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Pakistan and Romania to collaborate on defence production
The Associated Press of Pakistan reports Romania’s ambassador to Pakistan Nicolae Goia and Pakistan’s Minister of Defence Production (MoDP) Rana Tanveer Hussain agreed to enhance bilateral collaboration in defence production.
Notes & Comments:
Romania is in the process of recapitalizing its defence industry, especially in terms of producing modern weapon systems. Collaboration with overseas partners is essential to this effort.
The ATROM 155 mm self-propelled howitzer, which was developed by Aerostar S.A with support from the Israeli vendor Soltam Systems, is an example of this collaboration. The European aviation giant Airbus will also be reviving Romania’s Puma helicopter line, except with the H215 Super Puma, which Airbus Helicopters is positioning as a competitor to the Mil Mi-171.
Pakistan’s domestic defence needs are requiring its industry to refresh its product catalogues in many key areas, such as main battle tanks (MBT), armoured personnel carriers (APC), armoured fighting vehicles (AFV), small arms (e.g. assault rifles), to name a few. There is broad alignment in the overarching goals of the Romanian and Pakistani industries, i.e. offer new products. In this respect, they may collaborate in many ways, from workshare to joint investment in new programs.
Specifically, Romania may have an incentive to market the H215 Super Puma to Pakistan. The Super Puma sits in direct competition to the Mil Mi-171, which the Pakistan Army has grown accustomed to operating, and – at least in 2015 – had been interested in raising a complete maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre for the Hip and Hind platforms.
8 Comments
by Steve
Good news! It is really important that in the next five years we acquire critical technologies in defence production. Learn to build rather than just buy. This covers avionics, composites, electronics, metallurgy, nuclear, radar, sensors, stealth, ship building, etc. etc. Collaborate with the devil himself if needed and beg, borrow, buy, and steal if required. We need to be ruthless and single minded about this. Make our people pay taxes, work on the civilian economy, and sell defence products abroad to fund it. It’s an existential matter as we are surrounded by larger enemies so no place for the faint hearted.
by Sami Shahid
How can puma be a competitor of MI-17 when it carries 15 troops where as MI-17 can carry 30-34 troops ? Anyway, Puma is a good helicopter and the Army can use it in Siachen and FATA. However, if Pakistan can raise a complete maintenance , repair and overhaul centre then MI-17 would be better than Puma but we should buy new helicopters with night vision capability like AW-139 ( Military ) if not new MI-17’s.
by nob hamid gul
Are you sure that mi17 can accommodate 30-34 troops?
by Eqbal Khan
How is that that Pakistan can build a Main Battle Tank but cannot build a Bulldozer, it can build an Armored Car but not a Tractor. Russia tried this model and failed.
by Steve
This is a military forum so we are all a bit biased I’m afraid lol. Plenty of civilian forums to talk about tractors. Anyway, USSR was a centralised economy and Pakistan is not. Our problem is no taxes and corruption. If we acquire military technology it can be used for the civilian sector too. We make tractors already with only a few imported parts, and are also exporting them.
http://pkonweb.com/2015/11/pakistan-made-millat-tractors-go-international-deal-signed-for-export-to-me-africa-china-afghanistan/
A JF17 sells for $25M. A Massey Ferguson tractor for $12K. We can earn a lot of cash. The army can’t do everything and to expect it to make tractors and bulldozers is not logical. Why are the civilian sector not making stuff like engines but in most cases only doing assembling. It’s not a ‘high technology item’ that’s banned to Pakistan. That’s because they don’t want to make the investment to acquire critical technologies and are happy earning money assembling. Military can get these technologies that civilians are reluctant to get. Would you rather we NOT acquire technology. How does that make sense.
by Shakeel
From the picture above it seems that Rana Tanveer is asking the question ‘What can I do for you today’. Nicholaes replies ‘I bought some goodies for you’ Like what asks Rana? Nicholaes replies ‘radars, howitzers, Super-Puma helicopters’. Let me have a look says Rana. All of sudden he checks his pockets for some change. Did you forget to bring some whisky? Nicholaes replies ‘I will have to send you some samples when I go back to Romania’.
This sums up his role.Sheer incompetence.
by Shakeel
Your assertions are both credible & valid Sami. Keep it up.
by nob hamid gul
Building tractor and bulldozer is about Industry and NOT technology.
Every project need capitals(which Pak dsnt have) and commitment which gvt lacks.
Plus, such products are not about domestic and foreign as they are used by civilians. Civilians always pick up what is cheap and best.The product has to be cheap and good in Quality that is something difficult for domestic industry to provide.
So, it is the work of the gvt to encourage and help domestic companies to venture for such industries.