Pakistan's navy interested in Chinese submarines and advance naval ships

[Neo]

Pakistan's navy interested in Chinese submarines and advance naval ships

The chief of Pakistan's naval staff Noman Bashir said he looks forward to see more cooperation in the submarine field between China and his country yesterday during a press interview in the Pakistani embassy in Beijing. The visiting navy chief already met with Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie in Beijing on Friday last week, according to Xinhua News Agency.

In addition to submarines, the admiral told China Daily yesterday that he has talked to Chinese officials buying bigger ships than the current F22P frigates. Pakistan ordered the F22P frigates from China in 2005 and the first one began sea trials last year. According an earlier story on the website of the People's Daily, Pakistan ordered four more F22P frigates in 2007, which means there will eventually be eight such warships in the Pakistani Navy

"The F22P frigate is about 3,000 tons, and now we are talking about 4,000-ton ships. .These are very big projects and we think the cooperation is important for both countries, especially Pakistan." Bashir highly praised the Chinese military technology, saying he's happy to say that China is keeping pace with the changing world and efficiently adopting new technologies.

He said the warships are of the latest technology, and have the all-round capability to target surface ships, aircraft and submarine. "The F22P frigate can be deployed to complete multitasks. The ship is balanced for offense and defense, and can be used in both peace and war time, if there is a war." The first of the four F22P frigates ordered by Pakistan was delivered in July this year and is already in service.

The admiral stressed that this was his third visit to China this year because Pakistan attaches great importance to its cooperation with China not only on naval matters but in other fields. He said the F22P and JF-17 Thunder fighter plane are the two major projects in addition to other projects including development of ammunition, design, equipment and weapons.

The admiral said his country plans to buy more weapons from China in the future, such as bigger ships and missiles.Zhai Dequan, deputy director of China Arms Control and Disarmament Association said that Pakistan's proposal in submarine cooperation is likely aimed at its sea border protection.

"The initiative may invite concerns from its neighboring countries. But the doubts are unnecessary." Zhai said it is normal for an independent country such as Pakistan to actively seek military defense, and meanwhile India also has large projects with the US and Russia. "India's aircraft carrier has already cost it billions of US dollars." He added.

The Pakistani Navy Chief Noman Bashir said he sees "a prosperous cooperation between China and Pakistan in navy field" at a news conference held Monday.

Bashir had earlier met with Chinese State Defense Minister Liang Guanglie on Saturday.

"I've been very pleased to have all Chinese media friends to participate this conference and is willing to answer any issues you are interested" said Noman Bashir at the opening speech.

"It's my third visit to China in this year because Pakistan and China have many fields of collaboration in terms of military and navy field", said Bashir.

"This year, Pakistan has worked with China in levels of navy technology transfer, air force projects, intelligence technology field and etc.

"We appreciate the support Chinese government had given to us, and wish next year in navy technology and ship-field, we could achieve more". Bashir also indicated more possible purchases of China's advanced frigates.

[Munir]

I see the developments as projected by some... Thanks Neo!

The Type 054 (NATO codename: Jiangkai-I Class) is the multirole missile frigate built by the Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard and the Guangzhou-based Huangpu Shipyard for the PLA Navy. Production of the first-of-class, Ma’anshan (525), was begun in late 2002 at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard. The frigate was launched on 11 September 2003 and commissioned on 18 February 2005. The second hull Wenzhou (526) was launched at the Huangpu Shipyard on 30 November 2003 at Huangpu Shipyard and it was commissioned in 2006. The Type 054 production stopped after only two hulls were commissioned due to the introduction of the more capable Type 054A Jiangkai-II Class.

The Type 054 incorporates a number of stealthy features, including the sloped side to minimise radar cross section and the reduced profiles of external features. The helicopter deck at the stern has a single landing spot for a medium size helicopter, such as the Russian Kamov Ka-28 Helix, or the indigenous Harbin Z-9C. The deck is fitted with the helicopter handling system. The frigate has a full displacement of 4,300t.

Missiles

The primary surface strike weapon system is the YJ-83 sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile. Two quadruple launchers are installed at the mid-ship position. The missile uses active radar-homing to deliver a 165kg warhead to a range in excess of 180km.

The main air defence weapon is an 8-cell HongQi-7 (French Thales Crotale copy) short-range SAM system, designed to engage aircraft in all-weather, day/night conditions at a maximum range of 8~12km with line-of-sight guidance. The missile also has limited capability to intercept sea-skimming anti-ship missiles at a much closer range (4~6km).

