Pakistan navy to expand ties with China

Pakistan’s navy is very satisfied with the performance of the F-22P frigate it bought from China and hopes to further the cooperation with the nation, said Admiral Noman Bashir, Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff.

Two of the four F-22P frigates it ordered are already in service in Pakistan Navy, with the third one scheduled to be commissioned on September 15 this year. It’s also expected that all four ships will be in service by 2013.

“We are very happy with the performance, and some technology is as good as in Western countries,” said Noman Bashir, who visited China four times last year was quoted as saying by The China Daily. Pakistan also hopes to buy bigger ships with more firepower from China, such as 4,000 ton class frigates.

Pakistan has proposed to develop strategic maritime cooperation with China in both military and commercial sects, such as in fishery, economic development zones, and cargo, he said. “The friendship between China and Pakistan is greater than the Himalayas and deeper than the Ocean. We already made progress in air force and other areas, now we should further and expand the cooperation in Navy, a broadly-based relation.”

Pakistan’s strategic geographical location in the Arabian Sea and its long coastline mean its possible contribution to the missions of China’s navy, particular under the context of energy need from the Persian Gulf, said Pakistan officials. Pakistan also has rich experiences in countering illegal activities at sea in order to maintain maritime security, four ships participated in anti-piracy operations.

The Pakistan Navy will be acquiring Type 054 (NATO Codename JIANGKAI I) 4000 ton type of frigates from China.

As India’s domestic carrier with submarines and plans to expedite the Indian Navy, Pakistan Navy’s technological advantage is rapidly widening. In such a situation, Pakistan’s new love Chinese frigate is also reasonable Moreover, Europe and the United States and Russia are flirting with India, Pakistan does not want to offend the export of advanced warships and New Delhi. In contrast, relations between China and Pakistan is not only strong, and the Chinese Type 054 frigate design and construction of the same world-class level, the prices are much cheaper and more suited to limited financial resources of the Pakistani Army. Recently, the Pakistan domestic media coverage of the sharp rise in 054-type, apart from introducing a large number of its performance, the greater is the expectation of an early ship.

The Gulf of Aden to escort is the best advertising

Western military experts have also generated interest in 054-class escort. The United States “sea power” magazine editor believe that China’s naval fleet strength of the Gulf of Aden to escort the composition of the transition from the first two destroyers, a destroyer to the second installment plus a 054-class escort, to the third All replaced by two 054-type frigate, this arrangement is definitely not random, shows that the Chinese Navy began a comprehensive review of 054 ocean-type frigate’s combat capabilities. McLaren said: “China dare to let go and let the smaller tonnage commitment to convoy escort task, showing that China is full of confidence in its performance. In fact, more than 054 types of tonnage to the 051 early Chinese destroyer, with 15 in service 052 years ago, destroyer equal, long-distance capability is not weak. ”

Hong Kong’s “Asia-Pacific Defense” magazine has written that China sent 054 class destroyer escort, as the main, one of the aims is to potential foreign customers, “advertising.” Previously, it is difficult to see the ocean on a cruise ship in China for the performance of Chinese manufacturers of warships propaganda in doubt, but now you can see the actual performance of the Chinese frigate. If the 054-type can accomplish very well escort action, it will greatly improve Chinese warships in the international market, the impression points, and thus attract a large number of customers.

The Type 054 is successor to the Jiangwei and Jianghu class frigates of the People’s Liberation Army Navy. It has been compared to the French La Fayette class frigate. The 4,000 ton (estimated) Type 054 incorporates many stealth features: sloped hull design; radar absorbent materials; and reduction of surface equipment and features.

The main weapon is two four-cell launchers with the YJ-83 sea-skimming anti-shipcruise missile. It also has an eight-cell launcher with the HQ-7 SAM, which is an improved version of the French Crotale missile. The HQ-7 system has 8 ready to fire missiles, plus 16 stored in the automatic reloader. There is a helicopter flight deck at the stern. It also has a 100 mm main gun and four AK-630 CIWS turrets.

BEIJING, July 22 (APP): Pakistan Navy is very satisfied with the performance of the F-22P frigate it bought from China and hopes to further the cooperation with the nation, said Admiral Noman Bashir, Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff. Two of the four F-22P frigates it ordered are already in service in Pakistan Navy, with the third one scheduled to be commissioned on September 15 this year. It is also expected that all the four ships will be in service by 2013. “We are very happy with the performance, and some technology is as good as in Western countries,” the China Daily quoted Admiral Noman Bashir, who visited China four times last year.

Pakistan also hopes to buy bigger ships with more firepower from China, such as 4,000 ton class frigates.
Pakistan has proposed to develop strategic maritime cooperation with China in both military and commercial sects, such as in fishery, economic development zones, and cargo, he said.

“The friendship between China and Pakistan is greater than the Himalayas and deeper than the Ocean. We already made progress in air force and other areas, now we should further and expand the cooperation in Navy, a broadly-based relation.”

Pakistan’s strategic geographical location in the Arabian Sea and its long coastline mean its possible contribution to the missions of China’s navy, particularly under the context of energy need from the Persian Gulf, said Pakistan officials.

Pakistan also has rich experiences in countering illegal activities at sea in order to maintain maritime security, four ships participated in anti-piracy operations, and there has been no act of maritime terrorism in its region in the recent past.
“We can provide facilities, ports, logistics, maintenance among other things (to Chinese navy),” said a Pakistan navy official.

Pakistan hopes to buy more ships from China, UK and France according to its development plan.

Tags: China Pakistan Navy Noman BashirFrigate Air forceArabian Sea