After completion of the harbor phase, the sea phase of the Naval Exercises named “Aman 2009” hosted by Pakistan Navy started last Monday. The 10-day exercise, which began March 5, is designed to improve maritime security in the region, strengthen international partnerships and highlight the importance of maritime cooperation. As part of this exercise, ships will conduct search-and-rescue operations, surface exercises, submarine warfare, air-defense training, explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) exercises and participate in foreign officer exchanges. The exercise also includes replenishment at sea, formation display of helicopters and fly past by Pakistan Navy’s Fokker Atlantic, P3C Orion and Mirage aircraft.
There is also an “anti submarine” exercise involving Sea King helicopters with Pakistan Navy commandos on board PNS Tipu Sultan.
As many as 13 ships of nine countries including Pakistan are taking part in the four-day sea phase. They include United States, China, France, Britain, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Japan.
The countries that are participating as observers are: Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, Gambia, Germany, Indonesia, Jordan, Libya, Maldives, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Thailand, Vietnam, Azarbaijan, Kazakistan and Kenya.
"This exercise provides U.S. and international forces the opportunity to work together and train across the spectrum of naval disciplines," said Capt. Rick Williams, U.S. 5th Fleet Maritime Operations Center director. "Aman 2009 will improve the interoperability and tactical proficiency between coalition nations and enhance our navies' effectiveness in supporting maritime security objectives."
U.S. ships participating in the exercise include Boutwell, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), all assigned to U.S. 5th Fleet.
Pakistan is an integral member of the Combined Maritime Forces headquartered in Bahrain and has commanded Combined Task Force 150 twice, most recently November 2007-February 2008. Pakistan is also an important regional partner of the United States and plays an important role in helping provide security and stability to the region.
Maritime Security Operations (MSO) enhance stability in the maritime environment, which promotes global prosperity. These operations complement the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or illicit material.
Along with the US, the Chinese Navy is also a big participant. A Chinese naval force, composed of the destroyer Guangzhou, a helicopter and 10 members of the marine corps is taking part in the exercises, according to Chinese spokesman Huang Xueping.
Prior to Aman 2009, the world’s biggest Coalition exercise "Bright Star 2007" took place in the Mediterranean, where Navies of Egypt, Pakistan, Britain, Turkey, Greece, USA and Italy participated in the sea phase.
The Indian Navy also conducts regular joint exercises with other nations and the most recent one was with Japan off Mumbai coast in August, 2008, just prior to the Mumbai attacks for which the terrorists allegedly entered the the metropolis by sea route.
In comparison with the relatively small Pakistan Navy, the Indian Navy is the world’s fifth largest navy. It is proud of its "blue water" capability to operate on the high seas away from the Indian shores to project India's "combat power" in the Indian ocean to impress neighbors and to "safeguarding our maritime interests" , according to the Indian Navy's official website. It is a three-dimensional force consisting of sophisticated missile-equipped warships, aircraft carriers, minesweepers, advanced submarines and the latest aircraft in its arsenal. India's Naval forces are maintained and supported by modern dockyard facilities with state-of-the-art technology. The Indian Navy has two major Naval bases at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam on the two coasts of India.
The Chinese PLA Navy, the other major power in Asia, has ambitious plans to become the world's largest force but it currently lacks any aircraft carriers. There are strong rumors that China is building its own aircraft carriers for addition to its navy in the near future. It has become clear that the Chinese Navy is beginning to challenge the presence of the US Navy in its coastal waters. Recently, there was an incident between the US and Chinese navy ships in South China Sea in which each nation protested the other side's behavior. The confrontation between a United States naval vessel and five Chinese ships is the “most serious” military dispute between the two countries since a midair collision in 2001 forced an American surveillance plane to land on Hainan island, the director of national intelligence, Dennis C. Blair, said Tuesday before the US Senate Armed Services Committee. China accuses the US of spying on the Chinese navy in South China sea, and wants it to stop.
While Pakistan is working with China, France and the US to build up its Navy, Indian Navy continues to rely on Russian help. Last year, the BBC reported that there have been issues related to the acquisition of the aircraft carrier named Admiral Gorsckov by the Indian Navy. From a negotiated price of $700m, the Russians subsequently demanded $1.2bn with delivery delayed till 2013. Around the same time, the Indian Navy refused to accept an upgraded diesel-powered submarine after delays in the installation of a missile system from Russia.
As the smallest of the three branches of Pakistan's armed forces, Pakistan Navy objectives were summarized well by a former PNS deputy chief Rear Admiral Afzal Tahir, who said in 2001 that "The Pakistan navy continues to strive hard to make up for the deficiencies and achieve a qualitative edge over a numerically superior enemy (India)."
A quick comparison with Indian Navy, the world's fifth largest, shows that Pakistan Navy is quite capable of inflicting significant damage on the Indian Navy in case of hostilities in the Arabian Sea. The Indian Navy has 16 submarines. Pakistan Navy has ten, some are brand new. Indian Navy has 27 war ships, Pakistan Navy has ten. The aging Indian Aircraft Carrier Viraat (expected to be replaced by Russia's refurbished Admiral Gorshkov) can still be a menace, and it will have to be dealt with effectively, if it attempts to blockade Pakistan’s sea lanes or ports in the unlikely event of war that Pakistan and India came close to fighting in the aftermath of Mumbai attacks in late 2008.
Conducting multinational naval exercises such as Aman 2009 is a desirable part of international military diplomacy enhancing Pakistan's standing in the world. Aman 2009 naval exercises also present an excellent opportunity for Pakistan Navy personnel to train with some of the top navy professionals in the world, and stay abreast of the latest developments necessary for the small Pakistani force to effectively perform its mission of maintaining peace and security in the Arabia sea.
