http://www.dawn.com/2004/09/09/top4.htm
KARACHI, Sept 8: Pakistan is to sell five Super Mashak aircraft to a private company of South Africa and the signing ceremony in this regard will be one of the salient features of the Ideas 2004 defence equipment exhibition opening here on Sept 13.
This was stated by Major-General Syed Ali Hamid, Director-General, Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), in an interview with Dawn. The Ideas exhibitions is DEPO's marketing tool and promotes networking between manufacturer, senior Pakistani military officials and foreign delegations.
Delivery of the 20 Super Mashaks, produced at the PAC Kamra, will commence soon. Kamra has already sold 10 of these aircraft to Oman and five to Iran. Pakistan targeted the South African market about four years ago when it sent the Super Mashak to that country to take part in a display there, Maj-Gen Hamid said. He was of the view that the South African market was important because "what happens in South Africa affects that region."
He disclosed that the Air Weapons Complex had also produced electronic fuses for the Mark 82 and Mark 83 which they have sold to Turkey and they were talking about transfer of technology. He hoped the Turks would like the package.
Pakistan, he said, was currently exporting defence equipment worth about $80-90 million. But it aims to increase this to between $200-300 million. That would be possible only if contracts were secured for "big ticket items" like the Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar tanks and Baktarshikan anti-tank guided missiles, etc.
The main products Pakistan is offering for sale are the Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar tanks, Al-Saad armoured personnel carriers and security vehicles, the Baktarshikan anti-tank guided missile, Super Mashak and K-8 trainer aircraft, missile boats, small arms and a wide range of artillery, tanks and small arms ammunition.
When asked about the possibility of Pakistan offering a credit line to prospective customers, Maj-Gen Hamid said a "credit line is to some extent a political issue.
I don't think the government of Pakistan is prepared to extend a credit line to every customer. It would depend on relations with that country. We had credit lines available earlier but they are not being utilized for one reason or the other because of political implications," he said.
"Defence deals are business and not commercial deals, and have to be customized. A credit line is one aspect of that," he said. Referring to the role of the private sector in defence production and exports, Maj-Gen Hamid said a fairly large vendor industry had emerged in the private sector producing tents, uniforms, boots, medical equipment, etc.
Some companies were exporting a large volume of fuses to France while another private sector firm was exporting ground to air communication sets. DEPO was also now aggressively marketing Defender jeeps, and their parts manufactured/assembled in Pakistan.
KARACHI, Sept 8: Pakistan is to sell five Super Mashak aircraft to a private company of South Africa and the signing ceremony in this regard will be one of the salient features of the Ideas 2004 defence equipment exhibition opening here on Sept 13.
This was stated by Major-General Syed Ali Hamid, Director-General, Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), in an interview with Dawn. The Ideas exhibitions is DEPO's marketing tool and promotes networking between manufacturer, senior Pakistani military officials and foreign delegations.
Delivery of the 20 Super Mashaks, produced at the PAC Kamra, will commence soon. Kamra has already sold 10 of these aircraft to Oman and five to Iran. Pakistan targeted the South African market about four years ago when it sent the Super Mashak to that country to take part in a display there, Maj-Gen Hamid said. He was of the view that the South African market was important because "what happens in South Africa affects that region."
He disclosed that the Air Weapons Complex had also produced electronic fuses for the Mark 82 and Mark 83 which they have sold to Turkey and they were talking about transfer of technology. He hoped the Turks would like the package.
Pakistan, he said, was currently exporting defence equipment worth about $80-90 million. But it aims to increase this to between $200-300 million. That would be possible only if contracts were secured for "big ticket items" like the Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar tanks and Baktarshikan anti-tank guided missiles, etc.
The main products Pakistan is offering for sale are the Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar tanks, Al-Saad armoured personnel carriers and security vehicles, the Baktarshikan anti-tank guided missile, Super Mashak and K-8 trainer aircraft, missile boats, small arms and a wide range of artillery, tanks and small arms ammunition.
When asked about the possibility of Pakistan offering a credit line to prospective customers, Maj-Gen Hamid said a "credit line is to some extent a political issue.
I don't think the government of Pakistan is prepared to extend a credit line to every customer. It would depend on relations with that country. We had credit lines available earlier but they are not being utilized for one reason or the other because of political implications," he said.
"Defence deals are business and not commercial deals, and have to be customized. A credit line is one aspect of that," he said. Referring to the role of the private sector in defence production and exports, Maj-Gen Hamid said a fairly large vendor industry had emerged in the private sector producing tents, uniforms, boots, medical equipment, etc.
Some companies were exporting a large volume of fuses to France while another private sector firm was exporting ground to air communication sets. DEPO was also now aggressively marketing Defender jeeps, and their parts manufactured/assembled in Pakistan.
