this are visible in the activities surrounding Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) efforts to sell its T129 ATAK attack helicopter to the Pakistan Army, with TAI PAC parts manufacturing and potentially even assembly work.

Source: Quwa..

PAKISTAN TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS FOR T129 ATTACK HELICOPTERS FROM TURKEY

Pakistan will reportedly commence formal negotiations for the attack helicopter from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).



According to aviation journalist Alan Warnes (via ), both sides are aiming to announce a deal, which could involve 30 aircraft, by the end of 2017 or early 2018. Turkish officials told that Pakistan was interested in the T129, but numbers have not yet been agreed upon.

This follows a year of active interest from Pakistan, beginning with trials in June 2016, when the Pakistan Army put the T129 ATAK (i.e. P6) through rigorous hot-and-high performance tests.

The P6 was flown at Pano Aqil when it was 50° Celsius. It was also flown at high-altitude at 14,000 feet in the Hindu Kush in the Himalayas. Endurance tests included a 480 km non-stop from Quetta to Multan.

In February, TAI’s General Manager Dr. Temel Kotil in a speech to the İstanbul Düşünce Vakfı (i.e. Istanbul Though Foundation) that TAI “will sell [T-129s] to Pakistan in the coming months.” Dr. Kotil also confirmed that Turkey acquired licenses to export the T129’s CTS800 turboshaft engine.

At IDEF 2017 in May, TAI and PAC had signed a memorandum-of-understanding (MoU) committing to expanding cooperation. At the end of May, Dr. Temel Kotil, visited PAC and TAI’s commitment to enable PAC to manufacture parts for the T129. PAC may also T129 ATAKs.

Last week, the Pakistan Army’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa to Turkey, where he met with TAI and inspected TAI’s T129 production site.

Pakistan also has 12 AH-1Z Viper and four Mi-35P Hind attack helicopters on order from Bell Helicopter and Russian Helicopters, respectively. The and all four Mi-35P are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan by the end of 2017.

The T129 is an upgraded variant of the AgustaWestland A129 Mangusta, which flew in 1983 and entered production that year for the Italian Army. Derived from the A129CBT, the T129 benefits from an uprated engine (i.e. LHTEC CTS800-4A), airframe modifications as well as new tail rotor and drive train.

Turkey selected the T129 in 2007 with manufacturing and third-party export rights. Aselsan, Roketsan and Havelsan developed weapons and subsystems for the T129.

Notes & Comments:

The Pakistan Army evaluated the T129 and Z-10 as part of a for attack helicopters to compliment the forthcoming Bell AH-1Z. Although a program for the Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (PAA), the program apparently drew interest from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Navy as well.

In an interview with during Pakistan’s biennial defence exhibition IDEAS, the Deputy Undersecretary for Defence Industries (SSM) Mustafa Şeker said “The vehicle is required by the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force. Thus, all three services are involved in the process [of evaluating the T129].” In effect, the ‘plus-one’ attack helicopter may have been slotted to have a significant impact: from forming an industry link to PAC, expanding the PAA’s Aviation Combat Group to potentially making attack helicopters available to subsets other than the Army’s infantry and armour.

In comparison to either the T129 or Z-10, the Bell AH-1Z is the larger helicopter, especially in terms of payload where it can carry 16 anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) in comparison to the eight ATGM-load of the T129 and Z-10. Pakistan took delivery of three Z-10s from China in late 2015. It had appeared that the Pakistan Army would procure the Z-10, but it is apparent that the Z-10 batch was in place for assessment. Alan Warnes reported (via Monch) of “strong speculation” of the three Z-10s in Pakistan no longer flying.

If the T129 order is inked, it would result in an acquisition roadmap of 46-49 modern attack helicopters – i.e. 12-15 AH-1Z, 30 T129 and 4 Mi-35P (a new version of the Mi-35M). Although this is similar in size to the Pakistan Army’s current fleet of AH-1F/S Cobra attack helicopters, the new fleet is vastly more capable. This is a result of integrated electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) turrets, integrated countermeasures and fire-and-forget ATGMs, such as the AGM-114R Hellfire-II and Mizrak (UMTAS).

The potential fleet composition would result in a high (AH-1Z) and low (T129) format. Though the AH-1Z is the more capable machine, the T129 would benefit from greater numbers and a local supply channel, resulting in a broader operational impact. The Mi-35P, while also an attack helicopter, can provide troop and cargo lift, making it an asset for hot-zone insertion and extraction.

This attack helicopter fleet may grow in the long-term. When Pakistan ordered its four Mi-35P, reported that the Pakistan Army could acquire up to 20 aircraft, though Russian diplomat Zamir Kabulov that Pakistan is aiming for 10-12 Mi-35Ps. In terms of the T129, Pakistan’s pursuit for – and potentially – at PAC could point to long-term fleet expansion.

Granted, linking PAC into the T129 could be viewed as TAI’s attempt to make the T129 more affordable for Pakistan, namely by providing PAC with continual exports of T129 parts and allowing Pakistan to invest some of the expense domestically (i.e. offsets). However, with PAC engaged in co-producing the T129, Pakistan would have the incentive to gradually expand its T129 fleet. Small annual batch orders of over a period of 10-15 years would amount to a sizable fleet (mirroring, albeit at a smaller scale, the PAF’s approach to inducting the JF-17 Thunder).