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Threre are more reasons to migrate to Canada
1 year ago
24 comments:
LOL PN should be compared to ICG not IN. PN is a joke and after the thrashing of 71 will not dare to come out and play.
su market:
It seems you're stuck in the 1971 mindset, a big mistake. Big, outdated Indian Navy ships bought from the Russians are going to be sitting ducks for a smaller, more mobile and agile Pak Navy...remember the big hole in the side of USS Cole near Aden? That's going to be the future of Indian Navy ships.
Pakistan navy is still a ceremonial/harbour navy in front of Indian navy
Here's a report on Pakistan Navy's SeaSpark exercises:
KARACHI:
Monday, October 12, 2009
Pakistan Navy's maritime exercise `SEASPARK 2009' commenced on Monday.
An ISPR (Navy) press release said on Monday that the exercises panning over six weeks, will be conducted in North Arabian Sea employing all operational units of Pakistan Navy including ships, submarines, aircraft, Special Services Group and Pak Marines.
It said that the main objective of the exercise is to assess the operational readiness of Pakistan Navy and provide an opportunity to the officers and men to operate under multi-threat environment and exercise responses accordingly.
The exercise has been divided into four main phases: Preparatory, Mobilization, War and Analysis.
The exercise is presently in the Mobilization Phase which includes activation of Forward Operating Bases, Dispersal Sites and Command and Control Centers.
Opening brief of the exercise was held this morning at PN Dockyard which was presided over by Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Noman Bashir.
Participating units of the exercise, which also include supporting units from PAF, have been divided into Blue and Orange forces depicting friend and foe respectively.
The exercise is conducted under the auspices of Pakistan Navy Ops Directorate headed by Rear Admiral Tanveer Faiz.
Commander Pakistan Fleet Rear Admiral Asif Sandila commands the Blue Force whereas Rear Admiral Abbas Raza is incharge of Orange Force.
During the inaugural session, the Force Commanders presented their Concept of Operations (ConOps).
Pakistan Navy's Seaspark Exercise 2009 conclude
PPI
29/10/2009 14:49:00
Karachi, Pakistan Navy's Annual Seaspark Exercise 2009 concluded Thursday in North Arabian Sea with Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir saying the major exercise helped to test war preparedness, refinement of operational plans and integration of newly acquired weapons, sensors, etc.
``After analyzing Exercise 2009 we will further improve ourcapabilities. Pakistan Navy has a capablity gap which need to befurther srengthened. However, there are constraints and we have tooperate in this environment,'' Admiral Noman Bashir told newsmen onboard PNS Nasr in North Arabian Sea.``Navy is balanced force, plays important role in peace and wartimes, is also an instrument of foreign policy. Navy is taking partin anti-terrorism and anti-piracy operations in its area ofoperations and an important player in the region. ``We are associated in anti-terrorism and anti-piracy operationswith International coalition forces in Gulf region as well as Gulfof Aden where Navy's ships are also deployed. Currently PakistanNavy is heading its anti-terrorism Task Force,'' he stated.He said Arabian Sea at present is the world's most important region due to its location in the Gulf (Strait of Hormuz where 66%of world's oil supply is produced), Gulf of Aden & Strait of Malacca and also ``very important'' for trade and energy requirements globally.
``We proposed to the government to set up a Joint Maritime Organization comprising Coast Guards, Maritime Security Force,Fisheries Department, Karachi Port Trust and other bodies dealing at harbour, sea, shores, ports, to deal with counter terrorism operations. Organizations's lead role has to be with Navy. I hope government will approve the proposal,'' Chief of Naval Staff said.Admiral Noman Bashir felt Gwadar, on Balochistan coast is a strategic deep seaport for commercial and defence purposes and need to be fully operationalized by its operator as it has great potential. Navy has a base at Gwadar, he added.Earlier Rear Admiral Tanveer Faiz,Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) said there is ``stablity'' in North Arabian Sea where Pakistan Navy operates to counter terrorism and piracy. ``We are on the alert and maintain strict watch in North Arabian Sea as searoute is lifeline of our economy since 97% of our two-way trade is by sea.''Commodore Mohsin Riaz, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff said in16-day long Seaspark Exercise 2009 Exercise, Navy was able to check its operational preparedness, integration of newly acquired weapons,sensors, etc.Chief of Naval Staff also witnessed a spectacular display by naval ships, submarines, aircraft, helicopters.
A Russian designed anti-ship missile called Sizzler is raising concerns for large warship safety, even the safety of aircraft carriers, of the US Navy in case conflict with Russia, China or Iran. India is also said to possess Sizzler missiles posing a threat to Pakistan Navy. Here are excerpts from an Economist magazine story "Peril on the sea":
"The Sizzler is the leading example of a growing class of supersonic cruise missiles designed by non-Western countries. Versions of it, and its competitors, can be launched from submarines, aircraft and vehicles. The Yakhont, a slightly slower Russian missile that also carries a heavy warhead, has been sold to countries including Indonesia and Vietnam. The BrahMos, a joint Indian and Russian upgrade of the Yakhont, comes even closer to matching the Sizzler’s effectiveness.
These non-Western supersonic missiles are changing defence thinking. To begin with, uncertainty about ship “survivability” is increasing as missiles proliferate, says Steve Zaloga, a missile expert at Teal Group, an aerospace consultancy in Fairfax, Virginia. China and India already have Sizzlers and countries that have indicated interest in, or bought, the Sizzler or versions of it include Algeria, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. Some think Iran probably has Sizzlers too."