Guns
The main gun on the bow deck is an indigenous single-barrel 100mm gun developed by 713 Institute on the basis of the French Creusot-Loire T100C design. The gun can be used against surface targets and air targets such as aircraft and low speed missile, with a maximum rate of fire of 90 rounds/min. The gun can be operated in fully automatic mode from the radar control system, from the shipborne optical sighting system, or laid manually.

For air defence the ship was equipped the destroyer has four six-barrel 30mm AK-630 close-in weapon systems (CIWs). The maximum rate of fire is 5,000 rounds/min. Range is up to 4,000m for low flying anti-ship missiles and 5,000m for light surface targets. The gun is equipped with radar and television detection and tracking.

The ship also has two Type 87 six-tube anti-submarine rocket launchers, with 36 rockets (240mm calibre, 34kg warhead). The maximum range is 1,200m.

Sensors

The Type 054 has a Chinese indigenous sensor suite consisting of a Chinese Indigenous Type 360S 2D air/surface radar (E/F-band, max range: 150km to aircraft and 50km to sea-skimming missile); a Type 347G radar (I-band) for CIWS fire-control, a Type 344 radar (I/J-band) for main gun and anti-ship missile targeting, and a Type 345 radar (J-band) for HQ-7 SAM fire-control. The ship also has an MR-36A surface search radar operating at I-band.

Sonar

The Type 054 is reportedly fitted with a Russian MGK-335 fixed sonar suite, including Bull Horn active and Whale Tongue passive hull-mounted, medium frequency search and attack sonar. Due to limited information available, this claim cannot be confirmed.

Countermeasures

The ship is equipped with two 18-tube multiple rocket launchers at the mid-ship position. They are thought to be used to launch decoys/chaffs. The round radome installed on top of the helicopter hanger and few smaller round radomes are believed to house electronic warfare antennas.

Propulsion

The propulsion is a combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) arrangement. The system is based on four SEMT Pielstick (now MAN Diesel SA) 16 PA6V-280 STC diesel engines, one of the most advanced diesel engine designs in Europe. A similar 12 PA6V-280 STC engine with less power is also used by the French La Fayette class frigate. China imported the 16 PA6V-280 STC diesel technology in the late 1990s and is now producing the diesel locally under license at Shaanxi Diesel Factory. Each 16 PA6V-280 engine can produce a sustained power of 4,720kW (6,330hp), giving a total power of 18,880kW (25,320hp).

[Neo]

Arms sale to Pak justified as India buys from US: Chinese official

Thursday December 24, 2009

BEIJING: A senior Chinese defense official has justified Beijing’s sale of warships and submarines to Pakistan on the ground that India was buying similar systems from Russia and the United States.

He indicated that China was conscious India might be worried about the sales. "The initiative may invite concerns from its neighboring countries. But the doubts are unnecessary," Zhai Dequan, deputy director of China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, was quoted as saying in the official media.

The statement came in the midst of efforts by Norman Bashir, chief of Pakistan’s naval staff, to persuade Beijing to sell higher capacity ships as compared to the F22P frigates that China begun delivering last June. Zhai said Pakistan’s desire for high capacity systems is normal for an independent nation seeking to bolster its security. India has also entered into large deals for military hardware from the US and Russia, he said. "India’s aircraft carrier has already cost it billions of US dollars," Zhai said.

Bashir, who met Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie on Friday, said Pakistan was keen on buying bigger ships and more JF-17 fighter planes from China apart from the submarines. Pakistan will buy more weapons including missiles from China in future, he said.

"The F22P frigate is about 3,000 tons, and now we are talking about 4,000-ton ships. These are very big projects and we think the cooperation is important for both countries, especially Pakistan," he said. Pakistan booked four F22P frigates from China in 2005 and the first one began sea trials last year. Islamabad followed it up with another order of four more ships of same kind in 2007, the Chinese media said. Bashir showered fulsome praise on Chinese warships saying they use the latest technology, and have the all-round capability to target surface ships, aircraft and submarine. "The F22P frigate can be deployed to complete multitasks. The ship is balanced for offense and defense, and can be used in both peace and war time, if there is a war," he said. This is his third visit to China this year.

[ajpirzada]

such a deal will be great for PN which has been long ignored. a gud number of current frigates are supposed to be decommissioned in comin years.