This would scale transfer-of-technology and maintenance infrastructure costs, but also provide the Army with a means to build its native close air support (CAS) coverage. A large attack helicopter fleet will enable the Army to take the lead on providing CAS coverage for itself, freeing the PAF’s fighter assets to focus on air defence and stand-off range strikes. This would be applicable in counterinsurgency (COIN), where PAF assets have been relied upon to provide strikes against fixed installations and time-sensitive targets, as well as in conventional anti-armour and infantry support operations.

Aselsan, Roketsan and Havelsan would have opportunities to expand activities in Pakistan through the T129. Aselsan is the principal supplier of the T129’s EO/IR turret, avionics and countermeasures suite. The is among the T129’s main weapons. Havelsan developed a complete for the T129. Pakistan may have the incentive to tie sales from these companies to commercial offsets, particularly in the form of investments in or partnerships with Pakistani companies.

Source: Quwa

Pakistan's Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works and Norway's Syncrolift Company sign Contract for 9,000 tonne Ship Lift and Transfer System.

PAKISTAN’S KSEW INKS CONTRACT WITH TTS GROUP FOR SYNCROLIFT SHIP LIFT-AND-TRANSFER SYSTEM





Pakistan’s Karachi Shipyards & Engineering Works (KSEW) took a step in implementing its infrastructure modernization plans by inking a $29.8 million U.S. deal for the ship lift-and-transfer system from Norwegian ship design and building firm TTS Group.

In its TTS Group states that design and development work will be done in Norway, with manufacturing planned in China and Europe. KSEW will receive the system in the “first half of 2019.”

The Syncrolift enables shipbuilders to lift ships from sea-level to land-level, where TTS Group’s system of “advanced hydraulic transfer trollies” move ships to and from production or repair sites on land.

In contrast to drydocks, the Syncrolift-enabled site can handle as many as 10 ships, providing “volume and efficiency advantage compared to … shipyards using drydocks.”

KSEW’s Syncrolift ship-lift system will handle ships of up to 9000 tons.

Notes & Comments:

The Pakistan Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) set the acquisition of a ship lift-and-transfer system – i.e. the TTS Group Syncrolift – as a priority for KSEW in 2017.

According to the specifications detailed in the MoDP’s annual yearbook for 2015-2016, the ship lift-and-transfer system would have to lift vessels of up to 8,000 tons. In turn, the lift-system will be connected to an ‘elaborate’ rail-linked system that would, using 30 winches (i.e. motorized trollies), place the ship to one of 13 “custom-built” workstations on land. The acquisition will involve a transfer-of-technology element whereby after-sale maintenance of the system will be managed locally.

The Syncrolift is being bought to lift ships from sea to land, but unlike a drydock system – which is fixed – 30 trollies would physically move the hull to one of 13 sites in-land. Conversely, the rail-transfer system will move ships from the in-land station to the ship-lift system, where it will then be laid for launch at sea.

TTS Group’s website shows that the Syncrolift is a complete system comprising of a ship elevator as well as rail-transfer system. Based on TTL Group’s press release and the MoDP’s description, it appears that KSEW is procuring elevator, rail-transfer system and trollies.

The MoDP states that the acquisition will “increase business capacity and efficiency of ship turnover by three times.” It adds that the system will offer KSEW better commercial growth prospects, especially in the ship repair market, and allow it to fully support “all present and future national maritime and defence objectives.” The MoDP also claims that the system will enable the domestic construction and launching of submarines “for the first time.”

The Syncrolift acquisition speaks to KSEW’s efforts to modernize its infrastructure and enable it to assemble ships (e.g. the MILGEM corvette) more quickly and, eventually, undertake a greater share of production tasks. This will support the Pakistan Navy by accelerating its fleet modernization efforts and allow it to confer more tasks to the local industry. The latter will enable the Pakistan Navy to reduce costs by relying on Pakistan’s currency as well as local labour and material costs.

It appears that the Pakistan Navy’s next-generation submarine program – i.e. the Hangor-class submarine – is the launching point for this endeavour. KSEW will manage four of the eight submarines. The MoDP states that the steel-cutting of the first Hangor-class submarine (to built at KSEW) is scheduled for October 2020. The four KSEW ships are

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to be in the hands of the Pakistan Navy by 2028.

While KSEW will take on more construction work, the requisite steel, propulsion and other critical components of the Hangor-class will still be imported. However, enhancing KSEW’s construction capacity may incentivize entities such as Maritime Technologies Complex (MTC) to explore in-house ship design and development. Like many other ship design entities overseas, MTC could develop original designs and then acquire the requisite materials and subsystems directly from manufacturers. MTC would basically assume the role of a main contractor like that of STM and CSOC in Turkey and China, respectively.

Alternatively, incumbent naval contractors already dealing with Pakistan – such as STM, CSOC and the Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards – could see KSEW’s modernization as an opportunity to pitch custom solutions to the Pakistan Navy. While key materials and systems would still be imported, KSEW’s competency in construction would remove the need to pre-fabricate hulls, which will help control costs and provide more flexibility to these companies in their offerings.

News ranks among Top 20 most powerful countries.

False information, China below Russia is a joke. Russia nominal gdp$ is at the same level as spain.
China 2017 gdp ppp per capita is close to 16800$. Fake news US as always.