Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Pakistan Navy Chief, spoke of his vision for "indigenization and modernization" of his branch of the Pakistani military on the eve of multinational AMAN 2025 naval exercises. Biennial AMAN Exercise and Dialogue this year attracted 60 nations from Australia to Zimbabwe (A to Z). China, the United States, Turkey and Japan were among the countries which participated in it.
 |
| Some of the AMAN 2025 Participants in Karachi, Pakistan |
Pakistan has a 1,000 kilometers long coastline on the Arabian Sea with maritime sovereignty over 200 nautical miles deep Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and 150 nautical miles of Continental Shelf. This adds 290,000 square kilometers of sea or about 36% of the country's land area open for tapping vast resources in it. Pakistan's "Blue Economy" in this extended economic zone includes seafood and energy resources as well as international trade connectivity with the rest of the world. It offers opportunities for water sports, recreation and tourism in the coastal areas of Pakistan.
Over the next 10 years, Pakistan has plans to build a modern well-equipped naval force with 50 ships ranging from frigates and submarines to corvettes and offshore patrol vessels. Recently, Pakistan Navy has inducted Type 054 A/P frigates from China, Offshore Patrol Vessels Batch-I and Batch-II from Romania and MILGEM-class corvette from Türkiye. "These platforms with the latest weapons and sensors will be a significant addition to the Pakistan Navy’s existing capabilities to effectively deal with today’s complex multi-threat environment", Ashraf told John Hill of "Naval Technology" publication. "The Jinnah-class frigate marks a significant advancement for my Navy as our first indigenously designed and produced large warship", he added.
As part of its modernization and indigenization effort, Pakistan is building its domestic defense industry to reduce dependence on imports. The Pakistani Navy Chief explained: "Currently, our industrial base is developing and gearing up for this initiative and we anticipate that our technological capabilities will grow throughout the program. This growth will be facilitated through partnerships with experienced defense partners from friendly countries". China and Turkey are Pakistan's closest partners in this effort. Pakistan’s defense acquisition budget is forecast to register a compound annual growth rate of 11.4% over the next four years: it is projected to reach $3.1 billion in 2029 from $2 billion in 2025, according to GlobalData intelligence.
In terms of military diplomacy, Pakistan is working with a much larger group of nations represented at the AMAN Exercises and Dialogue 2025. The list includes Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, China, Comoros, Czech, Djibouti, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherland, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Seychelles, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Türkiye, UAE, Uganda, UK, USA and Zimbabwe.
Over two dozen ships from twelve navies participated in an international fleet review off the coast of Pakistan – the grand finale to multinational naval exercise AMAN 2025 that saw a record 60 nations participate, according to media reports.
Here's an Aljazeera video of AMAN 2025:
https://youtu.be/ghuOerEfNFs?si=o3N_a4IUsQ52ez5R
Related Links:
Haq's Musings
South Asia Investor Review
US Missile Sanctions: Is Pakistan Really Developing ICBMs?
Pakistan's Cyber Attack and Defense Capability
IDEAS2024: Pakistan Defense Industry Expo
Pakistan's Aircraft Exports
Pakistan Navy Modernization
West's Technological Edge in Geopolitical Competition
Pakistan Defense Industry
Silicon Valley Book Launch of "Eating Grass"
Ukraine's Lesson For Pakistan: Never Give Up Nukes!
PFX to Advance Pakistan Air Force Modernization
Pakistan's Sea-Based Second Strike Capability
Riaz Haq Youtube Channel
VPOS Youtube Channel
12 comments:
A bit off-topic, but it is quite amusing to see how the skirmishes happening along the LoC gets reported in Indian and Pakistani media outlets. Both sides accuse each other of "unprovoked" ceasefire violations, "infiltrators" and "terrorists" for one becomes "innocent civilians" for the other, and "landmine" for one becomes "IED" for another. As can be expected, Pakistanis would likely believe the version of the story published by their military mouthpieces and media outlets while Indians believe their own. Anyhow, with Modi govt preparing to inaugurate a long awaited rail link to the Kashmir valley perhaps this month, one can expect LoC to heat up slightly for some time despite the ceasefire agreement.
