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The Pakistan Navy's high professional standards and qualitative edge make it a much more potent threat to the Indian Navy than it is usually given credit for. Under the BROWN Amendment, Pakistan is receiving the additional Harpoon missiles and the 3 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that Pakistan had paid for but had been stopped under the Pressler Amendment.
REVISED FIRS POWER:
The Pakistan Navy has offset the cost of new electronics by transferring weapons from decommissioned destroyers. The RN's Exocet systems were removed before the ships were transferred, and are being replaced with Harpoon Block IC missiles. These have longer range (124km) and greater capability, including a capacity for indirect attack and re-acquiring targets. The missiles are from the Gearings, as is the Phalanx Mk15 close-in weapon system (CIWS), which replaces Seacat. The ships will be equipped with the Mk36 SRBOC (super rapid bloom, offboard, countermeasures) decoy launcher, which has a wider range of munitions than the Corvus.
The most interesting of the weapons is the newly acquired Bofors Underwater Systems Tp45 (formerly known as Tp43X2) lightweight torpedo. These are wire- guided, electrically powered weapons optimised for use against quiet submarines in shallow water. The 50kg warhead has both impact and proximity fuzes. The use of wire-guided weapons is surprising as it restricts ship performance in open water. Quadruple-launchers will be installed on four of the six ships, but may not replace STWS-1 in the two non-modernised ships, possibly Badr and Shahjahan.
The installation of Phalanx and SRBOC underlines Pakistan's concerns about a major weakness of this class: its poor air-defence capability, which has been aggravated by the removal of Seacat. When acquired, the frigates had two, or four, Mk7A 20mm Oerlikon mountings of Second World War vintage, and there were reports that two twin 30mm Royal Ordnance GCM-AO3 and two single 20mm RO GAM-BO1 would be fitted. Industrial sources now say that Pakistan has ordered the MSI Defence DS30B mount with a single 30mm Oerlikon KCB, although the company refuses to comment.
DEFENSIVE ROLE:
According to industry sources, only three sets of the DS30B will be fitted in those ships with the new Najir directors. It seems likely that, on deployment, the frigates will carry a party of marines with man-portable surface-to-air systems (such as Stinger) but MSI does offer the SIGMA gun/missile combination, which is compatible with Stinger. The same limitations which prevented the British installing Seawolf seem likely to prevent replacement of the surface-to- air missile system.
The Tariq class has a defensive role which reaches a little beyond the narrow continental shelf, and there is equal emphasis upon the anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and ASW tasks. Given Pakistan's dependence on maritime oil deliveries, and the threat posed by India's force of eight Kilo class and four Type 209/1400 diesel-electric submarines, the ASW role is understandable.
The ASuW role must be viewed in light of Pakistan's recent naval experience: in December 1971, Indian fast attack craft attacked Karachi with SS-N-2 Styx missiles, causing great damage and sinking the destroyer Khaibar, the minesweeper Muhafiz, and several merchant ships.
The Tariq class is subject to a modular upgrade in which all ships receive new radars and EW systems, but command/weapon control, sonar, ASW and gun-system upgrades will vary from ship to ship. It is unclear which ships will receive which equipment, and no programme start dates have been revealed.
Britain's Devonport Management Limited recently received a US$530,000 contract from CelsiusTech to assist in integrating the command system, which suggests the programme will begin later this year. Curiously, industrial sources say that Pakistan may issue a consultancy contract to foreign firms about the future roles of these ships.
Nevertheless, by a judicious mix of new acquisitions and recycling of existing equipment, the Pakistan Navy has adopted a cost-effective solution to extend the Tariq class frigates' operational life well into the next century.
SUBMARINES:
The PN currently operates 6 submarines. 2 AGOSTA
Class boats, which are newer, quieter and generally pack a greater
punch than the 4 older DAPHNE class. Interestingly, the DAPHNEs are
still quieter than most of the INDIAN subs --- old Russian KILOs and
FOXTROT class boats.
All of our submarines (and some frigates) are fitted
with the proven HARPOON (RGM-84) anti-ship missile. It has an
effective range of about 100 KM. One missile can cripple a frigate
and two can DISABLE the small Indian Carriers. It is a VERY SMART
weapon, with on-board computers guiding it towards the target. As
compared to the Russian missiles, it is very difficult to 'fool' it
by using electronic countermeasures. The major target of our Harpoon-armed boats shoud be
IN's two aircraft carriers. Early in the battle, this devastating
move would break the backbone of the IN. After sinking 'em, our subs
should hunt down their Indian counterparts. Which should not be too
difficult, given the noisy SOUND SIGNATURE of the Russian made boats
and our SONAR's ( SOund NAvigation and Ranging) qualitative
edge. In 1965, Pakistan had 1 submarine, PNS Ghazi, while
India had none. That boat instilled such a fear in the heart of the
IN that it stayed in port throughout the War. The PN also operated 3 Midget Submarines
SX404.
Currently, Pakistan has 4 ATLANTICS armed with depth charges and sonobouys + 5 F-27 Fokkers, 6 SEAKINGS, 4 ALOUETTE III, 2 LYNX (+), 2 DEFENDERS. 3 P-3C ORIONS being delivered under the Brown amendment.
Pakistan also has a squadron of MIRAGE IIIs, armed with EXOCET anti-ship missiles dedicated to Naval missions.