"Iran is one country gaining naval power without much in the way of sophisticated ships. It has large numbers of anti-ship missiles which can be launched from small, fast boats or batteries hidden ashore in buildings or trucks. Defence officials are troubled by the prospect of missiles that can be launched from civilian positions. A product designed by Concern Morinformsystem-AGAT, the Russian company behind the Sizzler, may heighten such fears. The firm now offers a four-missile launching package hidden inside a standard commercial shipping container. It could be transported on a ship, train or big lorry. Called the Club-K Container Missile System, it provides dangerous potential to rogue forces, says a Western arms-market consultant who has visited the manufacturer’s facilities in Russia."
Here's an embarrassing story of India's "blue water" navy's incompetence:
Indian naval authorities say they hope to salvage a 3,000-tonne warship which ran aground on Monday after colliding with a merchant ship.
The INS Vindhyagiri collided with a Cyprus-flagged merchant vessel on Sunday in Mumbai and caught fire.
The incident has been described by critics as one of the navy's most embarrassing peacetime incidents.
About 400 passengers and crew who were on board the warship at the time of the collision had to rescued.
Some media reports say that the stricken ship sustained serious damage when it hit the seabed at the naval dockyard in Mumbai, but there has been no official acknowledgement of the damage.
At the time of the accident, the warship was returning from a "day at sea" for families of sailors and officers.
The navy says it has registered a case against the captain and crew members of the merchant vessel. They are accused of negligent navigation, causing injuries and endangering the lives and personal safety of others.
The navy says that it is also conducting an independent inquiry into the incident.
"It is very difficult to gauge the extent of damage at this point. But we will involve our technical agencies to salvage the ship. Firstly, it has to be made lighter by pumping the water and fuel out. Then we can carry out further operations," a navy spokesman said.
A coastguard spokesperson said that the possibility of an oil spill had been averted because the ship was in a tidal basin and river booms had been deployed to stop any movement of oil.
"There is no chance of any spillage spreading as the area is part of naval dockyard," he said.
Here's an APP report on the 2011 Aman multi-national exercise with navies from USA, UK, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia in Karachi, Pakistan:
KARACHI, March 7 (APP): The multinational Naval exercise Aman 2011 will be conducted from March 8 to 12 in the Arabian Sea under the arrangements of Pakistan Navy.This was stated by the Commander Pakistan Fleet, Vice-Admiral Abbas Raza,here on Monday.Briefing the newsmen about the event, he said that a total of 39 countries along with their Naval assets would participate in this exercise.Admiral Abbas pointed out that the major Naval forces have started assembling in Pakistani waters for the cause of international maritime peace.
He stated that Naval ships from 11 different countries including USA, UK, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have arrived here on Monday to participate in the multinational Naval Exercise Aman 2011.
It was pointed out that the large scale exercise is being conducted from March 8 to 12 in the Arabian Sea under arrangements of Pakistan Navy.
Maritime air platforms from Japan, Australia and USA have arrived here on Sunday. In addition, Special Operation Forces, explosive ordnance, disposal experts and marines teams from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China and USA are also participating.
Upon entering the Karachi harbor, the participating ships were given a warm welcome by PN officers and sailors with military bands playing national tunes.
Exercise Aman 2011 is third in line of its biennial series of exercises being conducted off Pakistan’s coast. First exercise Aman was held in March 2007 followed by Aman in March 2009.
Admiral Abbas further stated that Aman series of exercises have been aimed at promoting interoperability and mutual understanding between friendly regional and extra regional nations to put up a collective response to multi-faceted threats like narco trade, human smuggling, gun-running and terrorism etc.
He said that in the past few years piracy at high seas has presented a formidable challenge to the countries around the globe. It is not possible for any one country to single handedly deal with these threats.
Resultantly, nations around the world have re-strategized their roles to deal with this ominous threats and the concept of ‘collective and collaborative’ security especially in the maritime domain has gained greater pre-eminence than ever before.
Admiral Abbas said that Aman Series of exercises are an effort from Pakistan and Pakistan Navy to promote maritime security awareness in the region. The main focus of the exercise Aman 2011 is to project united resolve against maritime terrorism and other crimes.
Here's a Chinese Xinhua report on Aman 2011 exercises getting underway near Karachi, Pakistan:
ISLAMABAD, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Delegations of 40 countries from all over the world reached Pakistan to take part in naval exercises, coded "Peace-11 Exercises," which officially kicked off on Tuesday, reported local English daily Express Tribune.
Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Abbas Raza said that since the Mumbai attacks, the Maritime Security Agency and Indian Coast Guards have established a special hotline to stay in direct contact to avoid any future untoward incidents.
The commander answered questions at a briefing held for the media at the fleet headquarters in Karachi on Monday about the Aman-11 exercise, in which around 40 countries are participating.
Raza said the magnitude of the threat in the seas had diversified over the years which included terrorism, weapons smuggling, narcotics trade, human trafficking and piracy.
"It is not possible for any one country to single-handedly deal with all these threats," he said, adding that there was a dire need for "collective and collaborative" security.
The Aman series of exercises, which formally begin on Tuesday, is one example of promoting mutual understanding and interoperability between regional and friendly countries against asymmetric threats, he said.
Naval ships from all over the world have started to arrive in Karachi to participate in the exercise which will be conducted between March 8 and March 12. Around eleven countries, including the U.S., UK, China, France, Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia have sent their ships and Special Marines Forces for participation.
Twenty-eight countries, including Russia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, South Korea and Netherlands have sent their delegations to participate in the exercise as observers.
When asked whether India was asked to participate since this was a regional exercise, Raza said that would only become possible once relations between the two countries improve.
He said Iran and Bangladesh chose not to participate despite invitations. Sri Lanka, too, backed out at the last minute.
He said that piracy at sea remained a formidable challenge which had now spread out to the Indian Ocean from initially being limited to just the Strait of Malacca.
