Project Azm: Pakistan to Develop 5th Generation Fighter Plane

[Riaz Haq]

Pakistan has announced plans to develop and produce 5th generation fighter plane, according to media reports. It's part of Pakistan Air Force's highly ambitious Project Azm that includes building Kamra Aviation City dedicated to education, research and development and manufacturing of advanced fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and weapon systems.

Pakistan's JF-17 Jet Fighter

Human Capital:

Development of a new advanced fighter is a wide-ranging effort that will encompass building human capital in a variety of fields including material science, physics, electronics, computer science, computer software, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, avionics, weapons design, etc etc.

Air University:

Pakistan Air Force's Air University, established in 2002 in Islamabad, will add a new campus in Kamra Aviation City. The university already offers bachelor's master's and doctoral degrees in several subjects. Pakistan Air Force Chief Sohail Aman told Quwa Defense News that the campus will “provide the desired impetus for cutting-edge indigenization programs, strengthen the local industry and harness the demands of foreign aviation industry by reducing … imports and promoting joint research and production ventures.”

Defense Exports:

Air forces of about a dozen developing nations are buying and deploying Pakistani made aircrafts. The reasons for their choice of Pakistan manufactured airplanes range from lower cost to ease of acquisition, maintenance and training.

Pakistan started developing defense hardware for imports substitution to reduce external dependence and to save hard currency. Now the country's defense industry is coming of age to lead the way to high value-added manufactured exports.

Pakistan Super Mushshak Trainer Aircraft

Nigerian Air Force is the latest to announce purchase of Pakistan made Super Mushshak aircraft after the United States' refusal to sell to Nigeria, according to American periodical Newsweek.  Nigerian Air Force chief Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar was quoted by the Nigerian media as saying that "Pakistan has accepted to sell ten trainer airplanes. And that is why the Pakistan Chief of Air Staff is coming for the induction ceremony which is going to take place in Kaduna".

Several other countries are in the process of making decisions to purchase aircraft from Pakistan. A report in Pakistan's Express Tribune newspaper says that Turkey has decided to buy 52 Super Mushshak trainer aircraft.  The Tribune also reported that Azerbaijan may buy a couple of dozen JF-17 Thunder fighter jets jointly developed by Pakistan and China.

Along with exporting existing hardware, Pakistan is continuing its efforts to enhance the capabilities with new versions. For example, fighter-jet JF-17’s Block III is expected to open up new opportunities for Pakistani defense exports.

The new JF-17 Block III will be a twin-seat trainer version with advanced Active Electronically-Scanned Array radar and mid-air-refueliling probe. It will use new composite materials to increase its performance, besides addition of other updates in cockpit and weapons’ pods, according to Pakistani media reports.

Pakistan's Defense Industry Collaboration With China, Turkey:

Growing defense collaboration between China and Pakistan irks the West, according to a report in the UK's Financial Times newspaper.  The paper specifically cites joint JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, armed drone Burraq and custom AIP-equipped submarines as examples of close cooperation between the two nations.

More recently, Pakistan has also begun to collaborate with Turkey in developing arms. In particular, Pakistan has been mentioned as a prospective partner in the TFX, Turkey’s next-generation fighter effort.

Pakistan's bitter experience with the unreliability of its cold war allies as weapons suppliers has proved to be a blessing in disguise. It has forced Pakistan to move toward self-reliance in production of the weapons it needs to defend itself from foreign and domestic enemies.

It all started back in 1965 when the US and its western allies placed an arms embargo on Pakistan during war with India. The bitterness grew stronger when the US forced France to cancel its contract to supply a breeder reactor to Pakistan in 1974 soon after India conducted its first nuclear test.

