Page 38 - Military Technology 12/2018

36 · MT 12/2018 Features

A vehicle-mounted RBS-70
of 153 SP Air Defence
Regiment on high
alert during the
Indo-Pakistani
escalation.

The light multi-role combat
aircraft PAC JF-17 THUNDER is
the future mainstay of the PAF fleet,
with over 100 aircraft in service
(70 Block I plus 30 Block II) and about
50 future Block III fighters on order.

(since 1976) by the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC), comprised strike´ capability but, unlike India, it is not bound by a ´no-first use´ pol-
of the Chairman (CJCSC) and chiefs of the individual armed branches – icy, as its strategic aim is achieving effective deterrence of both nuclear
the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Chief of Air and non-nuclear strategic attacks and large-scale conventional attacks
Staff (CAS), Commandant of Marines and Commander of Strategic Plans by a superior adversary. Strategic commands of individual services are
Division (SPD), although the latter two organisations are not separate mil- responsible for the eventual operational employment of nuclear weapons.
itary services. The JCSC is assisted by the Joint Staff Headquarters (JS Pakistan’s strategic arsenal currently consists mostly of missile units of the
HQ). Although the CJCSC is officially the highest-ranking officer and can Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC). Over 100 deployed land-based
originate from any branch, the Army, as the strongest and most important, launchers are road-mobile and include BABUR and BABUR-2/HATF-7
has historically been the senior service. Its chief carries disproportionate ground-launched cruise missiles, ABDALI/HATF-2 and NASR/HATF-9
influence, not just over the military but often also on internal affairs. This dual-capable battlefield missiles, solid-fuelled GHAZNAVI/HATF-3 and
is further enhanced by the fact that key personnel of the MoD and the SHAHEEN-I/HATF-4 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), liquid-fuelled
cabinet-level National Security Council (NSC) – including National Security GHAURI/HATF-5 and two-stage, solid-fuelled SHAHEEN-II/HATF-6 medi-
Advisers – are often retired army general officers. um-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs). In addition, SHAHEEN-IA SRBMs
and SHAHEEN-III and ABABEEL MRBMs are in advanced stages of de-
Nuclear Weapons Capabilities velopment. The Air Force Strategic Command (AFSC) operates one to two
squadrons of F-16A/B and MIRAGE III/MIRAGE 5 dual-capable aircraft,
Pakistan has possessed a nuclear arsenal since it conducted (shortly af- armed with gravity bombs and RA’AD/HATF-8 and RA’AD-2 air-launched
ter India) two series of nuclear tests in the Chagai Hills in May 1998, short- cruise missiles (ALCMs). The Naval Strategic Forces Command (NSFC),
ly after India’s tests. It is not, however, an internationally acknowledged established in 2012, is to provide assured ´second strike´ capability with
nuclear weapons state – like India, Israel and North Korea – as it has re- BABUR-3 sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM), currently in development.
mained outside of the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty framework. According The 21-25,000-strong SPD Force is tasked with providing security of all
to estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, its nuclear assets.
current inventory consists of 140-150 non-deployed nuclear warheads.
It had the world’s fastest-growing nuclear stockpile over the last decade
(during which it has more than doubled) and has become marginally larger Defence Industrial Cooperation
than India’s arsenal of 130-140 warheads. Also, its production of both sep- and Procurement Programmes
arated plutonium (approx. 0.28t) and highly enriched uranium (HEU) with
some 3.4t, continues. Pakistan ranks among the top ten arms importers globally, but is be-
Since 2000, the National Command Authority serves as the prin- coming less dependent on foreign supply of defence equipment as its in-
cipal command and control body, consisting of the Prime Minister and digenous industrial capacity continues to grow. However, defence indus-
the Ministers of Defence, Defence Production, Interior, Finance, Foreign trial cooperation still plays a critical role, especially the technology transfer
Affairs, CJCSC, chiefs of the military services and SPD. It also decides element, which contributes to the long-term sustainability of domestic
on any potential operational use of nuclear weapons. Pakistan’s doctrine industry and improves export prospects. Since 1972, it is the Ministry of
is based on maintaining ´minimum credible deterrence´ with a ´second Defence Production (MoDP) which controls the largest producers, such
as the National Defence Complex (NDC),
in charge of missile development pro-
grammes, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
(PAC), armoured vehicles manufacturer
Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) and Karachi
Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW).
Defence design and production capabil-
Pakistan Navy frigate F-22P ZULFIQUAR visit ities are currently highlighted by several
to Port Klang, Malaysia. large-scale procurement programmes
across all domains. Continuing delivery of
AL-KHALID I/II MBTs (since 2001), jointly
developed with China and manufactured
by HIT, will provide the mainstay of the
armoured forces, although production at
only 18 vehicles per year is quite slow.
The current force of over 400 is planned
to grow to 600. Another HIT programme,
to upgrade obsolete Type 59 MBTs to the
AL-ZARRAR standard, has delivered over
300 vehicles since 2004. Additionally, HIT
developed the TALHA armoured personnel