"We are keeping track of ship movements through the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation," the Vice Admiral informed about the anti-piracy efforts.
When asked if the recent strain in diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the U.S. had any adverse effect on them, Raza said professional cooperation between the armed forces were excellent.
Meanwhile, Chinese naval ships were accorded a warm welcome when they arrived at the Karachi harbor on Monday. Talking to the media, Commanding Officer of the Chinese ship said that the long- standing Sino-Pakistan friendship was beyond all boundaries.
The Aman-11 exercise is the third in line of its biennial series of exercises being conducted off Pakistan's coast. The first exercise Aman-07 was held in March 2007 followed by Aman-09 in March 2009.
Here's an Express Tribune report on Aman 2011:
KARACHI: Pakistan Navy’s multinational exercise, Aman 2011, entered its sea phase on Friday when ships, helicopters, submarines and special forces sailed out to the Arabian Sea.
According to a press statement, all maritime platforms participating in the exercise are working in real-threat environment. Tactical manoeuvres, replenishment at sea, transfer of men and material from one ship to another, surface firing on pre-determined targets, countering air-to-surface and surface-to-surface threats, insertion of commandos on ships through helicopters and submarine warfare exercises were conducted during the drill. Search and rescue exercises were also rehearsed.
During the harbour phase earlier, participating countries discussed the planning and execution of exercises. Standard Operating Procedures were also discussed to be implemented during the sea phase. The sea phase will be followed by analysis.
Here are recent 2011 updates on Pakistan's defense imports as reported by defenseindustrydaily.com:
March 1/11: Aviation Week reports that Pakistan is in negotiations with the U.S. to get more Lockheed Martin F-16s over and above the 63 currently in service (18 F-16C/D Block 52, 45 F-16A/B Blocck 15/OCU that will be upgraded). No numbers have been specified, by Pakistani officials see it as part of a dual-track strategy that will also include more spending on domestic projects like the JF-17 Thunder, to improve Pakistan’s own manufacturing capacity.
At present, PAF Air Chief Marshall Rao Qamar Suleman says that 4 F-16A/Bs went to the USA for technical verification inspections and upgrade kit development, and the 1st 3 F-16A/Bs are now undergoing the upgrade at Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). All of Pakistan’s F-16s are expected to be upgraded by 2013-2014. At present, no systems exist that would bridge the F-16 and JF-17 fleets, but Air Chief Marshall Suleman says that Pakistan intends to eventually field a supplementary datalink, which would work alongside the Link 16 systems carried by the F-16s.
The comments come as the Pakistani military is also discussing a deal to buy Chinese submarines as a supplement to their French Agosta-class boats, as an intended prelude to joint submarine development. These plans are all being made against a backdrop of a serious domestic insurgency and widespread flooding damage, which have combined to create over 1 million internal refugees, and threaten the government’s medium term ability to maintain control of the country. Even as the state is very obviously fraying in other ways.
Jan 20/11: Goodrich Corporation of Chelmsford, MA receives a $71.9 million contract for 5 DB-110 Pods, 2 datalink upgrades to existing pods, 2 fixed ground stations, 1 mobile ground station, and 4 ground station datalink receiver kits, plus initial spares, technical manuals, minimal initial engineering support for final in-country installation, integration, testing and a study for a potential fusion center. This supports Pakistani F-16 aircraft. At this time, $17.3 million has been committed by the ASC/WINK at Wright-Patterson Air Force, OH on behalf of their Foreign Military Sale client (FA8620-11-C-3006).
The DB-110 reconnaissance pod offers day and night capabilities, and has been ordered by a number of F-16 customers, including Egypt, Greece, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, and the UAE. DB-110s were not mentioned in the DSCA upgrade requests, but they are clearly part of that effort now. Reports indicate that installations began in June 2010; this is apparently a follow-on order. A Jan 12/11 US FedBizOpps solicitation for associated imagery analysis training is a useful reminder that buying the pods is not enough to field a useful capability. See also Aviation Week re: DB-110.
Here are excerpts from a report on Pakistan Defence Website:
The first Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) frigate set sail for Pakistan on Monday. The frigate was acquired by Pakistan Navy from the United States. The ship is formerly known as the USS McINERNEY (FFG-8) and was commissioned in the Pakistan Navy as the PNS ALAMGIR (FFG-260) on August, 31, 2010 during a huge ceremony at the Mayport, Naval Station. The ceremony was attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani. After commissioning, the PNS ALAMGIR underwent modernization and refurbishment and the BAE System Shipyard in Jacksonville Florida. 18 officers and 218 CPO/ Sailors underwent a series of training sessions to be able to operate the ship.
The Ship Transfer and Assistance Team (STAT) contributed greatly in the training. The Pakistan Crew’s stay in the US, not only contributed to the better understanding on issues of mutual concern, but also strengthened the relations between the two nations. Captain Naveed Ashraf T.Bt TI(M) was announced as the first Commanding Officer of the PNS ALAMGIR.
The ship set sail for Pakistan on Monday, after the completion of the final trials and cre workup. The ship is scheduled to stop at Bermuda (UK), Azores (Portugal), Cadiz (Spain), Golcuk (Turkey), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Salalah (Oman) and would eventually reach Pakistan on 13 May 2011.
The PNS ALAMGIR will be a part of the 18th Frigate Squadron of the Pakistan Navy Fleet. Pakistan has become one of the important members of Global War on Terror (GWOT). Due to Pakistani government’s decision to fight terrorism, the Pakistan Navy joined the maritime coalition against terrorism which is led by the US. At the moment the Navy participates in the Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan (CMCP) which is one of the maritime components of the Global War on Terrorism. The CMCP encompasses operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The coalition forces work under the command of United States Naval Forces Central Command (US NAVCENT). The responsibility areas include the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and Red Sea.