Khushab Nuclear Reactor:

Fortunately for Pakistan, the French had already given Pakistanis scientists drawings and specifications before canceling the breeder reactor contract. Work on Khushab reprocessing plant stated in 1974 when Pakistan signed a contract with the French company Saint-Gobain Techniques Nouvelles (SGN). In 1978, under U.S. pressure, France canceled the contract. Pakistan then proceeded to indigenously produce its own nuclear breeder reactors at Khushab. Four such reactors are now operating to produce plutonium for Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. Having done its first nuclear test in 1998, Pakistan now has a large and growing nuclear arsenal it needs to deter any enemy adventurism against it.

Babar Cruise Missile:

Since MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) prevented Pakistan from acquiring delivery vehicles from other countries, the country had to develop its own ballistic and cruise missiles to carry nuclear weapons.

The story of Babar Cruise Missile development is particularly interesting. It is believed that Pakistani engineers learned the technology by dismantling and studying a US Tomahawk cruise missile that fell in Pakistani territory when President Bill Clinton fired these missiles to target Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

JF-17 Thunder Fighter:

The development of JF-17, a modern highly capable and relatively inexpensive fighter jet, is the crowning achievement to-date of the Pakistan-China defense production cooperation. It's being deployed by Pakistan Air Force with Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) on recently rolling out the 16th Block 2 JF-17 aircraft for PAF's 4th squadron. The latest version is capable of launching a variety of nuclear and conventional weapons ranging from smart bombs and air-launched cruise missile Raad to anti-ship missiles.

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) got its start decades ago by setting up maintenance facilities for advanced fighters like French Mirage and US F-16s and by manufacturing Mushshak and Super Mushshak trainer aircraft. It is now also building JF-17s as well as a variety of drones, including combat UAV Burraq being used in Pakistan's war against militants in Waziristan.

Nuclear-Capable AIP Submarines:

Pakistan is expanding and modernizing its underwater fleet with 8 additional AIP-equipped submarines. Four of these subs will be manufactured in Pakistan.  These will reportedly be custom versions of Yuan class diesel-electric subs with additional wider tubes from which cruise missiles can be launched. A key requirement for  these submarines is to be stealthy—and the AIP-equipped Yuan class is indeed very quiet. The trick is in the submarine’s air-independent propulsion fuel cells, which provide power under the surface as the diesel engines—used for running on the surface—rest and recharge. Though relatively limited in range, this system is quieter than the nuclear-powered engines on American and Russian submarines, which must constantly circulate engine coolant.

Arms as Pakistan's Cottage Industry

Pakistan has a long history of arms manufacturing as a cottage industry. The dusty little town of Darra Adam Khel, only a half-hour drive from Peshawar, reminds visitors of America's Wild West. The craftsmen of this town are manufacturers and suppliers of small arms to the tribal residents of the nation's Federally Administered Tribal Areas who carry weapons as part of their ancient culture. The skilled craftsmen of FATA make revolvers, automatic pistols, shotguns and AK-47 rifles. Until five years ago, the list also had items such as anti-personnel mines, sub-machine guns, small cannons and even rocket launchers. Pakistani government has forced the tribesmen to stop making heavy assault weapons to try and prevent the Taliban and Al Qaeda from getting access to such weapons.

Pakistan's arms industry has come a long way from making small arms as a cottage industry in the last few decades. The US and Western arms embargoes imposed on Pakistan at critical moments in its history have proved to be a blessing in disguise. In particular, the problems Pakistan faced in the aftermath of Pressler Amendment in 1992 became an opportunity for the country to rely on indigenous development and production of defense equipment.

Pakistan's Military Industrial Complex

The country now boasts a powerful industrial, technological and research base developing and manufacturing for its armed forces a wide variety of small and large weapons ranging from modern fighter jets, battle tanks, armored vehicles, frigates and submarines to armed and unarmed aerial vehicles and high tech firearms and personal grenade launchers for urban combat. Some of these items were on display at IDEAS 2014, the 5-day biennial arms show held November 2014 in Karachi, Pakistan.

Praise by Vice Chief of Indian Army:

General Sarath Chand, the Vice Chief of Indian Army, has been quoted by the Indian media as saying:  “I would even go to the extent of saying that Pakistan probably has a better industrial base, as far as defense production is concerned, than our country. In fact they export defense equipment abroad, definitely more than what we are doing.”

