Hmmm I guess pakistan must have gifted a submarine to taliban/ Al-qaeda as a part of surrender agreement they signed with them recently.

Relax.

Two P-3C Orion aircraft ‘re-activated’. 🙂

Pak Navy to continue playing an active role in the global war on terrorism: Naval Chief

http://paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?154010

KARACHI:Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir has reaffirmed Pakistan Navy;s commitment to the maritime component of operation ‘Enduring Freedom’ and has reiterated its pledge to continue playing an active role in the global war on terrorism.

He was addressing the roll out and first test flight ceremony of P3C Orion aircraft held at Naval Aviation Base PNS Mehran this morning.

Admiral Tahir further said that there is an urgent need to deny the use of sea routes for the acts of terrorism.

He said that illegal activities like arms smuggling, proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and drug and human trafficking must be deterred and neutralized to make the world a peaceful and safer place to live in. Re-activated P-3Cs, he continued, would contribute significantly to this end, besides PN ships which already make an important part of Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan.

Chief of the Naval Staff extended his gratitude to the U.S government for its generous support in re-activation and operationalization of the aircraft. He also commended all engineers and technicians whose dedicated efforts and commitment made the aircraft operational and fly today. He termed this roll out the first step in the process of developing a full fledged P3C capability based on acquisition and modernization of 9 aircraft and hoped that it will bring a major transformation in naval air arm in terms of assets and capability.

Earlier, in his welcome address Commander Pakistan Fleet Rear Admiral Asaf Humayun gave details of the re-activation programme of P3C Orion aircraft.

Later, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir formally performed the roll out of PC 82. The ceremony was attended by US Consulate General at Karachi, senior naval officers, naval aviators and officials of Lockheed Martin and OGMA.

P-3 C aircraft were manufactured in 1990 at Lockheed’s plant in California. The aircraft last flew at PNS Mehran during 1999. With the overhaul of both the aircraft becoming due, they were grounded for a period of 5 years. Later a contract to re-activate 2 P3C grounded aircraft was signed between Lockheed and US Navy in January 2005 and maintenance work on both the aircraft was undertaken concurrently by Lockheed and PN personnel and technicians from OGMA.

P-3 C Orion is a four engine, highly maneuverable, all weather aircraft primarily designed for reconnaissance, anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel operations. It is 116 feet long and has a maximum speed of 410 kts. It is one of the fastest turbo prop aircraft and most widely used LRMP in the world. Distinguished features of Orion are longer endurance, multiple role capability, variety of integrated sensors and above all capacity to carry wide array of anti surface and subsurface weapons like Harpoon, torpedos, depth charges, mines and rockets. By virtue of its extraordinary weapon carrying capability, P-3 C is known as “Airborne Destroyer”.

Cool pic! Funny colour for the AH-1. PAs are usually lighter green, not grey. Is this a surplus US model?

The PA AH-1 camo has always been as shown in that picture. I have never seen a lighter green PA AH-1. :confused:

MRTP-33

THE 33 METRE Fast Patrol / Attack Craft
The advanced composite ONUK MRTP®33 Fast Patrol / Attack Craft is the extended and improved version of the 90 tonne ONUK MRTP®29 (“KAAN 29” Class) of the Turkish Coast Guard. ONUK MRTP®33 is developed as a versatile multi role platform for the increasingly tough requirements of the naval and law enforcement forces to control the littoral and the coastal waters.
Internally, the advanced machinery systems and arrangement result in a vessel with greatly enhanced operability, maintainability and accommodation standards.

PRIMARY ROLES
Mastery of the littoral can not be presumed. It does not derive directly from command of the high seas. It is an objective which requires our focused skills and resources. ONUK MRTP®33 “Fast Patrol / Attack Craft” has been designed for this purpose, capable of carrying out a wide range of littoral and coastal water law enforcement-naval duties and open sea rescue, including:
Patrol / Escort / Fast attack
Search and rescue
Anti smuggling
Pollution control
Anti terrorist protection of the coastal and offshore installations
Surveillance / Covert surveillance
Seal insertion-extraction

BACKGROUND:
As of January 2004, 9 units of the “KAAN 29” Class boats (31,70m, 45+ knots) under DNV classification (HSLC Patrol R2) are operational. Boat number 10 of 90 tonne was constructed as the first ONUK MRTP®33 (35,60m, 120 tonne, 47+ knots) as continuation of the project others are under construction at the shipyard.

The new member of the MRTP® (Multi Role Tactical Platform) family of boats, a concept created and developed by Kaan N.Z. Onuk; has improved sea keeping, highly stealthy characteristics, and is able to carry larger mission equipment/payload such as combined 30mm gun and short range SSM stabilized launcher, surface-to-surface medium range F&F fiber guided missiles, EO fire control systems and decoys.

PERFORMANCE:
Speed and seakeeping:
The ONUK MRTP®33 has been developed for a tough professional use with excellent performance qualities at both low and high speeds and strong emphasis on seakeeping. The ONUK OE-01 deep V hull, depending on engine selection and boat configuration, will enable the boat to reach speeds up to 64 knots in calm waters and up to 40 knots in Sea State 4. ONUK MRTP®33 has a soft and dry ride in adverse conditions, offering, thus, an outstanding platform for the various tasks in the brown waters and the open sea.

The MJP water jet drive system provides extreme maneuverability with high precision control and a very shallow draught, enhancing the operation in confined waters or intercepting/boarding larger ships in rough seas.

