Pakistan forces watch -arms sales, operations, doctrine, etc

[Johann]

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=108903

Addressing the Graduation Ceremony of Combat Commanders’ Course at PAF Base Mushaf (Sargodha) on Friday, he said that the application of air power at different levels and modes could stretch our limited resources to the maximum, besides testing our resolve.

It is for this reason alone, that our force structuring and operational training must continue to evolve progressively to meet the challenges, he added.

The Air Chief said "we have already undertaken a major appraisal of our assets, developmental plans and operational doctrine to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

"I have said this earlier and I do so again, that a future conflict in our region would entail the employment of air power in a manner that we have not witnessed before", he maintained.

In this context, he went on to say that our induction and upgrade programs are well on their way to successful completion, adding potency to our existing fleet.

Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Korean People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Vietnamese People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Chinese People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious Kamize spirit of the Glorious Imperial Japanese Army and Navy aviation corpses!

[Abhi K Rao]

maybe this has already been posted. srry if it has.

A fifth generation of the TOW family, TOW-ER also known as TOW AERO provides significant operational advantages above the latest TOW-2B version. Among the improvements are improved aerodynamic profile and elimination of guidance wires, enabling target engagements beyond 4.5 km. The aerodynamic improvements maintain higher velocity throughout the flight which enables the missile to cover the longer distance at almost the same time (21 seconds) as it required to fly to its previous max. range of 3.75 km. The wire guidance system is replaced by a radio command link. The new guidance system is immune to IR countermeasures which could be used by enemy tanks. Both upgrades can be performed on the TOW-2B missile and offer savings of 20-40% compared to new acquisitions. The US Army is testing the modified missile and has funded procurement of the wireless TOW 2B version through fiscal years 2007 - 2009.Because the wireless system is built into the missile and the missile case, the wireless TOW works with existing launch platforms - including the Improved Target Acquisition System, Improved Bradley Acquisition Subsystem, TOW 2 Subsystem and M220 Ground TOW. The system performs exactly as the wire-guided version, enabling soldiers to continue using the proven weapon without changing tactics or incurring additional training. TOW remains the Army and Marine Corps' primary heavy anti-tank and precision assault weapon deployed on more than 4,000 TOW launch platforms including the Army "Stryker," Bradley Fighting Vehicle System and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. On October 10, 2006 the US Army awarded Raytheon a first procurement program for the Wireless TOW. In December 2006 Pakistan was reported to plan to convert 121 TOW launchers introducing wireless guidance, replacing the older BGM 71 with the over 3,000 TOW 2A missiles.

http://www.defense-update.com/products/t/tow-er.htm

[vsudhir]

Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Korean People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Vietnamese People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Chinese People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious Kamize spirit of the Glorious Imperial Japanese Army and Navy aviation corpses!

Johann,

Never thought aparagon of propriety such a yourself could someday give into masala hyperbole,desi style....

[vsudhir]

Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Korean People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Vietnamese People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious People's War doctrine of the Glorious Chinese People's Air Force!
Long Live the Glorious Kamize spirit of the Glorious Imperial Japanese Army and Navy aviation corpses!

Johann,

Never thought a paragon of propriety such a yourself could someday give into masala hyperbole,desi style....

[Sri K]

Has somebody cracked Johann's account? On second thought, it is Friday evening in Old Blighty, so this could be a case of PUI (Posting Under Influence).

[Rangudu]

From Reuters:

U.S. aid to Pakistan of over $10 bln is questioned

26 Feb 2007 23:51:16 GMT

By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The United States has given Pakistan more than $10 billion in the five years since the Sept. 11 attacks but there is little accountability for how the money is spent and it has afforded Washington little leverage over Islamabad, researchers said on Monday.

A report by two experts with the Center for Strategic and International Studies has highlighted doubts about the effectiveness of the Bush administration's strategy of enlisting Pakistan as a front-line ally in trying to combat al Qaeda and resurgent Taliban militants.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney visited Afghanistan and Pakistan on Monday to urge Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to take tougher action against militants on his side of the lawless border, where U.S. commanders say radical fighters are sheltering and training.

