Pakistan Reveals New Air Defence System and Other Capability Gains
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
In the midst of Pakistan’s recent tensions with India, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) revealed a number of key details about its capabilities.
Details on new ground-based air defence systems (GBAD), new-generation munitions for the JF-17 Block-III, and the evolving composition and growing role of its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fleet underscore a multi-pronged strategy.
The PAF’s strategy appears focused on developing a more layered air defence network, enhancing the combat effectiveness of its fighter fleet, and leveraging unmanned systems for increasingly complex roles, such as long-range strikes.
PAF Reveals FD-2000 SAM Induction
A notable development is the confirmed addition of the FD-2000 long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system to the PAF’s inventory.
This system joins the previously inducted HQ-9BE very long-range SAM (reportedly offering 260-280 km reach) and the HQ-16FE medium-to-long-range SAM (160 km range).
The FD-2000 is the export version of an early variant of the HQ-9, offering a range of 125 km. Interestingly, Pakistan had expressed interest in the system in the mid-2000s, but it did not acquire the system.
The integration of the FD-2000 is notable for its role in densifying the PAF’s GBADS. Its shorter range fills a range coverage tier below the HQ-16FE, contributing to a multi-layered network with overlapping engagement zones.
Reference Link:- https://quwa.org/pakistan-air-force-news/pakistan-reveals-new-air-defence-system-and-other-capability-gains/
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