This is a news I came across in DAWN today:
------------------------------------------------------–-----------------
"Two soldiers hurt in Indian firing at LoC"
https://www.dawn.com/news/1891824/two-soldiers-hurt-in-indian-firing-at-loc
"Two soldiers were injured in a ceasefire violation by India along the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday, state-run PTV News reported, citing security sources."
"The report accused Indian agencies of spreading unrest in peaceful areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and GB."
"Security sources claimed that four Indian IEDs were recovered from the Battal sector and Rawalakot area in the first week of February, while one civilian lost his life in an explosion."
"Additionally, on Wednesday, two Pakistani soldiers were injured in what was described as an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Indian troops in the Deva and Bagsar sectors."
------------------------------------------------------–-----------------
And this was how the same incidents were reported in Indian media outlets:
------------------------------------------------------–-----------------
"Pakistan troops violate ceasefire in J&K, suffer 'heavy casualties' after Indian Army retaliates"
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pakistan-troops-violate-ceasefire-in-jk-suffer-heavy-casualties-after-indian-army-retaliates/article69212819.ece/amp/
"Pakistani troops on Wednesday violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, security officials said."
"The extent of damage on the Pakistan side was not known immediately but the officials said the enemy forces suffered 'heavy casualties'. The Indian Army neither confirmed nor denied the information."
"During the intervening night of February 4 and 5, a land mine explosion reportedly resulted in some casualties to terrorists attempting to infiltrate into the Indian side from across the LoC in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district."
"Militants likely dead in landmine explosion along LoC in Poonch: Officials"
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/loc-pakistani-militants-landmine-blast-infiltrate-9822829/
"An explosion along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir is likely to have killed some militants trying to cross over from Pakistan, sources said."
"An official said the incident took place on the intervening night of February 4 and 5 in the Battal area of Krishna Ghati sector."
"According to sources, the explosion took place on a route used by militants to infiltrate into J&K from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The sources said the militants likely stepped on a landmine, triggering the explosion."
"Prior to the explosion, security forces had noticed the movement of five militants near the LoC on the PoK side, sources said."
"As part of an anti-infiltration obstacle system, the forward areas on the Indian side of the LoC are dotted with landmines at various places, especially known infiltration routes."
------------------------------------------------------–-----------------
As always, the above post is very informative. I learned so many things from this post, but then there are a few questions I would like you to enlighten us about ;
As mentioned in the above post, there are 200 Nautical Miles of EEZ and then another 150 Nautical Miles of the Continental Shelf. So, is the overall 350 nautical miles from our 1000-mile coastline part of our sovereign control?
In another place, I noticed the mention of Belarus and the Czech Republic; why are these countries participating in the AMAN Exercises when these two countries are landlocked? Do they have any navies?
I learned about the Blue Economy, which I honestly didn't know about, but now I know it through the above blog.
You have enclosed a wealth of information in your blog. Thanks for enlightening us all about that information.
MK: "As mentioned in the above post, there are 200 Nautical Miles of EEZ and then another 150 Nautical Miles of the Continental Shelf. So, is the overall 350 nautical miles from our 1000-mile coastline part of our sovereign control?"
EEZ includes continental shelf. The difference is that the shelf is shallow seabed and easier to mine.
MK: "I noticed the mention of Belarus and the Czech Republic; why are these countries participating in the AMAN Exercises when these two countries are landlocked?"
Landlocked countries have a deep interest in the security of the seas because bulk of their trade also moves on the water.
Though the Trump administration has shown little lenience in 'humiliating' its supposed strategic partner India on the manner of expulsion of illegal migrants, it would seem Pakistan would have far less to hope from US in the coming years.
"FO dismisses India-US statement against Pakistan as 'one-sided, misleading'"
https://www.dawn.com/news/1891908/fo-dismisses-india-us-statement-against-pakistan-as-one-sided-misleading
"Islamabad indignant after US offers F-35 jets to India"
https://www.dawn.com/news/1892011/islamabad-indignant-after-us-offers-f-35-jets-to-india
"US will extradite Mumbai attacks suspect to India"
https://www.dawn.com/news/1892003/us-will-extradite-mumbai-attacks-suspect-to-india
"Indian scholar to replace Donald Lu as South Asia envoy"
https://www.dawn.com/news/1892004/indian-scholar-to-replace-donald-lu-as-south-asia-envoy
That said, though the Trump administration has "offered" to sell F-35 jets to India, it remains to be seen if India would be interested in such a deal considering its long-term ownership costs and due to the fact that such an "offer" is likely to come with plenty of strings attached - especially with regards to prohibitions or restrictions on India's purchases of Russian weaponry and oil, participation in BRICS etc.