Despite the strong resource constraints, the Pakistan Navy has always been a number one participant in the CMCP. The Pakistan Navy was the first regional navy to form a part of the CMCP and has greatly contributed its assents to ensuring stability and peace in the region. The Pakistan Navy has so far contributed one frigate to Task Force 150 (TF-150) and a Type-21 frigate to Task Force 151 (TF-151).
The Pakistan Navy has commanded TF-150 f our times and is currently in charge of the TF-151 off the coast of Somalia, where they are countering piracy. Pakistan is also the first non-NATO country to command a Task Force.
The Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates are being used by a lot of navies and their main strength is conducting Maritime Security Operations which have become the main concern of the nations. The PNS ALAMGIR is scheduled to augment Maritime Security Operations in the Arabian Sea. Another of its goals is to support the Pakistan Navy Surface Fleet.
The PNS ALAMGIR has been named after Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir who was the sixth Muslim Ruler of Great Mughal Empire and is known to be one of the most fierce and experienced warriors, who protected his territories and was the Empire’s leader for nearly 50 years. Thanks to him the influence of the Mughal Empire was spread to the entire Indian Sub-continent.
Here's a Defense News story on how Pakistan plans to counter India's ABMs:
ISLAMABAD - In response to India's pursuit of missile defenses, Pakistan has expanded its countermeasure efforts, primarily through development of maneuvering re-entry vehicles. The Army Strategic Forces Command, which controls Pakistan's ballistic missiles, has since at least 2004 said it wanted to develop such warheads; analysts now believe these are in service.
Mansoor Ahmed, lecturer at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at Islamabad's Quaid-e-Azam University, said that in addition to maneuverable warheads, multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) may be developed to stay ahead of India's "multilayered ballistic-missile defense system" and potential future countermeasures.
"This, coupled with submarine-launched, nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, would ensure the survivability of its nuclear deterrent and enhance the effectiveness of its missile force that can beat any Indian defenses," he said.
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He (Harsh Pant) further explained, "A missile defense system would help India blunt Pakistan's 'first use' nuclear force posture that had led Pakistan to believe that it had inhibited India from launching a conventional attack against it for fear of its escalation to the nuclear level. With a missile defense system in place, India would be able to restore the status quo ante, thereby making a conventional military option against Pakistan potent again."Such a missile defense system and a second-strike capability "would enhance the uncertainties of India's potential adversaries, regardless of the degree of effectiveness of missile interception, and would act as a disincentive to their resort to nuclear weapons," he said.
Asked whether Pakistan's countermeasures would be effective against such ABM systems, Pant replied, "most definitely."
He said, "According to various reports, Pakistan has been developing MIRV capability for the Shaheen-II ballistic missiles and [the] Shaheen-III missile is under development."
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"Although the current capability of Pakistani missiles is built around radar seekers, the integration of re-entry vehicles would make these extremely potent and defeat the anti-ballistic missile defense systems. This would be especially true of Indian aircraft carriers that would become extremely vulnerable," he said.
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Analysts have for years speculated that the Navy will equip its submarines with a variant of the Babur cruise missile armed with a nuclear warhead. However, whether a cruise-missile-based arm of the nuclear triad at sea would be effective and survivable in the face of Indian air defenses is uncertain.
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When this was put to analyst Usman Shabbir of the Pakistan Military Consortium think tank, he said the interception of cruise missiles is not so simple."I think Babur will form the sea-based arm of the Pakistani nuclear deterrent" he said, "but the problem in targeting subsonic cruise missiles is that they are harder to detect due to their lower radar cross-signature, low-level navigation, and use of waypoints to circumvent more secure and heavily defended areas."
"By the time you detect them, there is not much time left to vector aircraft for interception."
However, Shabbir conceded it would be possible for an airborne interceptor to shoot down a missile like Babur. "An aircraft already on [patrol] might be lucky to pick it up on its own radar well in advance [if looking in the correct direction], or vectored to it by ground-based radar."
Here's an excerpt from an Indian website "South Asia Defense and Strategy Review" on the threats to Indian Navy from Pakistani missiles:
Pakistan’s arsenal of a variety of advance ballistic and cruise missiles merits attention. Reports suggest that Pakistan is developing MIRV capability for the Shaheen-II ballistic missiles and Shaheen-III missile is under development. Although the current capability of Pakistani missiles is built around radar seekers and the GPS updates provide enormously accurate CEP, the integration of ‘re-entry vehicle’ would make these extremely potent and defeat the anti-ballistic missile defence systems. In the Indian context, there is as yet no sea based anti ballistic missile system and this gap in their defence can make the Indian aircraft carriers highly vulnerable. The Indian navy may have integrated the anti ship missile threat from surface , sub surface and air platforms of the Pakistan Navy, a salvo of DF-21 or Shaheen-II / III ballistic missiles poses an ‘existential threat’ and could be worth the attention it merits. In essence, the ASBM threat necessitates an equal priority as acquisition of aircraft carriers.
Pakistan Navy commandos protecting MV Suez, according to NDTV:
New Delhi: Protected by nine
Pakistani commandos who are now on board the MV Suez, the ship which has six Indian sailors among the 22-member crew is likely to reach the port of Salalah in Oman tomorrow morning.
The Pakistani warship, the PNS Babar, reached the Suez on Wednesday after its crew says repeated calls to the Indian Navy were ignored. As the Babar began escorting the Suez away from the waters where it was attacked by Somali pirates, India sent a warship to help out. The late action was criticized by many, among them the Indian sailors on board the Suez and their families.
The crew of the Suez which is owned by an Egyptian company was first taken hostage nine months ago. On board are six Indians, four Pakistanis, one Sri Lankan and 11 Egyptians.