Summary: 

Pakistan has announced plans to develop and produce 5th generation fighter plane as part of the country's Air Force's highly ambitious Project Azm that includes building Kamra Aviation City dedicated to education, research and development and manufacturing of advanced fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and weapon systems. It's a recognition that the country can not be truly independent and have real national security unless it can develop and manufacture the arms it needs to defend itself. Pakistan is just starting to do it but it has a very long way to go. Pakistan is also beginning to export defense hardware to developing nations.  Pakistan is recognizing the need to develop significant human capital and build a vibrant economy to make progress on this front.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Pakistan-China Defense Industry Collaboration Irks West

Pakistan's Aircraft Exports

Pakistan Navy Modernization

IDEAS 2014 Arms Show

Pakistan Defense Industry

Silicon Valley Book Launch of "Eating Grass"

Pakistan's Human Capital

Pakistan Economy Nears Trillion Dollars

Pakistan's Sea-Based Second Strike Capability

[Riaz Haq]

Huawei to set up ICT academy at #Pakistan Air University. It's the 24th #Huawei #ICT Academy established under the MOU signed between the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and Huawei Technologies Co. #communications #technology #cyber https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/11/02/huawei-to-set-up-ict... via @Profitpk

A strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Air University and Huawei Technologies Pakistan for the establishment of the Huawei ICT Academy at the university.

The ceremony was attended by the university’s Vice Chancellor Air Marshal (r) Javaid Ahmed, Dean Kashif Kifayat, Huawei Service Director Zhangwenwu as well as other respective professors and members from both organizations.

The academy at Air University will be the 24th Huawei ICT Academy established under the MOU signed between the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd aimed at promoting the studies of advanced technologies and adopting the globally renowned university-enterprise cooperation model for course development, training and certification in HEIs.

Students from BS-cyber security, IT, computer science, software engineering and engineering will be able to get Huawei certified at an associate, professional and expert level.

Addressing the ceremony, Professor Kashif Kifayat stated, “Air University is the headquarters of the National Centre of Cyber Security, establishing the Huawei academy here will attract more external students due to the trust Air university has developed. This initiative will have a significant impact on the cyber security culture of Pakistan and produce more Huawei cyber security product line experts in the country.”

Adding to that, Huawei Service Director Zhangwenwu emphasized on the importance of creating intellectually independent individuals, saying, “Huawei understands that with the constant technological advancements happening in the world right now it is necessary to focus on youth development programs to build a skilled workforce for our future digital economy.

“Similarly, the Digital Pakistan initiative by the Prime Minister of Pakistan also emphasizes this need to create skilled youth and to bolster the IT industry by building a digital ecosystem.”

Echoing his statement, Vice Chancellor Javaid Ahmed stated, “This initiative by Huawei and Air University will benefit us in multiple dimensions. We will embed the Huawei certification in our BS-Cyber Security, IT and Computer Science as special courses. This academy will enable our faculty members to get training from Huawei experts to become professional trainers.”

Over 9000 people have so far received Huawei certifications in Pakistan.

[Riaz Haq]

New Extension to the Chashma Plutonium Separation Facility
by Neil Hyatt[1] and Sarah Burkhard

November 30, 2020

https://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/new-extension-to-the-ch...

Background

Pakistan first developed plans to acquire reprocessing technology in the 1960s. In 1972, Pakistan entered into talks with Saint Gobain Technique Nouvell (SGN) of France to procure a reprocessing facility with a design capacity of 100 tons of heavy metal (tHM) per year.4 A contract for a basic design was signed in 1973, and another for a detailed design in 1974, but France eventually cancelled the deal in 1978, due to U.S. government concern that the facility would benefit Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program. However, construction of the reprocessing facility had already commenced and a considerable amount of design and specification information had already been transferred by SGN to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). Pakistan stated its intent to complete the facility, but failed to find another supplier.5 Construction stalled. Historic imagery shows that the plant became overgrown and remained dormant for many years. No further progress was apparently made until construction resumed some time between 2000 and 2002.6 In the interim, Pakistan built the smaller New Labs reprocessing facility at PINSTECH, near Islamabad, to reprocess spent fuel from the unsafeguarded Khushab I heavy water reactor. In parallel to the resumption of construction at Chashma, an expansion at PINSTECH began which appeared to be a second reprocessing facility, roughly doubling the reprocessing capacity at that location.7