The U.S. strategy "has forestalled disaster for five-plus years but there is no Plan B and the costs of crisis in Pakistan are too great to live without workable options." Craig Cohen and Derek Chollet wrote in an article for the spring issue of The Washington Quarterly magazine.

"...it is worth asking whether U.S. policy has reached its limits and if it is now being guided more by inertia than strategy. Washington's alliance with (Pakistani President Pervez) Musharraf may have run its course."

Cheney's visit came as The New York Times reported that President George W. Bush has decided to send "an unusually tough message" to Musharraf that Congress would cut aid if he did not do more to combat extremists.

The House of Representatives recently adopted a bill requiring Bush to certify Pakistan is making "all possible efforts" to prevent the Taliban from operating in areas under its control as a condition of continued U.S. military aid.

The Senate could recommend a legislative proposal as early as this week. Increasing and reorienting U.S. aid to Pakistan is under consideration, as well as a cutback.

"We're not going to get anywhere by simply saying, 'let's do exactly what we're doing for the last six years' and hope the outcome will be different," said a Senate aide said.

The CSIS report said the United States had given Pakistan more than $10 billion in military, economic and development assistance since Sept. 11 and perhaps even more in covert intelligence and military aid.

Still, "Washington finds itself with relatively little leverage to influence events in Pakistan," the report said.

Cohen and Chollet said "there is little accountability in how Pakistan spends U.S. money" and many key officials in various government agencies do not know the full extent of assistance provided.

The army is Pakistan's dominant institution and receives most of the U.S. aid, reflecting an approach heavily weighted toward short-term military cooperation with little emphasis on ensuring Pakistan's long-term stability, they said.

Even when a cease-fire along the border was in place between June and September last year, Pakistan sought and received $100 million per month in U.S. reimbursements for troop operations "raising questions about what they are being reimbursed for," said South Asia expert Alan Kronstadt of the Library of Congress' Congressional Research Service.

[Rangudu]

A MUST READ!!

http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/070 ... hollet.pdf

This report details post of open source US bribes to TSP since 9/11

[Sumeet]

A MUST READ!!

http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/070 ... hollet.pdf

This report details post of open source US bribes to TSP since 9/11

From the above report relevant to this thread:

The vast majority of security assistance money ($1.8 billion, or 18 percent
of total assistance) has gone toward foreign military financing, although other parts go toward other types of “train and equipâ€

[shyamd]

Pakistan replicating its Baluch experiment in Northern Sri Lanka
[quote]Tue, 2007-02-27 01:37

By Dr. Sunny Thomas - Syndicate Features

Pakistan is all set to help Sri Lanka raise an Armoured Brigade, despite opposition from the 'professional Generals' of the island nation’s army. The deal was finalised during the visit of Pakistan defence secretary to Colombo early February. Elementary knowledge of North and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka will tell that armoured vehicles cannot be used in places like Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Killinochchi, which are the strong hold of the Tamil Tigers. So the unavoidable surmise is that kickbacks really played a role in cementing the tie-up. Second hand Al Zarar Tanks and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) could cost about $100 million to the Sri Lankan exchequer. Country's interests have become hostage to private gains through kickbacks; it is being openly said in Lankan military circles.

Al Zarar is Pakistan mask for Chinese T59 tank, which in turn is a true copy of the ubiquitous Soviet T-54A medium Tank. Interestingly T54 entered service in 1947. While the Chinese copy (T59) was inducted into Chinese army, PLA, in 1959. So the Al Zarar on offer to Sri Lanka is essentially a second hand junk with dated design and technology - more than half a century old. Neither Pakistan nor any East European or Central Asian nation (the erstwhile client states of Russia) depends on this vintage piece of armoury; they have rightly pushed it to museum for display. So, the question is: are the Lankan generals and their political masters really dumb witted?

This question demands attention because the fifth anniversary of the Ceasefire Agreement (signed in February 2002) has marked the quite burial of the Norway brokered accord; the Rajapakse government is clearly going to pursue the military option. The Tigers are itching to meet the challenge if one goes by what is said on the web sites like TamilNet which are known to pro-LTTE. It is possible that Colombo will like to use to tanks and APCs in combination with Air attacks to stymie the Tamil rebels. How far victory will come Rajapaksa way in the civil war is unclear. Like any unrest amongst minority groups elsewhere in the world, the Tamil ethnic issue is primarily a political issue. It has to be dwelt at the political level through dialogue and through give and take. Hard posturing doesn’t lead anyone any where as the Indian experience in its troubled northeast shows.