A 2.1 million dollar ransom was paid by the ship's owners with assistance from donations from Pakistan. The crew was freed earlier this week, but within hours, pirates began circling the Suez again, promoting SOS calls to the Indian Navy and to Pakistan.
Yesterday, Wasi Hasan, the captain of the Suez, told NDTV that there was just a day's worth of food left on the ship. He also said that the ship was running out of diesel, and that the Suez crew may have to abandon their ship and move to the Babar.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/9-pakistani-commandos-on-board-the-suez-112941
Indian TV channel NDTV is reporting that MV Suez, escorted by PNS Babar, has arrived safely at Port Salah in Oman:
New Delhi: Egyptian sea vessel MV Suez, which has 6 Indian sailors on board and which was released by Somali pirates recently, is expected to reach Salalah port in Oman today.
The ship is being escorted by the Pakistan Navy.
Pakistani rights activist Ansar Burney had played a key role in negotiations with the pirates to free hostages for whom it has been a wait of 10 months. The families of six Indians on board are also anxiously waiting for their loved ones.
The sailors of India and Pakistan who are on board the ship will then hopefully fly to their respective countries.
Earlier on Friday, the Indian government had said that the Navy had "coordinated" with other navies operating in the piracy-affected region for providing security cover to MV Suez.
"The Navy coordinated with other navies in the region so that security cover could be provided to MV Suez, the ship which was released by pirates recently and which has crew comprising, among others, of Indian and Pakistani nationals," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash had said.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/mv-suez-to-dock-at-salalah-port-in-oman-today-113114
India's IBN Live calls "MV Suez fiaso a PR disaster for India":
New Delhi: It's likely to be three days before the Indian sailors of the MV Suez released last week by Somali pirates after a $2 million ransom was paid come home.
But the Suez saga has been a series of mis-steps. India failed to negotiate the sailors' release, failed to protect them once they were free, and failed to bring them home. And it culminated with a row with the Pakistani govt. Why did India get it so wrong?
"We have already registered our protest with the government of Pakistan," said Foreign Minister SM Krishna.
The protest over and PNS Babur's alleged aggression registered, it’s time to assess India’s own response to the hostage crisis.
India failed to organise the ransom from private parties. The Navy and the government were silent for days even as sailors pleaded for help through the media.
INS Godavari was despatched only after PNS Babur had begun escorting MV Suez. India allowed a full 24 hours to elapse before rejecting Pakistani allegations of aggression by INS Godavari.
The botched up response is despite a naval warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden and a high powered inter-ministerial group created to handle piracy related incidents.
Experts say an inquiry must be conducted and responsibility fixed or else the Navy must be given a free hand to respond to crises.
"There must be an inquiry. Forget what we told Pakistan. We must know what went wrong and who took late decisions. The Navy must be given a free hand or have someone competent in charge," said Admiral Raja Menon.
The Navy sources admit there has been a loss of face but the government insists it did its best.
It's a PR disaster that has left the Navy red-faced and showed the Indian government's claims of being sensitive towards its citizens as false. The 39 sailors still being held hostage can only hope lessons are learnt from the Suez blunders
Freed Indian sailors reach Delhi, reports The Hindu:
After 10 months in the captivity of Somali pirates, six Indian sailors of M V Suez vessel touched down on home soil on Friday to an emotional welcome from family members.
The sailors came by an Emirates flight from Dubai which landed at IGI Airport at 9.36 am, and were received by family and friends carrying garlands.
Relatives broke down in tears at the sight of the rescued sailors as their children carried placards that read ’Thank you Ansar Burney uncle, we love you’, in a reference to the Pakistani human rights activist who facilitated their release from the sea brigands.
Closely holding his three—year—old son, Ravinder Singh Bhulia, one of the released crew members who hails from Rohtak, said, “The Indian and Pakistani media helped us a lot. As far as the Indian government’s role in the release, I don’t want to comment on it“.
With tears rolling down her cheeks, his wife Champa said, “The pain would never go“.
Another released crew member Prashant Chauhan said, “I am very happy. I waited for this moment for 10 months“.
The Indians were part of the 22 member crew, including four Pakistanis, a Sri Lankan and 11 Egyptians, who were freed last week after ransom was paid to the Somali pirates.
The crew of the MV Suez was brought to Karachi on Thursday by Pakistan Navy warship PNS Zulfiqar, which had picked up sailors from the waters off Oman.The MV Suez had sank somewhere off the coast of Oman after running out of fuel.
There was no government representative to receive them at the airport.
N K Sharma, another released crew member, said, "Whatever the Pakistan government has done is really praiseworthy. We don’t know what the Indian government did or did not, but the Pakistan government has treated us well.”
Recounting his ordeal, Sharma said they starved for many days and on some days they just got water.
“We used to get boiled rice, spaghetti and potato once a week,” he said.
Family members of the released men thanked Mr. Burney for facilitating the release of the sailors, but complained that the Indian government did little to save the sailors.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2131443.ece
The first squadron of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) has been formally inducted into the Pakistan Navy fleet, according to The Express Tribune:
The induction ceremony was held at Pakistan Navy Mehran airbase in Karachi. The indigenously developed drones can be employed in support of Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) in the coastal areas.
Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Noman Bashir congratulated everyone involved in the UQAB-II programme and expressed satisfaction on the induction of UAVs. He said the induction was a manifestation of the navy’s commitment and resolve towards self-reliance and indigenization.
Earlier, a UAV of the Pakistan Navy had crashed inside the premises of the National Oil Refinery in Korangi.
