Quwa - Defence News & Analysis

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Pakistan Will Need Submarine Rescue Capabilities

Bilal Khan- Nov 19, 2019

In its 2015-2016 disclosure, Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) listed the construction of a submarine rescue and salvage vessel for the Pakistan Navy (PN) at KSEW. The MoDP did not provide a specific timeline, but...
Indian Army Undertakes Massive Combat Exercise in Thar

Bilal Khan- Nov 17, 2019

On 13 November 2019, the Indian Army initiated a large-scale combat exercise in Rajasthan. Involving 40,000 troops alongside tanks, artillery and helicopters, the exercise – dubbed “Sindhu Sudarshan” – tests India’s offensive capabilities....Read More
Pakistan’s Defence Industry: Constructing a Domestic Marketplace & Examining Offsets

Bilal Khan- Nov 14, 2019

Constructing a Domestic Marketplace of Products One of the drawbacks of nascent private sector activity in the defence industry, especially in new product development, is that Pakistan lacks a domestic marketplace to consult for its requirements....

Latest News

Pakistan Apparently Received a JY-27A Radar from China

Bilal Khan- Nov 21, 2019

Satellite images revealed the presence of a radar system, potentially the CETC JY-27A, at the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) M.M Alam Air Base. ...Read More
JF-17 to Take Part in Malaysia’s New Fighter Competition

Bilal Khan- Nov 20, 2019

Malaysia shortlisted the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Aviation Industry Corporation of China JF-17 as one of seven potential fighters for its light combat aircraft competition....Read More
Aselsan Secures €176.9 m Contract for Pakistan’s MILGEM Corvette Program

Bilal Khan- Nov 18, 2019

On 14 November 2019, Aselsan announced that it signed a €176.9 m contract with ASFAT A.Ş to supply subsystems for the Pakistan Navy’s MILGEM corvettes....Read More
Pakistan’s Naval Chief Visits Romania & Reviews Upcoming Corvette

Bilal Khan- Nov 17, 2019

On 16 November 2019, the Pakistan Navy (PN) announced that the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, paid an official visit to Romania. The CNS also visited Damen Shipyards Galati, which constructed the...
Pakistan Navy Takes Part in Multi-National Exercise in Turkey

Bilal Khan- Nov 13, 2019

The PNS Alamgir has been in Turkey since 09 November 2019 for a 12-day multinational maritime exercise – designated Operation Mediterranean Shield – in the Aegean Sea....Read More
Turkey Test Fires Atmaca Anti-Ship Missile from MILGEM Corvette

Bilal Khan- Nov 12, 2019

On 4 November 2019, Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency announced that the Turkish Navy’s TCG Kinaliada, a MILGEM corvette, successfully test-fired an Atmaca anti-ship cruising missile....Read More
Profile: Pakistan’s New Hangor Submarine

Bilal Khan- Nov 11, 2019

The Pakistan Navy has eight Hangor submarines on order from China. The first four will be inducted in 2022-2023, and the last four by 2028. ...Read More
UAE Launches New Company ‘Edge’ to Spearhead Defence Industry

Bilal Khan- Nov 10, 2019

The United Arab Emirates launched EDGE Group, a new state-owned enterprise, to consolidate the country’s 25 defence suppliers to provide new solutions for the domestic UAE and overseas markets. ...Read More
EU Military Committee Chairman Makes Official Visit to Pakistan

Bilal Khan- Nov 7, 2019

The Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, General Claudio Graziano, visited Air Headquarters Islamabad on Wednesday, 06 November 2019....Read More
Pakistan Navy Tests Land-Based Anti-Ship Missile (Zarb)

Bilal Khan- Nov 6, 2019

The Pakistan Navy announced that it test-fired the land-based anti-ship cruising missile (ASCM), designated “Zarb,” on 05 November 2019. ...Read More
China’s scale gives flexibility for high-tech arms development

Bilal Khan- Nov 5, 2019

Note: This article was previously a Quwa Premium piece, it is now freely available. On 01 February 2018 observers spotted a large cannon turret placed onboard a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 072III landing ship...
Indonesia is Planning to Procure 2 F-16 Block-72 Squadrons

Bilal Khan- Nov 4, 2019

The Indonesian Air Force’s (TNI-AU) Chief of Air Staff, Marshal Yuyu Sutisna, announced the TNI-AU is planning to procure two squadrons of Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block-72 fighters from 2020 to 2024....Read More
Steel Cut for 2 Pakistan Navy Type 054A/P Frigates

Bilal Khan- Nov 3, 2019

China Shipbuilding Trading Co. Ltd. (CSTC) conducted the steel cutting ceremony of two Type 054A/P frigates for the Pakistan Navy (PN). The PN is slated to receive all four Type 054A/P frigates by 2021....Read More
Pakistan Ordnance Factories Reveals New PK18 and PK21 Assault Rifles

Bilal Khan- Oct 31, 2019

At the 5th Pak-Turkey Defence Exhibition (Defence Port Turkey), Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) revealed three new firearms: the PK18 assault rifle, PK21 submachine gun, and POF10 pistol. ...Read More
Bangladesh Orders AESA Air Defence Radars from Leonardo

Bilal Khan- Oct 30, 2019

The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) selected the Leonardo KRONOS Land radar for its future air surveillance and air defence needs. Leonardo announced the order at the 2019 Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and Conference (BIDEC). ...Read More
Pakistan Air Force Chief Visited South Africa

Bilal Khan- Oct 30, 2019

The Pakistan Air Force’s Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Mujahid Anwar Khan paid an official visit to South Africa on 24 October 2019. ACM Khan discussed various matters of professional interest with his...
Loaded Procurement Pipeline in Tow, The Pakistan Navy Rises (Part 1)

