Quwa - Defence News & Analysis

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Why is the Pakistan Air Force Procuring 26 JF-17B Fighters?

Bilal Khan- Jan 19, 2020

In December 2019, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) rolled-out the first eight of 26 twin-seat JF-17B fighters for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). PAC will produce another 14 in 2020. ...Read More
Why the JF-17 Block-III Needs a Dedicated IRST System

Bilal Khan- Jan 12, 2020

The JF-17 Block-III is likely to incorporate a dedicated hardpoint for special mission pods, and while the addition of targeting and electronic warfare pods is confirmed, Pakistan should consider fitting the JF-17 with an infrared search...
Can Pakistan Capitalize on Ukraine’s Defence Industry?

Bilal Khan- Jan 9, 2020

Ukraine is implementing an extensive re-armament program for its armed forces along, in tandem, with growing the output and activity of its defence industry. The policy was cemented in August 2017, when Ukraine’s President, Petro Poroshenko,...

Latest News

Turkey Tests Indigenous Air-to-Air Missile

Bilal Khan- Jan 19, 2020

Turkey’s TÜBİTAK-SAGE announced that it test fired its currently under-development Gökdoğan beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile (AAM) ...Read More
Gentium and Damen Shipyards Group to Grow Bangladeshi Shipbuilding

Bilal Khan- Jan 15, 2020

On 14 January, Gentium and Damen Shipyards Group signed a memorandum-of-understanding with the Bangladeshi Ministry of Industry to “establish and develop a shipbuilding and ship repair industry” in the country aimed at fulfilling local and foreign...
US to Remove Turkey From F-35 Work by End of 2020

Bilal Khan- Jan 14, 2020

The Pentagon is working to remove Turkey from the majority of F-35 Lightning II supply work by March 2020, while aiming to completely end Ankara’s involvement in the program by end of year....Read More
Pakistani Senate Committee Sets Goals for PAC

Bilal Khan- Jan 13, 2020

On 07 January 2020, Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Defence Production called on Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) to continue meeting the needs of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) while taking on more commercial ventures and reducing...
Turkey Extends Aircraft Co-Production Offer to Malaysia

Bilal Khan- Jan 12, 2020

Turkish Aerospace’s CEO announced that the company invited Malaysia to participate in the production of the Hürjet trainer/light combat aircraft and TF-X next-generation fighter. ...Read More
Leonardo Demos Next Generation Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)

Bilal Khan- Jan 8, 2020

Leonardo UK demonstrated a next-generation radar warning receiver (RWR) system that it says is four times as accurate as existing RWRs, but one-tenth the size....Read More
Pakistan Extends T129 ATAK Delivery Window by One Year

Bilal Khan- Jan 7, 2020

According to Turkey’s President of Defense Industries (SSB), Dr. Ismail Demir, Pakistan extended its delivery window for the T129 ATAK attack helicopter by one year. ...Read More
Turkish Aerospace Opens Office in Pakistan

Bilal Khan- Jan 6, 2020

Turkey’s main aerospace contractor Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAŞ) opened an office in Pakistan’s National Science & Technology Park in 2019, becoming the first Turkish entity to do so. ...Read More
Pakistan Navy Officially Inducts ATR-72 MPA and LUNA NG UAV

Bilal Khan- Jan 5, 2020

The Pakistan Navy’s (PN) Director General of Public Relations announced that the PN inducted ATR-72 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and Luna NG unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)....Read More
Pakistan’s PAC and AVIC Sign Agreement to Co-Produce Chinese Commercial Aircraft

Bilal Khan- Jan 2, 2020

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) signed an agreement with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) to “co-produce” the latter’s commercial aircraft....Read More
Pakistan’s PAC Inaugurates JF-17 Integration Facility

Bilal Khan- Jan 1, 2020

On 27 December 2019, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) inaugurated a new integration facility for installing, testing and qualifying electronics and munitions to the JF-17 domestically....Read More
JF-17 Block 3 Prototype Takes Flight

Bilal Khan- Dec 31, 2019

In December 2019, the prototype of the JF-17 Block III conducted its maiden test flight. There are only minor changes to the airframe, most of the upgrades are either internal or subsystem related....Read More
Pakistan’s Integrated Dynamics Reveals Pseudo-Satellite Project

Bilal Khan- Dec 16, 2019

Integrated Dynamics, a private sector company in Pakistan, says it is developing High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) platforms in the form of solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)....Read More
Tests Scheduled for Pakistan’s First Upgraded Agosta 90B in 2020

