Anyone got any idea what engine size?

Insig leave it. It’s ruining a thread and I guess it may be what Quadbike wants.

Just remember, JF-17 are doing formation bombing runs as part of a large scale Air-land-sea exercise right now. In PAF markings.

That single piece of news puts it in a very different league to many other planes still in development.

We must look west to the Indian Ocean, and opportunity

Sam Bateman and Anthony Bergin From: The Australian March 31, 2010 12:00AM Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Print Email Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Facebook Add to Kwoff Add to Myspace Add to Newsvine What are these?
THE Indian Ocean, the world’s third-largest body of water, is where key geopolitical differences might play out this century. It’s the major energy and international trade maritime highway, particularly for the booming economies of Asia.

We should be a pre-eminent country in the Indian Ocean region. Australia is the largest Indian Ocean state as measured by the extent of our maritime claims. But Australia has been treading water when it comes to advancing our interests in the Indian Ocean.

Much of the world’s trade in energy crosses the Indian Ocean. Regional wars and crises, particularly in the Gulf region, have led to a new era of external involvement. This is now reinforced by energy politics, the outbreak of piracy around the Horn of Africa, and the emergence of China as a new and powerful regional player.

A new maritime great game is emerging in the Indian Ocean, as strategic competition between India and China becomes evident. Each has fears of being contained by the other-in China’s case, because India is supported by Japan and the US. But India sees itself as potentially sandwiched between an increased Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean and its long and partly disputed land boundary with China to the north.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
CSIRO index backs WA drought theory
Perth Now, 7 days ago
Region a work in progress
The Australian, 13 Nov 2009
Rudd reassures Indians on student attacks
Adelaide Now, 12 Nov 2009
Let’s get closer, says Rudd
The Australian, 12 Nov 2009
Rudd fails to court New Delhi
The Australian, 5 Nov 2009
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Meanwhile, the US continues to dominate the Indian Ocean strategically and militarily. India promotes itself as the dominant regional power of the region. It’s obsessed by China’s entry into the Indian Ocean and is making great use of its navy to spread power and influence.

The Indian Ocean and the emerging maritime great game command more attention from Australia. Threats and risks in the Indian Ocean region include interstate or intrastate conflict, maritime terrorism, piracy, people-smuggling and illegal fishing as well as concerns like climate change, transnational crime, marine natural hazards and energy, food, and environmental security.

The Indian Ocean is part of our ocean neighbourhood, and there are significant economic, security and environmental benefits in finding common ground with our neighbours.

The greatest challenges to our protection of our offshore sovereignty and sovereign rights lie in the Indian Ocean. About one-third of our exports emanate from Western Australia, and large offshore developments under way off the west and northwest of the continent will be a key to our future prosperity.

We need to work harder on critical infrastructure protection on the west coast. The Australian Defence Force should plan to markedly increase its presence along that coast between Perth and Darwin. This should involve establishing a naval operating base in the northwest, increasing the frequency of military exercises in the region and making greater use of Air Force bare bases at Curtin and Learmonth.

As Australia seeks to increase its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean, the airfield and secure anchorages at the Cocos Islands offer large benefits. However, the ADF currently makes relatively little use of those facilities. More regular air and surface patrols should be undertaken around Cocos.

The Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation, or IORARC, is the only regional forum at present for regional co-operation, but is fairly ineffective. Australia could assist in efforts that India plans to lead to give it more purpose.

However, our principal focus should be on the development of practical co-operation and dialogue within the eastern Indian Ocean. Natural hazard mitigation, people-smuggling, (refugees may use favourable weather conditions to travel directly to Australia from South Asia, or even from Africa), humanitarian assistance and disaster relief should be the focus of our efforts to promote co-operation. Fisheries management and marine scientific research should receive greater attention as part of our region-wide efforts. Based on our sound relationship with Indonesia, we should begin an early dialogue with Jakarta on Indian Ocean matters.

At a national level, we need to improve our policy co-ordination arrangements for the Indian Ocean region. Western Australia might consider appointing a Minister for the Indian Ocean.

Australia should increase its strategic presence in the Indian Ocean region through more proactive regional relations and a wide spectrum of increased activity in the region.

To start the ball rolling, the Australian government could sponsor an Indian Ocean Conference in Perth. This would be an important building block for Australian initiatives and for actions by the region as a whole. The agenda for the conference should include energy issues, ocean management, and marine scientific research.

Australia’s policies towards the Indian Ocean have been relatively opaque and spasmodic. We should bring the Indian Ocean into the mainstream of our foreign and security policies. Australia is a three-ocean country. We have a unified policy approach for the Pacific and for the Southern Ocean. We need a Look West policy.

Sam Bateman and Anthony Bergin are the co-authors of Our Western Front: Australia and the Indian Ocean, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, to be launched today by Foreign Minister Stephen Smith

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/we-must-look-west-to-the-indian-ocean-and-opportunity/story-e6frg6zo-1225847668778

PNS KHAIBAR to join TF-151 today

ISLAMABAD: Over the years, Pakistan Navy has not only served the maritime interests of Pakistan but has also been an active participant in international coalition operations with the spirit of Maritime Security Cooperation.

Being cognizant of international concerns on the growing Piracy incidents in Gulf of Aden / Horn of Africa, Pakistan Navy, in line with the government’s directive, is participating in Counter Piracy Operations with the rest of the world navies since Jun 09, said Spokesman Pakistan Navy in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

To date, he said, three Pakistan Navy Ships have participated in Counter Piracy Operations under command of CTF-151. PNS BADR with its embarked helicopter was the first ship from the PN Fleet to participate in the said operations in Jun / Jul 2009 and thereafter PNS KHAIBAR augmented the international effort against piracy twice in Aug/Sep 09 and Jan/Feb 10.

During these deployments, he said, the ships conducted Baseline and Counter Piracy Coordinated Operations with other elements of TF 151 in Gulf of Aden. PNS KHAIBAR has again sailed for Counter Piracy Operations on 28 Mar and will join TF-151 on 31 Mar 10.

The ship will remain deployed in the area for almost two weeks, he said.

Pakistan Navy Ships’ participation in Counter Piracy Operations has been very effective and ships provided escort to numerous merchant vessels plying in Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) and ensured their safe passage through piracy infested area, he added.

Special focus is accorded to PNSC ships and ships carrying cargo from Pakistani Ports in order to support economic activity in the country, he maintained.

“Pakistan Navy is also a regular contributor of staff for CTF-151. Generally, 03 officers are attached as CTF-151 staff to perform various duties. This also reflects the trust reposed on Pakistan Navy Officers by coalition commanders for the performance of important responsibilities during critical operations”, he said.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=160758

Khaibar is an upgraded Type 21 Frigate

The largeg lass area must be great for visibility, but remember that alot of the enemy will be using 12.7mm AA guns on their tanks and troops will be using 7.62mm.

What exactly does Pakistan have IP rights for in the JF 17 ?

Firstly, lets try and articulate that sentence properly. It makes no sense.
Secondly, why on an IAF thread?

Flame grilled….

100324-N-8590G-003 MAYPORT, Fla. (March 24, 2010) Chief of Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy Adm. Noman Bashir listens to Cmdr. Scott M. Smith, commanding officer of the guided-missile frigate USS Klakring (FFG 42), during a tour of the ship. Bashir is in the United States on a ten-day visit at the invitation of the U.S. Navy. Bashir is scheduled to meet with various U.S. military and government officials to discuss opportunities for continued coordination and cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan navies. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gary Granger Jr./Released)