"Global aerospace firms turn to India amid Western supply chain crisis"
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/global-aerospace-firms-turn-india-amid-western-supply-chain-crisis-2025-02-17/
Airbus, Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce are expanding parts sourcing from India, driving growth in the country’s emerging aerospace sector and pushing local firms to elevate their games, industry insiders say.
Bengaluru-based Hical Technologies and JJG Aero are among those riding the wave. Hical, a supplier to Raytheon Technology and Boeing among others, aims to double revenue to five billion rupees ($57.57 million) from its aerospace division in three years, said Yashas Jaiveer Shashikiran, joint managing director.
JJG Aero, also in Bengaluru’s industrial hub, took 12 years to hit $2m in revenue but soared to $20m in the last six, said CEO Anuj Jhunjhunwala.
“Earlier, we were chasing customers. Now, they are equally interested in evaluating Indian machine shops,” Jhunjhunwala said, adding that contracts were being signed more quickly and onboarding processes were being done much faster than ever before.
The companies produce parts for landing gear, wings, fuselage, electrical switches and motion control systems essential for flight safety and performance.
“India is the best solution to supply chain challenges,” Huw Morgan, senior vice president for aerospace procurement at Rolls-Royce, said last week at an industry event.
“Our engine volumes are growing at around 20pc and the traditional supply chains are just not able to support it,” Morgan said. “India is … the best cost market.”
The British company plans to double sourcing from India within five years.
India, the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market by seats, is also among the fastest-growing, driving demand for maintenance services and parts.
Massive aircraft orders from IndiGo and Air India are fuelling growth across the aviation ecosystem, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson told Reuters.
Although Indian firms have long supplied the $180bn global aerospace industry, they are now moving beyond basic manufacturing to higher-value work such as design, engineering and system integration.
Airbus in 2024 awarded its second aircraft door contract within a year to Indian suppliers.
“India is contributing more than 1bn euros currently in the overall Airbus supply chain and we expect to double that. Every commercial aircraft of Airbus today has some part or component that is made in India,” said Michel Narchi, head Of international operations at Airbus.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, in other news, IAF Chief Amar Preet Singh has continued to express his frustration publicly over the delays in the delivery of Tejas jets by HAL, the govt-owned aerospace manufacturer, and the Indian opposition parties are opposed to the F-35 offer made by US citing their "high costs".
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/hal-iaf-chief-amar-preet-singh-tejas-aircraft-9831452/
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-opposition-slams-trumps-f-35-offer-russia-makes-its-own-pitch-2025-02-17/
Pakistan and Türkiye Sign Agreements on EW and Other Projects - Quwa
https://quwa.org/pakistan-defence-industry/pakistan-and-turkiye-sign-agreements-on-ew-and-other-projects/
In terms of defence, the most notable agreements included an MoU for cooperating on air force-related electronic warfare (EW) as well as an MoU between Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) and Pakistan’s Naval Research and Development Institute (NRDI).
Overall, it is unclear how much deal-making progress – if any – the MoUs represent, but these two deals could be a reflection of several ongoing Pakistani defence programs.
MoU on Air Force EW Technology
Through its official calendar and unofficial publication – Second to None – the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had confirmed it was seeking a new airborne stand-off range jamming (ASOJ) aircraft. The PAF also heavily implied that its recently acquired business jet, a single Bombardier Global Express 6000, would be the platform for this ASOJ aircraft.
It is possible that the recently signed MoU involved a commitment to either advance a deal centered on the Aselsan HAVASOJ suite, which could be integrated onto the PAF’s Global Express 6000, or to develop a bespoke solution.