Officially, Pakistan Navy had stated that the ill-fated UAV was a “small remote-controlled aircraft” on a “routine mission” that crashed when it “hit an eagle” during mid flight between 9:30 and 10 am. Officials said that the aircraft had a wing span of around 10 feet which is typically used for target practice. One spokesperson said that the aircraft was almost ‘toy like’ and nothing serious had occurred.
However, sources within Pakistan Navy and the local drone manufacturing industry told The Express Tribune that the pilotless aircraft was a mid range tactical UAV called the Uqaab, which is typically used for surveillance missions.
The locally-manufactured Uqaab has a wing span of about 20 feet, weighs more than 200kgs and its 550cc engine runs on gasoline.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/213634/pakistan-navy-inducts-drones-into-its-fleet/
Here's a story about emerging Pakistan's nuclear triad as reported by Force India website:
Pakistan’s efforts to have a sea-based minimum credible nuclear deterrent vis-a-vis India took a significant step forward last month when the state-owned, Wuhan-based China State Shipbuilding Industrial Corp (CSIC) ferried the first Qing-class conventional attack submarine (SSK) to Shanghai to begin a year-long series of sea trials, which is likely to include the test-firing of three CJ-10K submarine-launched, 1,500km-range land attack cruise missiles (LACM) capable of being armed with unitary tactical nuclear warheads. Called the Qing-class SSK, it is a variant of the Type 041A Improved Yuan-class SSK, which is also due to begin its sea trials later this month.
It is now believed that the contract inked between CSIC and Pakistan early last April (see FORCE April 2011, pages 16-17) calls for the CSIC’s Wuhan-based Wuchang Shipyard to supply six Qing-class SSKs, all of which will be equipped with a Stirling-cycle AIP system and will be able to carry up to three nuclear warhead-carrying CJ-10K LACMs each. The double-hulled Qing-class SSK, with a submerged displacement close to 3,600 tonnes, bears a close resemblance to the Russian Type 636M SSK, and features hull-retractable foreplanes and hydrodynamically streamlined sail. The first such SSK was launched in Wuhan on September 9 last year, and a total of three such SSKs are on order from China’s PLA Navy as well. The AIP system for the Qing-class SSK was developed by the 711th Research Institute of CSIC. R&D work began in June 1996, with a 100-strong team of scientists and engineers led by Dr Jin Donghan being involved in developing the Stirling-cycle engine, while another team led Professor Ma Weiming of China’s Naval Engineering University began developing the all-electric AIP system. The two projects entered the production engineering stage in 2007, with the Shanghai Qiyao Propulsion Technology Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the 711th Institute, becoming the principal industrial entity charged with producing the AIP system. Incidentally, the Qing-class SSK’s all-electric propulsion system is a derivative of a similar system that was developed about a decade ago for the PLA Navy’s six Type 093 Shang-class SSGNs and three Type 094 Jin-class SSBNs.
The submarine-launched CJ-10K LACM has been developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp’s (CASIC) Hubei-based Ninth Academy (also known as the Sanjiang Aerospace Group, or 066 Base) on cooperation with the Third Academy’s Beijing-based Xinghang Electromechanical Equipment Factory (159 Factory). Final assembly of the CJ-10K is undertaken by the Beijing-based Hangxing Machine Building Factory (239 Factory). The CJ-10K features an imaging infra-red optronic system for terminal homing, and it makes use of a ring laser gyro-based inertial navigation system combined with a GPS receiver to receive navigational updates from China’s ‘Beidou’ constellation of GPS navigation satellites.
In another development, during Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s four-day official visit to China beginning May 17, the decks were cleared for the Pakistan Navy to acquire for a 10-year lease period the two Jiangkai I-class Type 054 guided-missile frigates (FFG) Ma’anshan (FFG-525) and Wenzhou (FFG-526), which have been in service with the PLA Navy’s East Sea Fleet since 2005 (see FORCE December 2010, pages 44-46).
http://www.forceindia.net/Issue4.aspx
Here's a BBC report on Pakistan Navy missile tests:
Pakistan's navy has successfully test-fired missiles and torpedoes from ships, submarines and aircraft in the Arabian sea, officials say.
The tests were followed by a statement saying they sent a "clear message to forces having nefarious designs".
India and Pakistan regularly test their missile systems and they normally notify one another ahead of such tests.
Last month the two sides held their first formal talks since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
India says the attacks, which left 174 people dead - including nine gunmen - were partly planned on Pakistani soil.
It is not clear if the missiles tested on Friday were capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
The tests included anti-surface missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and surface-to-surface missiles, the AP news agency reported.
Last month India successfully tested a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface missile.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8564838.stm
Here's an excerpt from missilethreat.com on French Exocet SLCM exported to India and Pakistan:
France has manufactured a total of 3,300 Exocet family missiles. Sources indicate that 140 SM-39 missiles have been built, with the SM-39 Block 2 missiles still in production. France has offered the SM-39 for export, and in 1995 Pakistan ordered a number of missiles for use on its Khalid (Agosta) class submarines. Pakistan test launched the SM-39 for the first time in March 2001. India ordered the SM-39 missile for their Project 75 class submarines with deliveries expected to begin in 2009.(1)
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The SM-39 Exocet is a short-range, solid-propellant, single-warhead, submarine-launched cruise missile developed and manufactured by France.
France initially designed the Exocet (“Flying Fish” in French) family of cruise missiles to attack and destroy large warships. The SM-39, on which development began in 1979, is the submarine-launched version of the AM-39. It is currently deployed on the “Le Triumphant,” “L’Inflexible,” “Rubris,” and “Agosta” class submarines.
