Pakistan Military Developments

Pak to acquire US warship for 65-mln dollars

April 21st, 2010 - 12:18 pm ICT by ANI -
Washington, Apr.21 (ANI): Pakistan has signed a 65 million dollar deal with the United States for the acquisition of warship USS McInerney.
The naval frigate will be handed over to Pakistan on August 31 following which it would be refurbished according to the Pakistan Navy’s requirements under the US Navy’s supervision, The Daily Times reports.
USS McInerney, which would be called PNS Alamgir after Pakistan’s acquisition, is likely to start its journey to Pakistan in January 2011 to join the Pakistan Navy.
The defence deal was signed during a small function in Washington. Top officials from the navies of the both countries were present on the occasion.
Several Pakistan Embassy officials were also present during the signing of the deal, who described the contract as a ‘major milestone’ in strengthening the Pakistan-US relationship. (ANI)


http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/...100351231.html

Pakistan signs $65 million deal for US warship
PTI, Apr 21, 2010, 11.00am IST

has signed a $65 million deal with the United States for the "hot transfer" of refurbished American frigate USS McInerney by August 31.

The contract for the "hot transfer" of the USS McInerney, a Perry-class guided missile frigate, was signed by senior officials of the two countries here on Tuesday. Under the agreement, the Pakistan Navy will take over the vessel on August 31.

The sale of the frigate, which would be inducted into the Pakistan Navy as PNS Alamgir at a ceremony in the US, was approved by the United States Congress in September 2008.












indian source
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/w...ow/5838889.cms

Well, there are the US taxpayers money at work. Paying for things that has nothing to do with fighting Al Queda. Unless they expect Osama to be running around a submarine in the Arabian Sea?

these are directly aimed at India, not Taliban orAl-kaida,
i think US is arming PN against India too, like its selling weapons to India to arm against China.
why does not US give Military aid to India?
is the Pak poor country which cannot buy even a Bullet too.
why do US plays double games.

fuuny, last time i heard Americans knew the 'exact' use of AIM-120s, AIM-9s, P-3Cs & Frigates, after all we don't have a Taliban Air Force & Navy

Second Pakistani Agosta 90B SSK to be retrofitted with MESMA AIP System from 2011



A second Khalid-class (Agosta 90B) submarine of the Pakistan Navy is to be retrofitted with a MESMA (Module d'Energie Sous-Marine Autonome) air independent propulsion (AIP) system from 2011, according to French shipbuilder and systems specialist DCNS.A DCNS spokeswoman told Jane's on 20 April that the MESMA unit would be installed in the 1,760-ton boat during its first long overhaul period in Pakistan.Two of Pakistan's three Khalid-class submarines - PNS Khalid (S 137) and PNS Saad (S 138) - do not yet have AIP, but the spokeswoman was unable to say which of them would receive it.

The unit was completed by DCNS in Cherbourg and transferred on 15 April to a test site at Indres-Nantes, where it will be tested before being shipped to Pakistan.The liquid oxygen MESMA system is installed within a hull plug measuring 6.2 m in diameter and 8.6 m long and weighing 160 tons. It has a power output of 200 kW, quadrupling a submarine's dived performance at 4 kt and allowing it to carry out extended underwater operations of two weeks or more.Pakistan ordered the three Khalid-class boats from France in the early 1990s, with Khalid and Saad entering service in 1999 and 2003. The final boat, PNS Hamza (S 139), was fitted with the MESMA system during its construction at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works and was commissioned in September 2008.

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PAF is Installing DB110 Night Vision System on its Fighter Jets

Pakistan Air Force in order to further enhance its capabilities has started installing DB110 night vision system on its fighter jets. According to military sources, PAF has enhanced its night vision capability by installing the DB110 system. Under this system not only the capability to see far off in the night time would be bolstered but this system is also equipped to take images of activities several kilometers away and collect data

According to military sources UAV 'FALCO' has also been updated and has been installed with forward locking infrared system, which will greatly help in operation against militants in Tribal Areas. PAF Mirage Jets have also been modified and installed with refueling system.

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The Goodrich's DB-110 reconnaissance pod is a digital, real-time, tactical reconnaissance system designed to capture images in day or night, using electro-optical sensor technology. The pod can transmit Images via datalink to the ground in real time. The system is produced Goodrich's Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems (SRS) team based in Chelmsford, Mass. The data link ground stations are designed and built by a Goodrich facility in Malvern, U.K. for the Poland Peace Sky Program.