Alternatively, the MoU could also speak to the PAF’s wider EW efforts, which involve a number of different homegrown programs. These programs include a communications EW (C-EW) for communications intelligence (COMINT) and multi-band jamming roles, GPS denial systems, passive electronic intelligence (ELINT) sensors, and many other systems for potential use by both the PAF and the Pakistan Army (PA).
While Pakistan is currently prioritizing domestic EW projects, the likes of the National Aerospace and Science Technology Park (NASTP), Defence Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), or National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) could be interested in drawing on Turkish technology inputs and expertise.
Interest in Turkish inputs would not conflict with Pakistan’s original EW project goals–it would be complementary. Pakistan lacks the industrial capacity to fully source each of the necessary inputs of its defence electronic programs, be it the EW projects or even the up and coming radar projects. Turkish vendors like Aselsan, Havelsan, Meteksan, and others could provide critical inputs, such as transmit/receive modules (TRMs), for example. Likewise, Turkish and Pakistani vendors could collaborate and jointly design and develop original solutions for the Pakistani military.
For example, instead of acquiring the Aselsan HAVASOJ, the PAF’s NASTP could tap Aselsan’s assistance to develop a custom ASOJ for the PAF. In this scenario, the PAF ASOJ would combine Pakistani-designed inputs with Turkish subsystems.
Pakistan, Türkiye to boost R&D collaboration | Daily Sabah
https://www.dailysabah.com/business/defense/pakistan-turkiye-to-boost-rd-collaboration
Pakistan's commerce minister said Wednesday that Türkiye and Pakistan are dedicated to strengthening cooperation in advanced research and development sectors.
Jam Kamal Khan made the remarks during his visit to the Turkish Aerospace Pakistan office at the National Science and Technology Park in Islamabad, a statement by his ministry said.
The visit aimed to highlight the growing collaboration between the two countries, as well as to explore the innovative initiatives being undertaken within Pakistan’s advanced research and development sectors.
Turkish Ambassador Irfan Neziroglu, who received the minister, underscored the strong bilateral relations and Türkiye’s commitment to fostering technological and economic cooperation with Pakistan.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is a leading player in the aerospace and defense industry, known for its advanced technological capabilities and cutting-edge defense solutions.
Turkish Aerospace Pakistan focuses on strengthening collaboration in the aerospace and defense sectors while providing opportunities for technology transfer, research and development, knowledge exchange, and innovation.
Khan expressed support for the ongoing efforts at Turkish Aerospace Pakistan and emphasized the importance of fostering partnerships between the government, academia, and the private sector.
"The visit further strengthened Pakistan’s commitment to building a robust aerospace and technology ecosystem that can contribute to the country’s economic and technological growth,’ the statement said.
Last week, Pakistan and Türkiye signed 24 cooperation agreements during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Islamabad. The deals included a memorandum between TAI and the Pakistan Maritime Research and Development Institute.
Pakistan’s Maritime Vision: Transforming Gwadar Into A Global Trade Hub – OpEd – Eurasia Review
by Dr Sahibzada Usman
https://www.eurasiareview.com/07032025-pakistans-maritime-vision-transforming-gwadar-into-a-global-trade-hub-oped/
In order to make Pakistan a global maritime hub, the country is developing its major ports such as Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar on massive infrastructure development program. Presently, Pakistan’s ports are working at 50 per cent of their potential capacity, resulting into inefficiencies that are stifling further trade expansion. Pakistan’s investment in deep sea facilities, container terminals and modern logistics is aimed at bringing port capacity to maximum and improving its trade operations. To increase port efficiency, the government intends to make the port digitalized, automated, and have an improved cargo handling mechanism to house giant vessels of up to 20,000 containers.
Especially, Gwadar is the focus of these modernization efforts. Given this, Gwadar is set to become a regional transshipment hub for achieving regional trade needs in Asia, Middle East and Africa, as Gwadar is an important economic driver supported by the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Free zones, warehousing facility, integrated customs management system are some of the serious infrastructure upgrades the port is undergoing to facilitate seamless trade operations.
Being situated between Arabian Sea and having good access to global trade routes, Pakistan has the potential to become one of the regional trade powerhouses. And, for the government of Azerbaijan the maritime sector is identified as a key driver for economic growth and the country’s geographic advantage is to be used in order to create the trade connectivity with Central Asian Republics (CARs), Gulf States and beyond. Investment in modern transport corridors, rail networks and road infrastructure linking Gwadar with regional markets will allow Pakistan to become a gateway to trade around the world.