Fighting own citizens with tanks, artillery and air attacks for a problem which needs political solution doesn’t lead Lanka leadership anywhere. This is the message that comes loud and clear for Pakistan President Gen Musharraf from the Balochistan battleground. Neither air raids nor heavy artillery attacks have brought peace to the resource rich backward province. If President Rajapaksa is heeding Islamabad’s advice, it means literally Pakistan replicating its own Balochistan experiment. The question is: Is Pakistan motivated by profits from military sales and Colombo enamoured of the kickbacks.

Lanka army is top heavy. It has about 25 Major Generals for an army with a strength of just about 1.25 lakh personnel. The 'Professional Generals' (most of whom have been sidelined from the decision making process) are cribbing that even retired Pak army officials (posted in the High Commission in Colombo) are more powerful than the serving generals of Sri Lanka.

After discontent about defective and junk Pak supplies surfaced in Colombo, Islamabad reluctantly offered six Al Khalids, but at an astronomical price. Pakistan had only about twenty Al-Khalid tanks in service as of early 2002. It had received its first consignment of 15 Al-Khalid MBTs in July 2001. Heavy Industries Taxila started production of Al-Khalid in November 2000. The number of Al Khalids in Pak army has gone up since than but their number is not substantial as Pak generals want their clients to believe. In fact, they propagated the myth that Al Khalid would be exported in large numbers.

“Saudi Arabia could buy up to 150 Al Khalids in a deal worth up to$ 600 million. It would be the largest single export contract of its kind for Pakistan's emerging defence industryâ€

[arun]

Sea Wolf class SSN’ s in the next lot of freebies for Pakistan :

03/01/2007
Pakistani naval leader tours USS Connecticut
By:

ET2(SS) Christopher Todd and Cmdr. Dan Christofferson, commanding officer of USS Connecticut (SSN 22) show the boat's control room to (center) Vice Adm. Mohammad Haroon, Vice Chief of Naval Staff Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Capt. Mohammad Fayyaz Gilani, the Pakistani Naval attaché to Washington D.C. Haroon and members of his staff toured USS Connecticut, Nval Submarine School, and the Submarine Force Library Museum during their visit to SUBASE, Feb. 23.

Link

[shetty]

An interesting read

The Pakistan-Taliban Deal: Syed Saleem Shahzad

[Sumeet]

This will boost PAF's training.

Turkish manufactured Electronic Warfare Test and Training Range (EWTTR) exported to Pakistan

Various fully instrumented and integrated actual weapons systems,
Various threat emitter simulators, Entirely modular structures, All weapon systems in the EWTTR offer the following in real-time : Data Collection, Data Recording, Visualization in 3D environment, Artillery and Missile Simulation, Various post-flight evaluation reports, Continuous development capability based on the needs and requirements.

Some more info on EWTTR

EWTTR provides fully ýnstrumented and integrated, near-real threat environment for all types of Electronic Warfare System Test and Pilot Training. HAVELSAN provides turn-key, original solutions to all Electronic Warfare Range needs and requirements.

EWTTR has been designed and implemented by HAVELSAN with no foreign licenses or support acquisition. EWTTR was delivered to the Turkish Airforce in 1999 and succesfully operated by HAVELSAN.

[A Sharma]

Dems Threaten Pakistani Arms Deal

[Tilak]

Dems Threaten Pakistani Arms Deal

Three Democratic senators _ John Kerry of Massachusetts, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Joe Biden of Delaware _ put the threat in the form of a nonbinding resolution.

[JaiS]

Pakistani Military Industrial Complex yearbook 2005 - 2006

[JCage]

Jai, excellent link-BR knew the Pakis were p!ss poor in terms of local defence production, but this is revealing. For all their bragging, they only managed to make 19 K of those license produced FSAPDS a year and are yet to develop practise sabots? Read the blurb on Grifo- management reorganization, ie after all this years of proclaiming production, they are still unable to make the same with consistency and this is but a glorified ranging radar.