The DB-110 is a long-range oblique sensor to provide long-range, medium range and short-range imaging systems to support standoff and penetrating missions. It can be operated autonomously, by the pod's reconnaissance management system. Imagery is viewed on the F-16's cockpit video display, enabling the pilot to verify targets and conduct tasks such as battle damage assessment. This system allows the pilot increased flexibility over current fielded systems.
The DB-110/RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado) delivers high definition imagery in the visible and infrared bands at extremely long ranges. Its offers broad area coverage, spot and stereo coverage. The systems use an 11" aperture telescope with adjustable focal length of 110" in the visible range and 55" in the IR range. The EO assembly is mounted on a two-axis stabilized maintaining 180° field of regard across, and ± 20° along the line of flight. The system has two-axis line of sight stabilization, and is compensated for ground speed range of 0.1 to 1.6 Mach, at altitude above 10,000 feet. It provides variable overlap capability, from 10 to 100% and panoramic scanning (4° to 28°).

Poland will soon receive the first of seven DB-110 airborne reconnaissance pods to equip its newly procured F-16C/Ds (Peace Sky). DB-110 (known as Raptor) is built by Goodrich and is operational with the U.K. Royal Air Force Tornados, used during Operation Iraqi Freedom It is also in operation on the OP-3C aircraft flown by the Japanese Maritime Staff Office.

/souce

AFM - July 2010 Issue!

- Exercise HIGH MARK 2010- Alan Warnes views

P3C Orion Aircraft inducted into Pakistan Navy

KARACHI: The induction ceremony of two modified P3C Orion aircraft acquired from the US was held at the Pakistan Navy Base Mehran on Tuesday.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir was the chief guest at the ceremony.

US Brig Gen Mike Nagata of the Office of Defence Representative in Pakistan, and the US Consul General in Karachi Stephens G Fakan were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, the naval chief called the ceremony a historic event on many accounts. He said with the induction of these aircraft, the capability of Pakistan Navy and its Aviation Wing would be enhanced, adding that, “We have to contribute to make the areas that surround our country on land and the sea safe and secure and that we take this as our responsibility as well as moral obligation”.

The navy chief pointed out that the aircraft would help the force in furthering this very effort. Admiral Bashir said the fully modified aircraft were capable of undertaking missions that they are designed for and with their induction, the friendship between Pakistan and the US had been cemented further. app

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

Pakistan begins talks with China for procurement of 7 submarine
BY: JANES

China’s vice-president, Zheng Dejiang, met with civil and military leaders in Pakistan on 9-10 June in a visit surrounded by reports of a major new defence deal under discussion that would see Pakistan buying at least three Chinese submarines.

Speaking to Jane’s on 9 June, a senior Pakistani government official said the Pakistan Navy began discussions with “the Chinese authorities last month for an eventual submarine deal” for up to three or four boats, but declined to specify the types or terms under discussion.
China has a long history of helping Pakistan overcome shortages of key military hardware, notably the hardware it was denied by the Western world following sanctions imposed from 1990 in response to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme.

The Pakistani government official who spoke to Jane’s on 9 June said that it was vital for the navy to acquire more submarines to offset “the pressure we will definitely come under” due to the rapid expansion of India’s naval capability. “Our Chinese brothers have always come to our help and we are asking them for assistance once again,” he said.

Although neither China nor Pakistan have ever publicly revealed the terms of their past financial arrangements, defence analysts say that China continues to offer long-term loans to Pakistan on concessional terms, allowing the country to continue with its military hardware purchases.

US to deliver 18 F-16s to Pakistan by month’s end

The United States will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) by the end of this month, The Express Tribune has learnt. The Block 50/52 model jets will land at an airbase in Sindh, officials said here on Saturday.

“The F-16, equipped with the latest missiles, will arrive at Shahbaz Airbase in Jacobabad in the last week of June,” PAF Director Media Tariq Yazdani confirmed.

However, he avoided revealing the exact date the jets would land in Pakistan. According to sources privy to the deal, the delivery is expected to take place on June 24.

“The runways have been renovated for modern F-16 fighter jets, to transform the airbase into a completely operational one,” Yazdani said.