Moreover, Pakistan’s maritime vision is aimed at growing exports from $32 billion to $60 billion by using ports to maximum capacity. The country can reduce the related logistics costs, and improve port efficiency to give local exporters a competitive advantage that will create a more favorable ease of doing business and increase participation in international trade.
In order to sustain in the long term, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in maritime sector of Pakistan is essential. The government is planning policies to make Pakistan’s port infrastructure more investor friendly with increasing global interest in Pakistan’s port infrastructure. They encourage the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) near ports, tax incentives for shipping companies and public private partnership in logistics and maritime industries, for the purpose of economic growth.
From competing to beating US in numbers and tonnage, here’s how China built its shipping empire
PLA Navy now fields more warships than US Navy and is on track to deploy 425-ship fleet by 2030, sustained by industrial base capable of replacing, repairing vessels way faster than US yards.
SNEHESH ALEX PHILIP
https://theprint.in/defence/from-competing-to-beating-us-in-numbers-and-tonnage-heres-how-china-built-its-shipping-empire/2546925/
New Delhi: The Indian Navy had plans to become a 200-ship strong force by 2027. But in 2019, it revised its target downwards to 170, citing an acute financial crunch. Contrast this to the Chinese. Over the past two decades, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has grown from a modest coastal force into a regional juggernaut with frigates, destroyers, submarines and aircraft carriers being constructed and commissioned at record speed.
As of 2022, the PLAN was operating a battle force fleet of 351 ships, surpassing the US Navy’s 294.
According to the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), China has already overtaken the US Navy in terms of hull count, and is rapidly closing the gap in fleet tonnage and key technologies like Vertical Launch System (VLS) missile cells. By 2024, China’s surface combatants deployed half the VLS cells of their US counterparts, up from just a quarter in 2019.
This stark growth is compounded by the fact that China’s naval forces are primarily concentrated in the Indo-Pacific, whereas US forces are globally dispersed.
Since 2010, China has dramatically reduced the tonnage gap with the US from roughly 4 million tons to under 1.6 million tons.
China’s emergence as a global shipbuilding powerhouse began with key policy changes that were initiated in the early 2000s. Recognizing that the rapid growth of containerized maritime trade would be a boon for global shipbuilders, Beijing began developing ambitious plans to position Chinese firms at the forefront of the industry. In 2002, Zhu Rongji, China’s premier and chief economic architect at the time, visited the headquarters of CSSC, where he declared that China would seek “to become the largest shipbuilding country by 2015”.
--------
China’s shipbuilding dominance a national security risk for US: Report
https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2025/03/11/chinas-shipbuilding-dominance-a-national-security-risk-for-us-report/
In only two decades, China has grown to be the dominant player in shipbuilding, claiming more than half of the world’s commercial shipbuilding market, while the U.S. share has fallen to just 0.1%, posing serious economic and national security challenges for the U.S. and its allies, according to a report released Tuesday by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
In 2024 alone, one Chinese shipbuilder constructed more commercial vessels by tonnage than the entire U.S. shipbuilding industry has built since the end of World War II. China already has the world’s largest naval fleet, the Washington-based bipartisan think tank said in its 75-page report.
“The erosion of U.S. and allied shipbuilding capabilities poses an urgent threat to military readiness, reduces economic opportunities, and contributes to China’s global power-projection ambitions,” the report said.
Concerns about the poor state of U.S. shipbuilding have been growing in recent years, as the country faces rising challenges from China, which has the world’s second-largest economy and has ambitions to reshape the world order. At a congressional hearing in December, senior officials and lawmakers urged action.
Last week, President Donald Trump told Congress that his Republican administration would “resurrect” the American shipbuilding industry, for commercial and military vessels, and he would create “a new office of shipbuilding in the White House.”
“We used to make so many ships,” Trump said. “We don’t make them anymore very much, but we’re going to make them very fast, very soon. It will have a huge impact.”
