Pakistan's rearmament: own strength and import dependence
With my own strength
Pakistan’s defense industry has a certain potential and gives it significant advantages over other countries in the region. However, in this regard, Pakistan cannot yet compare with its main friend in the person of China or India - its main competitor. At the same time, the lack of necessary technologies or the backlog in different areas is compensated by cooperation with more developed countries.
The Pakistani defense complex includes about a dozen large organizations, which include other enterprises for various purposes. Research and production organizations are combined in complexes with division by industry. Thus, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is engaged in the development and production of aviation engineering, Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited is the main builder of machinery for fleetand the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission is developing the space direction.
Due to limited resources, Pakistan cannot at the same time fully develop all the necessary directions. Special attention is paid to the development and production of strategic nuclear missile and nuclear systems. Also obtained remarkable results in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles. The creation of new systems of infantry weapons, armored vehicles, etc. is less active.
In all major areas there is cooperation with more developed foreign countries. In addition to the simple purchase of finished samples, co-production is carried out. Also some samples weapons and equipment produced under license.
Own production
Pakistani ground forces have sufficient potential, but the share of their own products in them is low. For example, in the field of small arms and light infantry artillery systems, only a few types of hand grenades can be attributed to Pakistan’s own developments.
The most massive a tank Pakistan is the Al-Zarrar machine, a Type 59 Chinese medium tank, modernized by the joint efforts of the two countries. Also, the result of cooperation is MBT Al-Khalid. On its own, Pakistan under license produced an American-developed M113 armored personnel carrier and various vehicles based on it.
Missile forces and artillery are predominantly equipped with Chinese and American systems. The exception is the KRL-122 MLRS, created on the basis of the North Korean copy of the Soviet BM-21. In the area of anti-aircraft weapons are used only imported artillery systems. The missile systems are predominantly foreign, but they have their own Anza MANPADS, created in collaboration with the PRC. The Sino-Pakistani interaction also led to the creation of the Baktar-Shikan and Bark ATGMs, suitable for use on various carriers.
Pakistani Army Aviation has several types of UAVs of different classes. Most of this technology was created independently or with Chinese help. Technique of this class is available and the Air Force. UAVs of various types are currently used only for reconnaissance, but later on, the appearance of percussion systems is possible.
In 2008, the JF-17 Thunder Chinese-made fighter-bomber assembly was launched at PAC enterprises. At the moment it is the only combat aircraft manufactured in Pakistan. Other equipment of this class has a foreign origin. The result of cooperation with Sweden was the PAC MFI-17 training aircraft.
Islamabad pays great attention to the development of the naval forces. In the past decade, the Navy received three submarines of the French project Agosta-90B. The lead ship was completely built in France, while the other two were assembled in Pakistan. Together with them are two Agosta-70 type diesel-electric submarines, built by France.
Based on the Chinese project of the frigate "Type 053H3" for Pakistan, the ship F22P "Zulfikar" was created. Three such frigates were built by the PRC, another one was assembled in Karachi. The fifth and sixth ships are still at different stages of construction. The result of similar cooperation were three Azmat type missile boats (“Type 037II”). In cooperation with foreign countries and independently, Pakistan has built less than a dozen small artillery and rocket ships and boats.
Strategic importance
Not without foreign assistance, Pakistan was able to create several of its own lines of ballistic and cruise missiles, now used as strategic weapons. By now, according to various sources, the Pakistani industry has accumulated the necessary experience and can independently develop this area.
The armament of the nuclear forces consists of short and medium range ballistic missiles of the Khatf, Gauri, Shahin and other families. in stationary and mobile versions. The most advanced models have a firing range of up to 2500-2700 km (MRSD "Shahin-3"), which allows solving strategic tasks within their region.
Another area that has received particular attention is nuclear weapons. At the moment, according to various data and estimates, in the arsenals of Pakistan there are about 150 nuclear warheads with a capacity of no more than 50-100 kt. Such warheads can be used with different carriers: with ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as combat aircraft.
Own and others
As we see, an interesting trend is observed in the sphere of the material part of the Pakistani armed forces. Strategic weapons are developed and produced independently, although they were created with the help of foreign colleagues. In other areas, Pakistan is trying to develop its own production, but at the same time relies on international cooperation and procurement.
The reasons for this approach are obvious. The Pakistani defense industry is still not able to produce all the required products with the required quality and in the desired quantities. Because of this, our own efforts have to be concentrated on the most important areas, and others should be developed in the framework of international cooperation.
One of the results of this approach to rearmament is the lack of balance between different types of troops. The strategic nuclear forces of Pakistan and their weapons look highly developed and powerful compared to other countries in the region. At the same time, there is a lag in other directions. For example, in terms of the size and armament of the ground forces, Pakistan is noticeably inferior to India. The same applies to the process of re-equipment of the army.
However, even in such conditions, Islamabad can maintain a favorable situation for itself. Two main factors help him in this. The first is a long-standing fruitful military and political cooperation with Beijing. The Pakistani army has long enjoyed the benefits of such cooperation, and in a real armed conflict with a third country will be able to count on new assistance.
The second factor is a special defense doctrine, providing for the leading role of nuclear weapons. Pakistan reserves the right to use such weapons first in the event of military, political or economic threats from other countries. The nuclear threat and the willingness to implement it is a good deterrent compensating for the lag in conventional weapons.
Further development
Pakistan intends to further develop its defense industry without breaking ties with foreign suppliers. It is worth expecting that priority projects, as now, will be created independently, although not without help from abroad - in those areas where it is possible. Procurement abroad and co-production on certain conditions will also continue.
Pakistan now cooperates with several foreign countries, but the main stream of military products and production licenses come from China. Beijing is interested in making money on the products of its defense industry, and also solves problems of a political nature. Pakistan is regarded as a good ally in the confrontation with India.
Due to the production, joint development and procurement carried out according to such principles, the Pakistani army will gradually update its fleet of weapons and equipment, mastering new models. The result will be an increase in combat capability, which will allow Islamabad to more effectively meet the challenges of deterring and realizing its interests in the region.
Thus, one should not expect that in the foreseeable future, approaches to the modernization of the Pakistani army will seriously change. Pakistan is still not able to fully implement all its plans, but it can rely on PRC assistance and contracts with other countries. This means that dependence on imports will continue in the future, but Islamabad will try to derive maximum military and political benefits from it.
- Ryabov Kirill
- Defence.pk, Wikimedia Commons
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