The investment in additional reprocessing capabilities occurred in parallel with the construction of three additional unsafeguarded heavy water reactors at the Khushab site from 2001 – 2015, Khushab II, III, and IV. All four Khushab reactors are believed to be operational and dedicated to plutonium production.8 With the additional Khushab reactors, located approximately 80 km east from Chashma, and 200 km from the New Labs facility, the need for a larger plutonium separation capability is credible.

Additionally, at the Chashma site, four 300 MWe pressurised water reactors (CHASNUPP 1 – 4) were constructed and brought into operation from 2000 – 2017, with a fifth unit planned.9 These reactors operate under IAEA safeguards. A 2019 PAEC slide presentation to an IAEA conference stated an intention for on-site dry storage of the spent nuclear fuel from the CHASNUPP reactors.10 It stated that currently, all spent fuel from Pakistan’s safeguarded reactors is in wet storage. An associated graphic indicates with a question mark that the decision whether to pursue reprocessing of the spent fuel had not yet been made. Already a few years prior, in 2014, a PAEC slide presentation had stated that after dry and wet storage, the fate of the spent fuel had “yet to be decided.”11

Figure 1, a May 2020 Google Earth satellite image, gives an overview of the Chashma nuclear complex, highlighting the four CHASNUPP reactor units and the reprocessing plant. Also highlighted is the likely Kundian fuel production plant (the Kundian Nuclear Complex 1) which manufactures fuel for the KANUPP reactor.

The majority of the apparent construction of the Chashma reprocessing plant and associated facilities lasted from 2002 to 2013 and was documented by ISIS.12 For the reasons given above, the plant’s primary purpose is assumed to be plutonium separation from unsafeguarded heavy water reactors at the Khushab site. The plant may have become operational around 2015, 13 but it is unknown whether the facility continued to operate during the most recent and possibly still on-going constructions.

[Riaz Haq]

#Chinese #Defense Minister: 'China-Pakistan military ties should be scaled up' to a "higher level" to jointly deal with "risks and challenges" faced by the two countries. #China #Pakistan #India #Kashmir #CPEC #US
https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/chin... @deccanherald

(General) Wei (Fenghe) held talks with Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in Islamabad on Monday and signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen defence cooperation between the all-weather allies. "We should push the mil-to-mil relationship to a higher level...

"We should push the mil-to-mil relationship to a higher level, so as to jointly cope with various risks and challenges, firmly safeguard the sovereignty and security interests of the two countries, and safeguard the regional peace and stability"

The Chinese statement was also silent about the new MoU. Both countries rarely disclose the extent of their defence ties which spans all sectors of the army, air force and the navy.

[Riaz Haq]

Indian defense analyst Pravin Sawhney on PAF Center for artificial intelligence with PLAAF

https://youtu.be/xaAKlKoNoVU


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Earlier this month, on September 7th, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) presented a number of innovations that it had made as part of the Kamra Aviation City initiative. The Kamra City initiative is part of the PAF’s effort to set up a domestic aerospace development and manufacturing cluster reported “Quwa.”



Project Azm, a project that was started in 2017 seeks to secure a domestically produced next-generation fighter aircraft (NGFA). The project also seeks to be able to produce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), and state of the art munitions. Videos of the progress of these projects were shown at the event.

https://southasianmonitor.net/en/pakistan/paf-presents-plans-for-ne...



Speculation, according to Quwa, leans towards the production of a twin-engine fighter. The PAF Chief, Air Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, had outlined that the PAF had been seeking a single-seat, twin-engine design equipped with super-cruising and laser-based weapons.