The Siemens MPDR is basically a 2D system if we see the antenna and they consider rebuilding it a big deal- forget any talk of inhouse capability upgrade as we did to the Reporter. Their IFV variants are all standardized on the M113, no sign of any significant armour upgrades or ERA. License assembling an IFF is a "daunting task", and that IFF itself appears to be firmly old gen.

The only silver lining in the report appears to be their ability to pass off junk as gilted- "Darra Adam Khel" repository of cheap knock offs is now in export, and private sector, to think of the terms use. But sensible move nonetheless. And their attempt (apparently) to license manufacture Chinese/ French avionics for the JF-17. However, given their current level of work, this seems to be yet another screwdriver assembly as newbuild stuff, and that itself will take them the better part of a decade to master. No talk of any radar production or the like even!

On the plus side, they do claim to have "indigenized" various spares and the like- but then again, knowing their propensity for fudging figures and stuff, it doesnt elicit great confidence. "Electronic warfare systems"- license producing obsolete Chinese RWRs for instance!

Basically, for all its claims- Pak is firmly a user, not a developer for the vast majority of systems and nor do they appear to have anywhere near the range of capabilities India has mastered, or for that matter nor do they have niche islands of excellence. The one area they have had some success in is armour and munition manufacture, but even that is firmly build to order and contract speccing, nothing of their own initiative in entirety.

Very interesting report.

[JaiS]

China delivers two prototypes of JF-17 fighter to PAF

Islamabad, March 12: Amid uncertainty over procuring Russian MIG engines for the fighter aircraft being jointly developed by Pakistan and China, two prototypes of the jet were delivered to the air force here and would make their first public appearance during a military parade on March 23.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) held a ceremony today to mark the arrival from China of the JF-17 thunder jets which would take part in the Pakistan Day parade.

The third-generation aircraft that was conceived in 1992 had been delivered after arriving in Pakistan in the first week of March, a PAF spokesman said in a statement.

[arun]

Earlier :

Russia blocks sale of Chinese jets to Pakistan

Monday, Jan 22, 2007

……………… "We've denied China the right to supply its JF-17 fighter aircraft powered by Russian RD-93 engines to third countries, asking it to sign an end-user certificate for the engines," said Colonel-General Anatoly Mazurkevich, head of the Defence Ministry's International Cooperation Department. ……………

[sanjchopra]

Earlier :

Russia blocks sale of Chinese jets to Pakistan

Monday, Jan 22, 2007

……………… "We've denied China the right to supply its JF-17 fighter aircraft powered by Russian RD-93 engines to third countries, asking it to sign an end-user certificate for the engines," said Colonel-General Anatoly Mazurkevich, head of the Defence Ministry's International Cooperation Department. ……………

Well apart from the end user cert. and declaration, the chinese must be made to comply with periodic audits of the engines supplied by Russia, and only Russia can enforce that.

[A Sharma]

link

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Air Force F-7 aircraft of Pakistan Air Force during a routine operational training mission crashed on Tuesday near Quetta.

According to PAF spokesman, one of the pilots Flight Lt. Gulfam Soomro embraced shahadat while another ejected safely.

Meanwhile, an enquiry has been ordered by the Air Headquarters into the incident.

[Johann]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com

27 February 2007

ISLAMABAD — The Qatar Aiways has donated an Airbus A-310 to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The chief executive officer of the Qatar Airways Akbar Al Baker, handed over necessary documents of the gift to PAF at a brief ceremony attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=46645

LAHORE: Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood commissioned two JF-17 Thunders into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in a ceremony at Kamra on Monday.

These two Thunders had arrived at Kamra on March 2. They were moved to Pakistan in a cargo plane as against usual procedure of flying home. These two aircrafts were assembled at Kamra.

It was learnt the aircrafts were suppose to rumble the skies of Pakistan on Monday. However, the weather conditions were not conducive for the flight. These aircrafts will now fly on the first clear day. Before their first public flight on March 23, these aircrafts will keep flying for evaluation and test purposes. These aircrafts will stay at Kamra for the same purpose.

