Pakistan Defence News & Analysis Archives

Pakistan’s Mirages: Specialists Enduring out of Necessity

In April 2018, the AFP News Agency published an article detailing its visit to the Mirage Rebuild Factory (MRF) at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC).[1] The complete AFP article is available on Dawn News, but it provides an insight into the MRF’s activities…

Primer: Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons Program

by Bilal Khan 162Views 0Likes

On 28 May 1998, Pakistan conducted five simultaneous underground nuclear tests in the Ras Koh Hills in Chagai District, Baluchistan. Though there had been rumblings of Pakistan already possessing – and even testing a live nuclear weapon – as early as 1990…

Pakistan Defence Review: News/Procurement Updates

by Bilal Khan 165Views 0Likes

This is a review of main and ancillary Pakistani defence news topics along with short-hand analysis to offer clarity and context: Pakistan announced its defence budget for 2018-2019; the Public Sector Development Program’s (PSDP) budget includes an increased budget for the Space…

Analysis: India’s Withdrawal from the FGFA Program

by Bilal Khan 171Views 0Likes

On 20 April 2018, IHS Jane’s reported that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had formally ended its involvement in the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) it had started with Russia in 2007.[1] Official confirmation has yet to come from New Delhi, but…

JF-17 Export Efforts: Negotiating Expectations

by Bilal Khan 173Views 0Likes

An analysis of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex’s (PAC) efforts to export the JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter, specifically in terms of potential calls for offsets, transfer-of-technology and partnerships. Is Pakistan able to offer such concessions?

PAF Bholari: The Pakistan Air Force’s New Main Operating Base

by Bilal Khan 165Views 0Likes

On April 20, a retired Indian Army officer – Col. Vinayak Bhat – provided a detailed insight of the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) new main operating base (MOB), PAF Bholari. Available on The Print, Bhat’s analysis of PAF Bholari surmises that the…

Pakistan’s Interest in Russian Arms (Part 4): Armour

by Bilal Khan 163Views 0Likes

In his comments to the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti, Pakistan’s Minister of Defence (MoD) Khurram Dastgir Khan stated that Pakistan was both interested and in talks with Russia for big-ticket defence items. Quwa Premium discussed the MoD’s comments regarding the Su-35…

Pakistan’s Interest in Russian Arms (Part 3): Helicopters

by Bilal Khan 165Views 0Likes

Though it was not mentioned by the Pakistani Minister of Defence, Khurram Dastgir Khan, in his comments to the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti, helicopters are an issue of mutual interest between Russia and Pakistan. The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (PAA) and…

Pakistan’s Interest in Russian Arms (Part 2): Air Defence Systems

by Bilal Khan 211Views 0Likes

Pakistan’s Minister of Defence (MoD) Khurram Dastgir Khan was quoted by the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti that Pakistan had begun negotiating with Russia for various big-ticket armaments, including T-90 main battle tanks (MBT), Su-35 fighters and unspecified air defence systems. Speaking…

Pakistan’s Interest in Russian Arms (Part 1): Su-35 Flanker-E

by Bilal Khan 172Views 0Likes

On 05 April, Pakistan’s Minister of Defence (MoD) Khurram Dastgir Khan confirmed to the Russian News Agency RIA Novosti that Pakistan had begun talks with Russia for the purchase of Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E multi-role fighters, T-90 main battle tanks (MBT) and air…