Thus the airforce seeks to develop an aircraft with ‘fifth-generational-capabilities’ such as low-observable (LO) and low radar cross-section (RCS) airframes.

PAF reveals artificial intelligence program

The PAF also revealed that its newly raised Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Computing (CENTRIC) is undertaking a ‘Cognitive Electronic Warfare’ (or Cognitive EW) program. In order to manage and analyze vast amounts of data. Artificial intelligence can calculate and disseminate quickly vast amount of data regarding any potential enemy.

Today’s EW systems can collect a considerable amount of data about an enemy’s frequency use, radar deployment, and many other factors. However, the analysis function of using that data to find actionable results is left on solely human operators, which may not be an efficient use of personnel, nor effective

[Riaz Haq]

Cognitive Electronic Warfare (CEW) is the use of cognitive systems – commonly known as Artificial Intelligence (AI) or machine learning – to enhance development and operation of Electronic Warfare (EW) technologies for the defense community.
Cognitive systems can sense, learn, reason, and interact naturally with people and environments, accelerating development and implementation of next generation EW threat detection, suppression, and neutralization technologies.

https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/definition/what-is-cognitive-elect...(CEW)%20is,technologies%20for%20the%20defense%20community.

Applying cognitive systems to EW development helps defense researchers identify patterns and develop hypotheses that can result in broad improvements across multiple systems, while also anticipating demands specific only to particular missions. While these Cognitive Electronic Warfare systems do not "know" definitive answers to problems, they are able to interpret a vast amount of data from a range of complex sources to provide well-reasoned hypotheses for consideration.

The most successful uses of CEW are not those that rely entirely on computers, but are instead those which combine computer input with human strategies and understanding. Assigning data collection, information storage, and probability calculations to computers allows humans more capacity for focusing their creativity and insights on better solutions.

[Riaz Haq]

‘It will be several years before Rafales can be considered threat to Pakistan’Tufail is a popular aviation historian, strategic affairs commentator

https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2020/09/11/it-will-be-several-yea...

Writing in Pakistan Politico, a Pakistani magazine, Tufail noted, "the inadequacy of IAF’s Su-30MKI and MiG-29 twin-engine fighters in the air superiority role led to the decision to acquire the Rafale, ostensibly a more modern and capable multi-role fighter". Both the Su-30MKI and MiG-29 are Russian-designed fighters.

The Su-30MKI is numerically the most important aircraft in the Indian Air Force, with over 250 units in service, while the MiG-29 has undergone an upgrade to give it enhanced multirole capabilities. The Indian Air Force operates over 60 MiG-29 fighters.

Tufail acknowledged both the Su-30MKI and MiG-29 were "highly manoeuvrable in a visual dogfight", but "they seem to have shortcomings in network-centric, beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat". Tufail alleged the Su-30MKI jets that participated in the aerial skirmish with Pakistan Air Force jets over Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019 lacked datalinks to exchange information securely and their radars were unable to lock on to "two dozen PAF fighters". The Indian Air Force had stated Pakistani F-16 fighters fired AMRAAM air-to-air missiles in the skirmish.

"While a definitive conclusion about the shortcomings of the Su-30 fire-control radar and missiles cannot be made on the basis of a single engagement, it is clear that they are not at par with the PAF F-16/AMRAAM combo," Tufail wrote in Pakistan Politico. “The IAF was aware of these limitations of the Russian fighters, which is why it had initiated measures for the acquisition of Western multi-role combat aircraft instead of more Su-30s, as far back as 2012,” Tufail wrote.

Tufail noted the Rafale had longer range and heavier payload than the F-16 and JF-17 fighters of the Pakistan Air Force. The Chinese-designed JF-17 is numerically the most important fighter in the Pakistan Air Force, with over 100 units in service.

Tufail noted the Rafale, JF-17 and F-16 had comparable performance in a turning dogfight, where the aircraft's capability to turn quickly is a decisive factor.