Bilal Khan- Oct 29, 2019

With a relatively deep – and active – procurement roadmap of new submarines, frigates and other assets, the Pakistan Navy is aims to implement an ambitious modernization project in the next decade....Read More
Turkish Aerospace to Develop ‘T629’ Armed or Attack Helicopter

Bilal Khan- Oct 28, 2019

Turkish Aerospace’s General Manager and CEO, Temel Kotil, revealed that the company will develop a six-ton attack or armed helicopter that will fill a gap between the T129 ATAK and 10-ton ATAK II attack helicopters. The...
South Africa’s CSIR Raises Possibility of Wingman Drone Research

Bilal Khan- Oct 27, 2019

South Africa’s government-owned think-tank, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), proposed studying drone wingmen for the South African Air Force’s (SAAF) Gripen fleet....Read More
Pakistan’s Defence Exports Reached USD 212.6 million in 2018-2019

Bilal Khan- Oct 24, 2019

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP), the country’s defence exports had reached $212.6 million US from August 2018 to August 2019. ...Read More
Turkey’s Baykar Delivers Second TB2 UAV Batch to Ukraine

Bilal Khan- Oct 23, 2019

The Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar announced that it delivered a second batch of Bayraktar TB2 armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to Ukraine....Read More
AW139: The Pakistan Air Force’s New Mainstay SAR Helicopter

Bilal Khan- Oct 22, 2019

On 03 March 2018, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) formally equipped the No. 88 Search-and-Rescue (SAR) squadron with two Leonardo AW139 utility helicopters. The No. 88 “Combat Support Squadron and Advanced Helicopter Training School” operates from...
Italy Approved $762 m in Arms Sales to Pakistan in 2018

Bilal Khan- Oct 21, 2019

According to Italy’s “Report on Authorized Transactions Carried Out for Export, Import and Transit Control of Armament Materials,” the Italian government approved €682.91 million (i.e., $762 million US) in arms sales to Pakistan in 2018. However,...
Italian Defence Industry Heads Visit Pakistan

Bilal Khan- Oct 20, 2019

On 17 October 2019, the President of the AIAD (Italian Companies for Aerospace, Defence and Security), Guido Crosetto, and CEO of MBDA Italy, Pasquale Di Bartolomeo, met with the Pakistan Navy’s Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)...
Ukraine Unveils New Supersonic Air-to-Surface Missile Program

Bilal Khan- Oct 17, 2019

Ukraine’s Yuzhnoye Design Office revealed that it is developing a new supersonic-cruising air-to-surface missile (ASM) called the ‘Bliskavka’ (Lightning). It showcased a mock-up of the Bliskavka at Ukraine’s marquee defence exhibition, Arms and Security 2019. ...Read More
BMC Says Altay MBT Will Be Ready in Two Years

Bilal Khan- Oct 16, 2019

BMC, the Turkish manufacturer awarded with the contract of manufacturing the Altay main battle tank for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), said that the TSK will operate the Altay MBT in two years....Read More
Saab and Boeing Successfully Test Fire GLSDB

Bilal Khan- Oct 15, 2019

On 14 October 2019, Saab and Boeing announced that they successfully test-fired the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) system in Norway towards the end of September 2019....Read More
China Releases New Details on the AVIC Z-20 Helicopter

Bilal Khan- Oct 14, 2019

China’s state-owned newspaper provided details of the Z-20, the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) new transport helicopter....Read More
Turkey Completes HİSAR-A Surface-to-Air Missile Tests

Bilal Khan- Oct 13, 2019

Turkey’s Defense Industry President İsmail Demir announced that Roketsan and Aselsan completed the development of the HİSAR-A surface-to-air missile (SAM) system....Read More
Can Offsets Work in Pakistan? (Quwa Premium Sample)

Bilal Khan- Oct 10, 2019

This Quwa Premium report examines the viability of commercial offsets (tied to big-ticket defence purchases) in Pakistan. In this report, Quwa briefly reviews the checkered history of offset packages, especially in the developing world. ...Read More

Featured

China’s scale gives flexibility for high-tech arms development

Note: This article was previously a Quwa Premium piece, it is now freely available. On 01 February 2018 observers spotted a large cannon turret placed onboard a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 072III...
Loaded Procurement Pipeline in Tow, The Pakistan Navy Rises (Part 1)

With a relatively deep – and active – procurement roadmap of new submarines, frigates and other assets, the Pakistan Navy is aims to implement an ambitious modernization project in the next decade....Read More
AW139: The Pakistan Air Force’s New Mainstay SAR Helicopter

On 03 March 2018, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) formally equipped the No. 88 Search-and-Rescue (SAR) squadron with two Leonardo AW139 utility helicopters. The No. 88 “Combat Support Squadron and Advanced Helicopter Training School”...
Can Offsets Work in Pakistan? (Quwa Premium Sample)

This Quwa Premium report examines the viability of commercial offsets (tied to big-ticket defence purchases) in Pakistan. In this report, Quwa briefly reviews the checkered history of offset packages, especially in the developing world....

Press Releases

Damen FCS demonstrates versatility again in collaborative technology project

Press Releases 1249 0

Damen Shipyards Group, in collaboration with Delft Dynamics and Next Ocean, has trialled a new approach to search and rescue in the North Sea. The collaboration involved qualification testing of Delft Dynamics RH3 drone (RH-3 Swift), along with a fast rescue boat launched from a Damen Sea Axe Fast Crew Supply (FCS) Vessel equipped...