Stability: Intact-Damaged:
Commercial and Turkish / NATO naval standards have been applied to the ONUK MRTP®33 for the intact and damaged stability. ONUK MRTP®33 meets the DNV standards as well as Turkish Navy and NATO criteria for damaged stability and will remain afloat and upright with flooding in any single main compartment.

CONSTRUCTION AND COMPONENTS:
ONUK MRTP®33 is built in advanced composites to satisfy the very tough requirements of an intensive professional use together with a long service life. The benefits of the advanced composite structure are:

WEIGHT REDUCTION
* Improved Performance
* Increased Payload
* Fuel Savings

CORROSION RESISTANCE
*Longer service life
* Maintenance savings

IMPROVED
* Threat avoidance/detection
* Ballistic protection

REDUCED SIGNATURES
* Machinery vibration/acoustic
* Magnetic signature
* Heat signature

The hull and superstructure are constructed to Det Norske Veritas (DNV) HSLC Patrol R2 classification. All boats of the series are delivered with the relevant DNV Certificates.

The helm station and the interiors have been designed in line with the SAE recommendations for ergonomics to provide the crew with maximum comfort and minimum fatigue in prolonged use in heavy seas.

Machinery and propulsion
The CODAG high-speed propulsion system consists of two MTU 16V2000M90 diesels and a Honeywell TF50 gas turbine; all driving through MJP water jets. The diesels will allow 28 knots patrol speed, while the gas turbine will enable the boat to reach it’s maximum speed. CODOG and all diesel propulsion systems are available on request. Depending on the mission and speed requirements, the ONUK MRTP®33 can be equipped with different components for optimum operational efficiency/price ratio.

The mechanical components are selected with the intensive professional use in mind. They offer a high level of reliability, despite the extreme performance requirements.

MISSION MODULES
ONUK MRTP®33 can be equipped with various mission modules depending on the customer requirements. Despite the size of the platform, these modules have been integrated with the modularity and reconfigurability objectives in mind. Thus, the platform can be reconfigured with different mission modules, increasing dramatically the operational flexibility and reducing the costs. The mission modules would be:
Multi weapon mounts.
– Stabilized naval turret with up to 30 mm. gun
(+ short range SSM).
– Medium range SSM (Total weights up to 5 tons).
– Short range SAM.
– 2 x 12.7 mm. heavy MG.
Multi sensor surveillance unit
(EOD with capabilty of controlling the main gun).
Search and rescue equipment
Decoys
SOF (Special Operation Forces) support/SDV (Seal Delivery Vehicle)
Pollution control
http://www.yonca-onuk.com/mrtp_33.htm

Updated MiGs not flying high for IAF
Rajat Pandit
[ 10 Sep, 2006 0049hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

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NEW DELHI: If you thought only the older MiG-21 variants were a headache for IAF, think again. Even the upgraded MiG-21s, called ‘Bisons’, are proving a nightmare for pilots.

At any given time, only one-third of the 113 MiG-21 Bisons inducted into IAF so far are fully operational to undertake combat missions. “The rest are usually grounded for lack of spares, maintenance and overhauling,” say sources.

“The serviceability of Bisons, which IAF will fly till 2020, is as low as 33%. Since the rest cannot be certified to be 100% airworthy, they are now usually not flown to avoid crashes,” they add. Incidentally, three Bisons have already crashed since their induction began in 2001-2002.

IAF would “officially” like to contest the 33% figure. It claims the Bison serviceability has now improved to “around 55-60%” . But even this means almost half the Bison fleet is grounded at all times.

This has serious implications for IAF at a time when Pakistan is on course to acquire more American F-16s and JF-17 ‘Thunder’ jets jointly developed with China, which itself is expanding its air force at a very rapid clip.

As reported first by TOI, IAF has also complained to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd about the air-unworthiness and tardy serviceability of the around 90 Jaguar deep-penetration strike fighters it has. Similar problems are being faced by the over 100 MiG-27MLs in the fleet.

To top it all, as also reported by TOI earlier, IAF is facing a steady depletion in number of fighter squadrons (each has 12 to 18 jets), which is likely to touch an all-time low of 28 next year from a high of 39.5 two decades ago.

The IAF says “various contracts” have been signed to improve “the spares situation and serviceability” of Bisons. “Supplies have already commenced. In addition, HAL has signed long-term repair agreements with various vendors,” said the IAF spokesperson.

“Repair and overhaul facilities for Russian spares are also being set up at HAL. Lab facilities in all air-bases have been set up for better reliability of the systems. To improve the MTBF (mean-time between failure) of various systems, design deficiencies are being resolved,” he added.

Things have come to such a pass since the indigenous ‘Tejas’ Light Combat Aircraft, which was to replace MiG-21s, is still nowhere near becoming operational.

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

Pakistan’s Armed Forces Day was marked on Wednesday at a reception at the Pakistani Embassy in Ankara.

Turkey’s top military officials including Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt, Land Forces Commander Gen. İlker Başbuğ, Naval Forces Commander Adm. Yener Karahanoğlu, Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Cömert and Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Ergin Saygun attended the reception. Military attachés from many of the embassies in Ankara were also present.

In an address to the crowd Gen. Büyükanıt said: �Pakistan is a brother country to us, which means even more than friendship. The most important friendships are the ones between the people. There is friendship between the Turkish and Pakistani people in a real sense.