The PAF anticipates acquiring around 10-12 aircrafts by the end of this year. These aircrafts will arrive in intervals. The next batch of two aircrafts is expected within three months. After the arrival, these aircrafts will be put at the disposal of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra (PAC) for tests, trial and probable upgradation and changes to meet the requirements of the PAF. Moreover, these aircrafts will be worked on by the PAC vis-à-vis specifications for diverse use, that is, for maritime operations, for air-to-air missions and for air-to-land missions.

[JaiS]

[url=http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?opti ... 3&Itemid=2]Debrief session of “AMAN 07â€

[JaiS]

Task force formed to solve confronting problem of PAF, Navy due to environmental, water pollution

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production has constituted a task force to solve the problem being faced by Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy due to environmental and water pollution.

Concerned officials of both PAF and Navy briefed the meeting. Sofar three dedicated pilots have lost their lives and three airplanes had crashed due to hitting of birds and environmental pollutions, authorities of PAF told the meeting.

Pakistan Navy has sofar to bear the loss of 1 billion US $ besides facing others problem due to water pollution, authorities of Pakistan Navy told the committee members.

[ashish raval]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com

27 February 2007

ISLAMABAD — The Qatar Aiways has donated an Airbus A-310 to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The chief executive officer of the Qatar Airways Akbar Al Baker, handed over necessary documents of the gift to PAF at a brief ceremony attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Born Bhikhari !!!

[Lalmohan]

It was learnt the aircrafts were suppose to rumble the skies of Pakistan on Monday. However, the weather conditions were not conducive for the flight. These aircrafts will now fly on the first clear day.

no radar

[JaiS]

Update on the pollution related impact on Pakistani armed forces

Harbour pollution costs navy $1bn a year

ISLAMABAD, March 15: Severe pollution in Karachi harbour, caused by untreated industrial affluent and municipal waste, is not only taking its toll on marine life and civilian population but also causing $1 billion worth of losses to Pakistan Navy (PN) every year.

All the navy platforms including surface ships, fleet tankers, mine hunters and missile boats berthed at Karachi�s upper harbour and PN Dockyard had been severely damaged by the seawater, the composition of which has changed for the worst due to unbridled pollution in recent years, Commander PN Rear Admiral Mehmood Ahmed Khan told the Senate Standing Committee on Defence here on Thursday.

He expressed fears that some of the vital PN assets would not be available to it at �crucial times� if the low conductivity and increased chloride and sulphate in seawater continued to inflict damages.


He said Indian navy had the edge to move from east to west and south while the PN was mainly dependent on the Karachi harbour.

Air Vice Marshall Rao Qamar Sulaiman said the failure of the Ministry of Environment as well as provincial and city governments to implement the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 in letter and in spirit had converted Karachi into one of the most polluted cities of the region.

He said due to solid waste, industrial affluent and illegal mushrooming of slaughter houses and poultry farms, the Karachi skyline was full of smoke and big birds. The PAF had lost 10 aircraft and three pilots since 1985 in some 3,500 accidents caused by birds, he said, adding that in financial terms, the air force suffered losses to the tune of $200 million due to damage to its aircraft.

[satnam]

Video of jf-17 in pakistan, looks good in grey paint scheme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzfY-r6w1OA

[amol.p]

Now what action will india take against russia as pakistan has been provided with JF-17 with russian rd-33 engines.
I hope russia will lose contract for MRCA if this continues or if pak gets atlast one full squadron with rd-33

[krishnan]

Any source that says they have rd-33?

[Lkawamoto]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6470299.stm

baki forces watch:

i am reborting phrom wana
phiers phiting among terrorists
baki army is dodging bulets
baki army brigadier said that
once phyting stops, baki army
will take full control

becauj baki army in control

tajik, arabs, afghans, all phyting
each other becauj baki goat food
phrom madrassa was not halal
even tho' it was 70% halal

phyting going on and on

newj over

Wana
bakistan

[Kartik]

a pakistani on another forum claims to have inside info that they've used a French powerplant on the Thandaar instead of the RD-93. and he claims that the engine integration happend at PAC Kamra, not China. could it be a revamped Atar, M-53 or the M-88 ?

