IDEAS: Pakistan plans to buy more ships and boats
JOSHUA KUCERA JDW Staff Reporter
Washington, DC
Additional reporting by Farhan Bokhari JDW Special Correspondent
Islamabad, Pakistan
The Pakistan Navy is seeking to acquire four frigates and four submarines in addition to the four Type F-22P frigates (Jaingwei-II class), currently being negotiated with China, and the three Agosta 90-B submarines being built by France.
"The four ships from the Chinese and the three submarines are not enough to maintain a minimum deterrence," Chief of Navy Staff Adm Shahid Karimullah said. "We need more. The money is being arranged for us to acquire more submarines and more ships."
While acquisition plans are still in the early stages, they depend on uncertain funding sources, the Commander, Pakistan Fleet, Vice Adm Mohammad Faroon, told JDW. However, for now the navy is looking at "roughly four" additional new submarines, he said. "More or fewer are possible, if more or less money becomes available," he said. "You have to look in your pocket and then decide what you can buy."
The navy is still considering a variety of options for the submarines, but is primarily focusing on a single-hull design and air independent propulsion. "These will be the primary things that guide us," Adm Faroon said. The design should be finalised by 2005, with work starting in late 2005 or early 2006 allowing the four boats to be completed by 2011-12, he added.
After production of the F-22Ps is started, Pakistan will again evaluate its needs with an eye to acquiring an additional four frigates, Adm Faroon said. "If our experience with the F-22Ps is good, we may go in for another four, with better sensors, better machinery," he added. The navy is now considering a larger ship - more than 3,000 tons as compared to the 2,400-ton ships under consideration now - with greater endurance, he noted.
Pakistan and China are close to signing a deal for the four F-22P frigates for which they have already been negotiating and only need to work out the details of a loan that China is offering Pakistan, Adm Karimullah said.
"We hope that this loan will be finalised and soon after that we'll be able to sign a contract," he said. China was offering a commercial loan and Pakistan was looking for "friendship" terms, he added.
The ships will be equipped with "at least one" each of the naval version of the Hafei Aviation Industry Z-9C helicopter, Adm Faroon said. However, the rest of the weapons and systems were still under negotiation, he said.
The Pakistan Navy also took delivery earlier this month of two additional Jalalal-class fast attack craft-missile boats. "These are the improved version of the ones we had made about four to five years ago. These are faster, with a more attractive weapon load," Adm Karimullah said.
The procurement plans come amid increasing US-Pakistani naval co-operation (see page 4). Adm Karimullah said one Pakistan Navy destroyer will be patrolling international waters near Pakistan trying to interdict potential insurgent operations. Senior Pakistani government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Pakistan is offering to support the US naval presence in the northern Arabian Sea, close to the Persian Gulf.
Pakistan has offered to extend unspecified support services to the US Navy if Washington gives consideration to supplying Pakistan with new equipment, such as maritime reconnaissance aircraft, the officials said. "The Pakistan Navy is in the ideal position of being able to be of assistance to the US Navy in such a crucial part of the world," said one government official.
"Our navy can perform a range of functions from assistance in patrolling the waters of the northern Arabian Sea to providing logistical support wherever possible