Informed sources said that the fighters were being delivered to Pakistan under a series of strict conditions by Washington. One of these stipulations is that Pakistan would not use the jets in any conflict with India, the source further added.

Another condition is that American air force engineers will accompany the delivery of the F-16s and supervise not only the air base but also the operations to be carried out by PAF against Taliban and al Qaeda.

Furthermore, though flown by PAF pilots, the logistics, management and control of the F-16s will be with the US engineers.

“Some American engineers will accompany the new fighter jets and will help the PAF engineers operate these F-16s for a short period accordingly,” a senior PAF official said, however hastening to add that no American pilots will be stationed at Shahbaz Airbase, he stressed.

“No foreigner, not even from the friendliest countries, will be allowed to have access to Shahbaz Airbase,” a source said, revealing the security and secrecy surrounding the deal.

According to these sources, approximately US$500 million were spent in the effort to upgrade the airbase to make it conducive to the new F-16s.

Meanwhile, Akhtar Munir of the Ministry of Defence’s public relations office also confirmed to The Express Tribune that the arrangements regarding the delivery of the new F-16 jets by the end of this month have been finalised.

“The Pakistani defence minister in a meeting with the Australian defence minister three days back at Islamabad told senior officials that 18 F-16s are being delivered to Pakistan within three weeks,” Munir said.

To a query, he said that the bill of effectively rebuilding Shahbaz Airbase was footed by the PAF and the Ministry of Defence to ensure that all necessary infrastructural requirements of the new jets are met.

He went on to say that the security of the Airbase has been enhanced and no one but PAF officials will be allowed to have access to the renovated airbase located in Jacobabad.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major Gen. Athar Abbas, when contacted regarding the delivery, said he could only confirm the details after consulting with the PAF authorities. However, he did say that a meeting of all concerned quarters may be held next week to finalise arrangements.

Meanwhile, a senior PAF official, on the condition of anonymity, said that approximately Rs25 billion were allocated for upgrading of the airbase.

Elaborating, he said that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) provided Rs7 billion to convert Shahbaz from a forward-operating base to a main-operating base, he added.

It is also pertinent to mention here that with the addition of 18 new F-16s, the total number of jet fighters in PAF will cross 50.The PAF currently has the Block 15 A/B F-16 models in operation, which have upgraded APG-66 radars.

It is expected that the much-demanded large-scale military operation against the Taliban and al Qaeda in North Waziristan will be launched after the US delivers the F-16s.

http://idrw.org/?p=2015#more-2015

Pakistan will receive the first four of 18 upgraded F-16s from the US this week and the multi-role combat jets will give its air force the capability to conduct night operations and use precision-guided munitions.

The four Block 52 F-16s are due to arrive at Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad on Saturday, official sources were quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

The delivery of all 18 jets ordered by Pakistan from the US will be completed by the end of this year, the sources said.

The jets will enhance Pakistan Air Force's capabilities for the ongoing war against terror, the sources were quoted as saying.

Pakistan is also conducting negotiations with the US for purchasing another 14 new F-16s, the sources said. The Block 52 F-16s are more advanced than the F-16 A/B jets in the PAF's existing fleet.

The PAF is in the process of conducting a mid-life upgrade of its fleet of 30-year-old F-16s. Four of the 45 old F-16s are currently being upgraded and they will be ready in a couple of months, the sources said.

Ahead of the delivery of the Block 52 F-16s, eight Pakistani pilots underwent training in the US.

The training included a course to make the transition from the F-16 A/B to the F-16 Block C /D aircraft, flight lead upgrade training and instructor pilot certification so that they eight pilots could train others to fly the new jets.

http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/j...eturn-home.htm

US to deliver 3 F-16s to Pakistan today

ISLAMABAD: The US Air Force is set to deliver the first batch of 18 new F-16 fighting falcon jet fighters to the Pakistan Air Force in a sign of deepening relations between the United States and Pakistan, claimed a press release issued by the US embassy on Friday. Three F-16s are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on June 26, with 15 more to be delivered later this year and the next, said US Air Force Major Todd Robbins, the Pakistan country director in the US office of the undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs. “This is the most visible part of a strong and growing relationship between the two air forces that will benefit us, both in the near term and long term,” Robbins said. staff report.