India (8.3%) is the second largest importer of arms over the last 5 years (2019-2024). Ukraine (8.8%) is first. Pakistan (4.6%) 4th, according to SIPRI.
India's arms imports mainly from Russia, France and Israel.
Ukraine's from US, Germany and Poland.
Pakistan's from China, Netherlands and Turkey
https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2025/ukraine-worlds-biggest-arms-importer-united-states-dominance-global-arms-exports-grows-russian
https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/top-10-listing/top-10-largest-arms-importing-countries-2020-2024-indias-position-revealed-9880245/
--------------
Chinese arms made up 81 per cent of Pakistan’s weapons imports in the past five years, as Islamabad buys more advanced systems from its long-standing Asian defence partner, according to data from Swedish think tank SIPRI.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3302515/china-supplied-81-pakistans-arms-imports-past-5-years-sipri-says
That was up 7 percentage points from the previous five-year period to 2019, when 74 per cent of Pakistan’s arms imports came from China, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute database shows.
The boost comes amid a huge push in China to improve self-reliance in its defence industry – from aircraft carriers to sixth-generation fighter jets – which has also seen it expand the range of weapons it can offer to its strategic partners.
--------
“The apparent willingness of China to supply or at least talk about supplying some of its more advanced weapons to Pakistan shows China’s trust in Pakistan,” said Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms transfers researcher at SIPRI.
China has been Pakistan’s primary arms supplier since the 1990s. But Pakistan’s tensions with India – especially since a series of border skirmishes broke out in 2016 – have prompted Islamabad to increase defence spending, and that has drawn it closer to Beijing.
Beijing avoids formal alliances but Wezeman said it could be seen as “Pakistan’s only real ‘ally’, the only one to depend on when dealing with India”.
At the same time, Pakistan plays a similar role for Beijing and is “the only one that at this moment could give China a secure access to a base on the Indian Ocean and near the Middle East”.
In April last year, China launched the first of eight Hangor II submarines to be delivered to Pakistan in a deal worth around US$5 billion – one of the most valuable military contracts China has signed.
According to the SIPRI database, some of Pakistan’s key orders in the past five years include the country’s first spy ship, the Rizwan, more than 600 VT-4 battle tanks, and 36 J-10CE 4.5-generation fighters.
The first delivery of multirole J-10CE fighter jets arrived in Pakistan in 2022, adding to its JF-17 fighters – a backbone model that makes up the bulk of Pakistan’s fleet.
The fourth-generation JF-17 was jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group in a programme that dates back to 1999.
The Block III version of JF-17 – featuring an active electronically scanned array radar – was inducted by the Pakistan Air Force in 2023.
Song Zhongping, a military commentator and former PLA instructor, said China might also export its fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-35, “if Pakistan requests it”.
He said that since India was considering adding the American F-35 or Russian Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets to its fleet, Pakistan was likely to be considering its options too.
China also delivered a range of surface-to-air missiles and defence systems to Pakistan between 2020 and 2024, according to SIPRI. They included a long-range HQ-9 system with around 70 missiles, some 200 medium-range LY-80s, and about 890 low-altitude portable FN-6 missiles.
Chinese builder launches Pakistan Navy's second Hangor-class submarine
https://www.bairdmaritime.com/security/naval/naval-submersibles/chinese-builder-launches-pakistan-navys-second-hangor-class-submarine
The Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group of China has launched the second boat of a new class of diesel-electric attack submarines ordered by the Pakistan Navy.
The future PNS Shushuk ("River dolphin") and another three Hangor-class submarines, including class lead boat PNS Hangor, will be built in China while the remaining four boats will be constructed in Pakistan by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
All eight Hangor-class boats will be variants of the Type 039A or Yuan-class submarines being operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy of China.
Upon completion, the future Shushuk will have a length of 76 metres, a hull diameter of 8.4 metres, a displacement of 2,800 tonnes, air-independent propulsion, and armament consisting of torpedoes, cruise missiles, and anti-ship missiles.
The Hangor-class submarines will be operated on anti-access/area denial operations.
The second Hangor-class submarine is also the second Pakistan Navy submarine to be named Shushuk. The first was a French-built Daphné-class boat that operated under the Pakistani flag from 1970 to 2006.
Post a Comment