Drones may ship to Pakistan ‘within a year’: Pentagon

(AFP) – 22 hours ago

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon hopes “within a year” to deliver around a dozen unarmed drone aircraft to Pakistan to aid its fight against Islamic extremism, a US senior military official said Monday.

“I would like to think that we would get them there within a year, but quantity and so forth, I think, will depend on what are the right ones, and how many make sense for the fight that they’re in,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official told reporters that while the United States is looking at sending about a dozen aircraft to Islamabad, the actual number of drone aircraft “could be more or less, depending on the need.”

“What we are trying to do is get with them to be able to articulate the requirements of what they need,” the official said.

Efforts are underway by US officials to “match the right equipment to the requirements. That’s what we are trying to work them through.”

Pakistan previously has also urged Washington to outfit its military with armed aerial vehicles like the Predator and Reaper.

US drone missile strikes against Al-Qaeda and Taliban figures in Pakistan have fueled anti-American sentiment because of civilian casualties, and drawn public condemnation from the government in Islamabad.

The United States has carried out nearly 100 attacks with unmanned drones in Pakistan since August 2008, killing more than 830 people. Figures range widely on how many civilians have been killed.

The unnamed official said Washington could supply around a dozen smaller, unarmed Shadow drones to Islamabad, to help with their surveillance and reconnaissance activities.

“We looked at Shadows, we looked at ScanEagles,” among other drones, the official said. “Shadow drones may in fact be the right platform at the end of the day.”

Shadow drones — smaller than the armed Predator and Reaper aircraft — are about 11 feet (three meters) long and have a wing-span of 14-feet (4.3 meters) with sensors and cameras feeding video images back to operators on the ground.

Pakistan’s military already has some drones of its own production which it uses for surveillance, but which are less sophisticated than those manufactured by the United States.

Last week, Pakistan’s foreign minister said the United States would improve its public standing if it let Islamabad spearhead armed drone attacks.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in Washington for high-level talks, acknowledged in a CNN interview that drone attacks by US forces against Islamic extremists on Pakistani soil have “taken out some valuable targets.”

But he said: “The issue of sovereignty is there. People of Pakistan feel strongly about it.

“We want the ownership. We make the decision when to operate,” he said. “It will help improve the feelings in Pakistan,” he said.

What does it mean when it says t hey have configured something? Is it a paper study? Feasability study? Aero model?

Is there funding behind it? resource? project team? Is it so that some one can get a paper published in a scientific journal?

Both missiles were fired. from all accounts the Dhanush having been fired from INS Subhadhra.

What were the reasons for the two tests?

Was it a quality test after the failure of the target missile in the last missile defense tests? Would make sense to do a spot check once in a while make sure the missiles are not fizzling out.

Also are all of the P51’s able to fire the Dhanush?

but you will get a better deal with the Yanks than with the Ruskies.

Could you qualify or qunatify this statement? Just want to understand why you say this.

Well if flying around is an issue why can not the Indian Army or Airforce, either one, stick the radar onto a blimp?

Put it on the borders and monitor people movement…

From what I understand of ASTOR’s capabilities i can detect people movement on the surface similar to J-STARS (? not sure if it is this acronym or another acronym).

Even though Teer is steering this down a rabit warren to get some bizarre validity to his points after all the discussion. I was waiting for a reply from him, oh well lifes too short. you guys are right whatever answer makes you feel warm and comfy.

For all those who care, hence forth let it be known Brahmos, is the bestest missile in the world and the Indian army does not need anything else because brahmos can deal with everything.

It can even be used for ballistic missile defense and is particullary useful for pillboxes with snipers who have 300km range rifles.

Again, you seem to be mixing up things here. The Brahmos is a system. Pls. stop thinking in terms of systems, start thinking of system of systems ie how various tools in the toolbox are used, and what are the information systems that flow into them. Kindly go back to my prior post about what overall plans relate to, and then think about the issue. The Brahmos by itself is not meant to deter the PRC or Pak- thats not its role. What it offers though, is very valuable. An ability, to hit heavily defended targets, on a time sensitive basis.

What is this punitive action business you are talking of? This is absolutely unrealistic stuff. Any use of Brahmos, either in the west or the north, means all out war. Period. Its not some toy that can be used against Pak but not the PRC. It can be used against either, as long as India knows and has planned for what follows thereafter! Which is a conflict.

You are mixing up so many things here, that it does not relate to how things are done on the ground!

First, India operates on the basis of regiments, battalions, brigades, divisions and corps! Each has specific systems allotted to it depending on its organizational structure and which can be used for tactical support! Then there are systems allocated to AHQ level (strategic or even corps level!) and after that there is the Strategic Forces Org which keeps command & control of N weapons! Now in your post, you mix up all these & without even understanding where what system fits in and then come to the conclusion “Brahmos is not it” – well of course Brahmos is not what you claim it to be, but nor did the Indian Army ever claim it was what you claimed it to be, either!!

For lobbing stuff back and forth@ the level of the 2nd Arty – again, thats not the job of the conventional rocket arty or the gun tubes – here again, Smerch is Corps level support, Pinaka can go down to the regimental level (and at Kargil, BM-21s were supporting platoons!). When you talk of 2nd Arty level, do understand the IA is setting up regiments for operationalizing long range strike, and these include both Brahmos & other systems (Agni et al which come under the SFC).

All in all, its very unclear as to what you are even referring to and what you envisage the 2nd Arty’s role to be in a potential conflict, and as to what you think versus what is, versus the IA setup which would reflect in how it approaches the problem. Unless you detail these questions, the debate is not really factual in any sense.

Again, what is a positive defence game? I fail to understand what you are saying here.

Again – mistaken understanding of the overall setup. This is the IA we are talking of. HAROP and HARPY were purchased by the IAF, which also has Kh-31’s and Kh-25’s and also ARMAT (which may be phased out).

And you would be very mistaken in thinking what HAROP is meant for is the same as what Brahmos offers!! HAROP is nowhere as potent as Brahmos – its meant for either low defended targets, or stationary systems such as radars and C3I which dont have the resources to take the HAROP down before it can strike!! In contrast, Brahmos is meant for those targets which can and do defend themselves but still need to be hit in a time sensitive fashion.

Unless you do some basic research in understanding who has what, and for what reason, you will not understand what these systems are meant for, and how they will be used. Buzzwords and repeating marketing is fine, but operational use another thing altogether.

Teer you seem to be confused or there seems to be some cross wires, anyway I am happy to agree to disagree.