Bilal Khan- Dec 15, 2019

Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik A.Ş. (STM) is planning to start the sea trials of the Pakistan Navy’s (PN) first upgraded Agosta 90B submarine – PNS/M Hamza – in early 2020....Read More
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Shows Off Ongoing Projects

Bilal Khan- Dec 12, 2019

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) is currently working on multiple programs, including a high-speed target drone, precision-guided bombs, targeting pod integration, and possibly its MALE UAV project....Read More
Turkey’s Aselsan to Open an Office in Pakistan

Bilal Khan- Dec 11, 2019

The Turkish defence electronics supplier Aselsan is reportedly planning to open an office in Pakistan, one of its leading overseas customers across multiple big-ticket programs....Read More
Turkey’s Akıncı Drone Completes First Test Flight

Bilal Khan- Dec 9, 2019

On 06 December 2019, the privately-owned Turkish aerospace company Baykar announced that its new twin-engine drone, the Akıncı, performed its maiden test flight....Read More
Saab Delivers Deployable Maintenance Facility Solution to Hungary

Bilal Khan- Dec 8, 2019

The ‘Deployable Maintenance Facility’ (DAM) is a unique approach on forward aircraft deployment by enabling the end-user to move both the aircraft and its maintenance support elements with ease, i.e., without investing in fixed logistics infrastructure...
Pakistan Army Conducts Training Exercise in Bahawalpur

Bilal Khan- Dec 5, 2019

On 05 December 2019, the Pakistan Army’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa observed a training exercise involving an Army Strike Corps in Bahawalpur, Punjab. ...Read More
Rheinmetall Tests 76 km Range Artillery System

Bilal Khan- Dec 4, 2019

On 06 November 2019, Germany’s Rheinmetall test-fired an artillery round from a South African Denel Land Systems G6 howitzer and achieved a range of 76, the highest achieved range for a 155 shell. ...Read More
Update (2019): Pakistan’s T129 ATAK Attack Helicopter Purchase

Bilal Khan- Dec 2, 2019

In an interview published on 02 December 2019, the head of Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency (SSB), Dr. İsmail Demir said the sale of 30 T129 ATAK attack helicopters to Pakistan is still proceeding....Read More
Pakistan Conducts ‘Command Level Operation’ Exercise

Bilal Khan- Dec 1, 2019

On 29 November 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) announced that it held a ‘command level operation’ exercise – designated ‘Hawk-Eye’ – across all three of its Regional Commands. ...Read More
Pakistan Shows Glimpse of its New Drones

Bilal Khan- Nov 28, 2019

At the 2019 Dubai Air Show, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) showed both an illustration and a photo a test-launch of its new jet-powered target drone. It also showed an illustration of its medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned...
Pakistan’s KSEW Launches Fourth Fast Attack Craft (Missile)

Bilal Khan- Nov 27, 2019

Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW) launched the Pakistan Navy’s (PN) fourth Azmat-class fast attack craft (missile) – or FAC(M) – on 27 November 2019. ...Read More
Turkey Starts Testing S-400 Air Defence System

Bilal Khan- Nov 26, 2019

The Ankara Governorate announced that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has started testing the radar systems of its newly acquired S-400 long-range air defence system....Read More
South Africa Blocks New Arms Transfers to Saudi Arabia and UAE

Bilal Khan- Nov 25, 2019

The South African government blocked the sale of new arms to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and several other countries over a dispute over inspections....Read More
China Officially Promotes J-10C for Export

Bilal Khan- Nov 24, 2019

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has begun promoting a variant of the J-10C for export. Designated FC-20E, the product was officially put on display as a mock-up at the 2019 Dubai Air Show. ...Read More
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

Featured

Pakistan Navy’s Damen Corvette / Offshore Patrol Vessel

The Pakistan Navy (PN) will equip its two 2,300-ton corvettes/offshore patrol vessels (OPV) from Damen Shipyards with anti-surface, anti-air, and surveillance/intelligence gathering systems....Read More
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”...

Press Releases

Damen and Blohm + Voss selected for construction German MKS180 frigates

Press Releases 1072 0

The German government has announced its intention to select Damen as the main contractor, together with partners Blohm + Voss and Thales, for supplying at least four Multi-Purpose Combat Ship MKS 180 frigates to the German Navy....Read More