A key capability that the Rafale brings to the Indian Air Force is the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile, which has a range in excess of 150km. The Meteor uses a 'ramjet' engine, allowing it to have powered flight to the point of impact, unlike earlier air-to-air missiles that rely on rocket engines, which only burn for specific period. The ramjet engine gives the Meteor a significantly higher 'no escape zone', the zone in which a target aircraft cannot use manoeuvrability or speed to evade a missile strike.

Tufail noted the Pakistan Air Force was set to acquire the Chinese-made PL-15 air-to-air missile for its JF-17 fighters. Experts have estimated the PL-15, which is significantly longer than the Meteor, has a range in excess of 200km. US officials have cited the development of the PL-15 as an argument for the US military to have a new long-range air-to-air missile.

Tufail argued, " It must… be remembered that it will be at least two years before the Rafale achieves anything close to full operational capability." He claimed the Pakistan Air Force has operated the F-16 for 37 years and the JF-17 for a decade. "These combat-proven PAF fighters are fully integrated with the air defence system, and are mutually data-linked, alongside all AEW (airborne early warning) and ground sensors. Such capabilities are not achieved overnight, and it will be several years before the Rafales can be considered a threat in any real sense. Any immediate impact of the Rafale on IAF’s air power capabilities is, thus, simply over-hyped."

[Riaz Haq]

GIKI students beat top universities to clinch 2nd place in Design, Build and Fly competition

https://www.techjuice.pk/giki-students-beat-top-universities-to-cli...

Team Invictus from GIKI has clinched 2nd position in Design, Build and Fly competition, hosted by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The competition had participation from students from all across the globe including renowned institutions such as MIT, UC Berkeley, and Stanford and GIKI students clinched the second spot to beat many of these institutions and bring the prize home.

The 2021 iteration of the competition aimed to build and test a UAV with a towed sensor. All student teams were tasked to design, fabricate and demonstrate capabilities of their unmanned radio controlled aircraft which is designed to meet a specific mission objective. As per the GIK University announcement, the team used advanced manufacturing techniques which included 3D printed parts and a pod and boom aircraft configuration to get their design ready.

The students of GIKI were also congratulated by the U.S Embassy of Pakistan in a Facebook post:


The team’s proposal for the unmanned aircraft was scored 85.9, which was 1st best in Asia whereas it was rated 2nd best globally. The proposal document consisted of 60 pages of highly technical information plus fly-offs that took place in alternately in Kansas and Arizona, USA. It must also be noted that due to COVID for the first time, digital collaboration tools had to be used but that didn’t hinder the team’s progress at all as they set forth to clinch the second position.

The team’s future plans are to be the face of the radio-controlled aircraft industry in Pakistan and they aim to promote aeronautics and aviation as a hobby in the country so that more people get involved.

[Riaz Haq]

Growing #Turkey-#Pakistan #Defense Collaboration: Turkey sees #nuclear power Pakistan as a strategic ally and partner in building its Siper long-range missile-defense project and TF-X fighter jet. Ankara seeks to be a power center in a multipolar world. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-02/turkey-expands-w...

Turkey is pushing to co-manufacture warplanes and missiles with Pakistan, a hookup that could also give it access to prized war technology from China.

Turkish defense and government officials have held periodic talks with Pakistani counterparts -- the last high-level discussion was in January -- about developing and manufacturing military hardware with Pakistan, according to people from both countries who are familiar with the negotiations. The people didn’t say when they’ll meet again or how close they are to an agreement.

A deal would get NATO-member Turkey closer to some of China’s military technology. Pakistan builds its JF-17 fighter jets with China and is said to have adapted Chinese designs for its Shaheen ballistic missile.

Turkey sees nuclear power Pakistan as a strategic ally and potential partner in building its Siper long-range missile-defense project and TF-X fighter jet, the people familiar said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss strategic goals. The people didn’t say whether the talks have gotten to the point of seeking Beijing’s consent to share Chinese defense technology.