The Exocet family of missiles are all the same basic shape, the only differences being the length and wing shape. The SM-39 has four delta-shaped wings at mid-body, and four delta-shaped control fins at the rear. The missile is 4.69 m long, 0.35 m in body diameter, and has a launch weight of 655 kg. It carries a high explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 165 kg. The SM-39 is stored in a launch container along with propulsion and guidance units. The entire module, designated VSM “Vehicule Sous-Marin,” is fired from standard torpedo 533 millimeter launch tubes. The missile and VSM together weigh 1,345 kg. After breaking the surface, the SM-39 separates from the VSM at a low altitude of about 30 m.
The SM-39 then stabilizes in the direction of its target at its first cruising altitude, low enough to avoid detection by its target yet high enough to allow its active radar seeker head to acquire the target. Midcourse guidance is by an inertial navigation system (INS) and a radio altimeter, allowing the missile to fly a sea-skimming trajectory to its target. The SM-39 descends to its second cruise altitude for the terminal phase, with a final approach at an altitude determined by prevailing sea conditions, sometimes as low as 3 m. Terminal guidance is provided by an active radar. The SM-39 is reported to have a maximum range of 50 km.
http://www.missilethreat.com/cruise/id.11/cruise_detail.asp
Here's a Times of India story on Indian Navy's submarine plans:
While India is still years away from getting an AIP-equipped submarine, Pakistan already has one in the shape of PNS Hamza, one of the three French Agosta-90B submarines inducted by it over the last decade. Moreover, work is also underway to retrofit the French "Mesma" AIP in hulls of the other two submarines, PNS Khalid and PNS Saad.
The six new-generation submarines from China, the improved Yuan-class boats with "Stirling-cycle" AIP, will further add a punch to Pakistan's underwater warfare capabilities.
India, in sharp contrast, has so far refused to consider the Mesma AIP option in the ongoing Rs 23,562-crore project (P-75) to build six French Scorpene submarines at Mazagon Docks (MDL), already running three years' behind schedule with the boats now slated to roll out from 2015 to 2020.
"There has also been a huge cost escalation. To incorporate the steam-based Mesma AIP in the 5th and 6th Scorpenes would cost another $100 million or so," said a senior defence ministry official.
"Moreover, Navy is more keen on fuel-cell AIP. DRDO is developing one such system, which has been tested on shore. If it comes through, it can be considered for the 5th and 6th Scorpenes," he added.
To further compound matters, there is excruciatingly slow progress on P-75I, which envisages acquisition of six new stealth submarines, equipped with both tube-launched missiles for land-attack capabilities as well as AIP, for over Rs 50,000 crore.
The RFP (request for proposal) to be issued to foreign collaborators like Rosoboronexport ( Russia), DCNS (France), HDW (Germany) and Navantia (Spain) will be possible only towards end-2011 at the earliest.
"If one foreign shipyard can give AIP, it cannot provide land-attack missile capabilities, and vice-versa. So, P-75I is very complex...it will take at least two years to even finalize it, and another six-seven years after that for the first submarine to be ready," he said.
The plan till now is to directly import two submarines from a foreign collaborator, with three being built at MDL in Mumbai, and the sixth at Hindustan Shipyard in Visakhapatnam under transfer of technology.
Incidentally, Navy will have only five of its existing 10 Russian Kilo-class and four German HDW submarines by 2020. Consequently, even with the six Scorpenes, India will be far short of its operational requirement of at least 18 conventional submarines for the foreseeable future.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-11/india/29405993_1_submarines-pns-hamza-navantia
Pakistan Navy receives P3C Orion surveillance and anti-submarine-warfare aircraft from US, according to AFP:
The Pakistani navy took delivery Tuesday of two state-of-the-art, US-made surveillance aircraft nine months after Islamist militants destroyed two similar planes, officials said.
Pakistan said the P3C aircraft, modified with the latest avionics, are designed to improve surveillance in the North Arabian sea, one of the world's most important shipping routes deeply troubled by Somali piracy.
"The two aircraft have been delivered to the Pakistan navy. These aircraft have been provided under the foreign military funding programme," a spokesman for the US embassy in Islamabad, told AFP.
Relations between Pakistan and the United States were severely damaged last year by a covert American raid that killed Osama bin Laden and air strikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, and the alliance remains tense.
The navy said the aircraft would help "maintain requisite vigil in our vital area of interest in the North Arabian Sea", which it said was "home to intense maritime activity both legal and illegal and thus warrants continuous guard".
Pakistan is to receive six P3C aircraft from the United States in three batches. The first two, received in 2010, were destroyed during a 17-hour siege of a key naval base in Karachi last May blamed on the Taliban.
The attack killed 10 personnel and deeply embarrassed the military, just three weeks after bin Laden was killed in the garrison town of Abbottabad.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hgSwT8L-YcL1NWJQ9qZcPFATGjhg?docId=CNG.5469e3c179bfed6a0738d28903dc92dd.311
Here's more on Pakistan's P3C Orions from Defense Industry Daily:
Pakistan’s location on the Indian Ocean next to the Persian Gulf, and its rivalry with India, ensure that its maritime patrol and strike capabilities will need to operate across a wide expanse of ocean. Maritime patrol aircraft are critical to that effort, because of the surveillance area that a single plane can cover. Like India, Pakistan relies on a mix. In its case, that mix includes converted Fokker F27 twin-turboprops, a couple of early-model Dassault Atlantiques, and a high-end force of 2 P-3C Orion aircraft, reactivated in 2006. The 4-engine Orions have much better range than Pakistan’s other maritime patrol aircraft, which widens that country’s sphere of naval influence.
Subsequent orders have served to detail the modernization work for Pakistan’s Orion fleet, via a deal for 8 more P-3 aircraft, refurbishment orders, and the accompanying orders for AGM-84 Harpoon missiles that can attack naval or land targets…
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Pakistans-P-3-Orions-05972/
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