[rkhanna]

pakistani on another forum claims to have inside info that they've used a French powerplant on the Thandaar instead of the RD-93. and he claims that the engine integration happend at PAC Kamra, not China. could it be a revamped Atar, M-53 or the M-88 ?

i dont think that Engines are plug and play devices. its not an easy job just fiting any new engine onto an exsisting Airframe.

Secondly. The Planes were delivered to Pakistan in SKD condition . the Fabrication ALL happened at Kamra. So there is no chance of any integration work happening in China whatsoever. (RD-93 or not)

[Kartik]

it may not be a plug and play operation, but then what if the design changes required to add the new engine were made ? For Russia's sake I hope its not the RD-33..else this serves as grounds on which the MiG-35 should be barred from the MRCA.

[rkhanna]

Babur with 700Km range test fired

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite? ... 2FShowFull

Pakistan successfully test-fired on Thursday a nuclear-capable cruise missile with the capability to avoid radar detection, the military said.

The missile, named Babur or Hatf VII, has a range of 700 kilometers (434 miles) and is capable of carrying various types of warheads, including nuclear, the military-run Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said.

"The test is part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts at consolidating its strategic capability and strengthening national security," the directorate said in a statement.

Babur was first tested in 2005. It was test-launched again Thursday with an enhanced range, a military official said.

"Babur was tested successfully with new technical parameters and enhanced edge," said Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad, the top army spokesman.

Neither Arshad nor the military statement specified site of the missile launch.

President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz congratulated the scientists and engineers for "this very important success" of the test, the military statement said.

Pakistan routinely tests various nuclear-capable missiles in its arsenal, believed to be designed mainly to match that of neighboring archrival India.

The two countries have a history of hostile relations. Both carried out underground nuclear tests in May 1998.

However, in 2004 they began a series of negotiations to normalize relations and settle their dispute over the Himalayan territory of Kashmir, the main cause of bitterness between them.

Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir since their independence from British rule in 1947. Kashmir is split between the two countries, but each claims the whole of it.

India and Pakistan have an agreement under which each country informs that other ahead of its missile tests.

But Pakistan did not inform India of the test Thursday because the accord does not include providing prior information on cruise missile tests, a military official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment to media.

In February, Pakistan successfully test-fired a new version of its long-range nuclear-capable missile, Hatf VI (Shaheen II), which has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,245 miles).

[Don]

Two JF-17s in Pakistan.

[Katare]

Nice picture!

[arun]

it may not be a plug and play operation, but then what if the design changes required to add the new engine were made ? For Russia's sake I hope its not the RD-33..else this serves as grounds on which the MiG-35 should be barred from the MRCA.

I’m betting that the Russians have granted an enduse certificate to Pakistan or at least are looking the other way.

The January addition of Force had an interview of Kanwal Sibal, India’s Ambassador to Russia where the question of the JF 17’s engine and the Russian response came up.

The response was rather hesitant and ended with Ambassador Sibal saying “In these circumstances there is a case for India to be watchful of developmentsâ€

[JCage]

Guys-

China is stated to have imported anywhere near some 50 RD-93 engines already iirc- what can Russia do as far as these are concerned? But as far as more engines are concerned, Russia can and probably will put a spanner into the works.

But, the Pakis and PRC are big on H&D - and unlike the Indian rtd Col Blimps who write for the media, their rtd folks etc do display more maturity on occasion (unfortunate but true!) and will not scuttle the rep of a local product even if it suffering from a problem- they will never publically admit to having issues, even as private recriminations occur over which engine to use for the rest of the production batch and how to manage.

[Rupak]

From this side profile, these aircraft look remarkably like F-5s.

[Don]

it may not be a plug and play operation, but then what if the design changes required to add the new engine were made ? For Russia's sake I hope its not the RD-33..else this serves as grounds on which the MiG-35 should be barred from the MRCA.

I’m betting that the Russians have granted an enduse certificate to Pakistan or at least are looking the other way.

The January addition of Force had an interview of Kanwal Sibal, India’s Ambassador to Russia where the question of the JF 17’s engine and the Russian response came up.

The response was rather hesitant and ended with Ambassador Sibal saying “In these circumstances there is a case for India to be watchful of developmentsâ€