Asked about restrictions imposed on weapons exports, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that the Chinese government “has always adopted a prudent and responsible attitude in the export of military products and strictly implements China’s military export management laws and regulations as well as its international duties.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed “very serious potential” for collaboration with Pakistan on defense projects, and top defense officials have met in recent months. Pakistani Defense Secretary Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain met with top Turkish officials including Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in December, and discussed defense industry cooperation, the people familiar said. Akar has also met with Pakistan’s defense minister, military chief and air force chief, and accompanied Erdogan on a visit to Pakistan over the past year.

The countries already have some cooperation in the defense industry, including co-producing warships Turkey has sold Pakistan.

Turkish adoption of Chinese military technology could cause new frictions with the U.S., which would be loath to see Ankara move further away from the Western military alliance. Washington is already sanctioning Turkey for buying a missile-defense system from Russia, and has suspended Turkish companies from participating in the development of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 stealth fighter jet.

The Turkish officials who spoke on the contacts with Pakistan said the outreach meshes with Ankara’s aspiration to become a power center in an increasingly multipolar world.

[Riaz Haq]

Pakistan to Arm Super Mushshak Aircraft for Counterinsurgency Operations
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex is tailoring the Super Mushshak training aircraft for counterinsurgency operations.

https://thediplomat.com/2017/05/pakistan-to-arm-super-mushshak-airc...

Pakistan is in the process of retrofitting its fleet of MFI-395 Super Mushshak military training aircraft with new intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and light-weight laser guided munition, IHS Jane’s reports. State-owned Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) is upgrading the training aircraft for use in counterinsurgency (COIN) operations.

The MFI-395 Super Mushshak is a PAC license-built variant of the Saab MFI-17 Supporter aircraft, which Pakistan acquired from Sweden in the 1980s. As I explained elsewhere:

In comparison to its Swedish predecessor, the upgraded MFI-395 variant features a new engine and a new flight control system, among other things.

Fitted with six hardpoints under the wing pylons, the aircraft can be armed with rockets and missiles. The MFI-395 entered service in 2001. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is currently operating around 300 Super Mushshaks at various training facilities.

It is unclear how many of the 300 training aircraft will be reconfigured for COIN operations. According to IHS Jane’s, the aircraft could possibly be armed with the Chinese-built 25 kg FT-10 precision-guided bomb.

“Complete integration of the weapons is expected to take another three to four months, which will also cover the design and manufacture of the pylons, quality checks, flight test, and eventually a test drop,” the report notes.

PAC is also outfitting the aircraft with an L3 Wescam MX-10 electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) pod following an inquiry by international customers as to whether the aircraft could be used as an ISR platform. “We have had several customers inquiring about integrating an ISR system, so we are looking at options,” PAC chairman, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, said in an interview with IHS Jane’s.

“While sitting in the cockpit’s right seat, the turret operator would control the camera and watch the video feed on the glass screen. At the same time the imagery could be downlinked to the battle commander on the ground. It’s a very simple system,” Malik added. One training aircraft has reportedly already been equipped with a L3 Wescam MX-10.

According to Malik, “PAC is in the process of incorporating servos for the autopilot, too,” in order to ease the pilot’s workload and to help control the aircraft following.

PAC has exported the MFI-395 Super Mushshak to a number of countries including Nigeria and Qatar. Earlier this month, it scored its biggest export order so far when the Turkish Undersecretary for Defense Industries (SSM) awarded PAC a contract for the sale of 52 Super Mushshak aircraft. PAC won the competitive bidding process in July 2016.

[Riaz Haq]

Nigerian Air Force using Pakistan-made JF-17s and Super Mushshak aircraft for counter-insurgency ops.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/07/25/fg-procures-32-fig...

The (Nigerian COIN) platforms include 10 Super Mushshak aircraft, five Mi-35M helicopter gunships, two Bell 412 helicopters, four Agusta 109 Power attack helicopters, two Mi-171E helicopters, three JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft, which were delivered and inducted in May 2021.