Here’s How Pakistan’s Expanding It Military Powers Despite Financial Woes

Pakistan’s military gets a huge share in the budget each year. While some may argue, their share in the budget is justified considering the hostile neighbors, including both Afghanistan and India, with added threats of terrorism in Pakistan.

According to a recently published report ‘Year Book 2017-18’ by the Ministry of Defense Production, Pakistan military is focusing on improving its prowess despite the slow economic activity in the country.

A defense analyst, Brian Cloughley told Defence News that despite nuclear capabilities, Pakistan is focusing on strengthening its conventional military force.

Pakistan is prepared for a conventional war, and it seems that the riposte is alive and being refined in direct answer to India’s overwhelming numerical superiority.

Pakistan’s currently working on:

  • Manufacturing auxiliary power units for the Al-Zarrar and T-80UD to development
  • Trials of a sabot FSDS-T round,
  • Driver’s thermal imaging/night vision periscope,
  • Upgradation of 160 Type-85IIAP main battle tanks, T-80UDs, M113-series armored personnel carriers, and Type-59 main battle tanks,

The armed forces are undertaking a number of steps for indigenous development, and substituting component imports.

In addition, engines for Al-Khalid and T-80UD tanks are being assembled, while the development of advanced Al-Khalid II tanks and low-rate production of 20 Al-Khalid I tanks are further strengthening the military’s capabilities.

Heavy Industries Taxila is also working on manufacturing a tracked infantry fighting vehicle ‘Viper’, based on the M113 series and armed with a Slovak Turra 30 unmanned turret.

Pakistan has also acquired Spanish Alcotán-100 shoulder-fired anti-tank rockets and Kornet-E anti-tank guided missiles to improve its infantry anti-tank capabilities.

Air Defense

On the defense-from-above front, Pakistan is integrating newer air-to-air missiles, acquiring Chinese CM-400AKG supersonic anti-ship missiles and modifying air-to-air refueling for the JF-17 fighters. A new deal for advanced Block III JF-17s has also been signed in May 2018.

Former PAF pilot and defense analyst, Qaiser Tufail said:

Bombs like the GB-6 K/YBS500, REK Mark 82/83/84 and H-4 will, therefore, be commonplace weapons in any future conflict.

With a prospect of increased exports, the production of JF-17 has been increased from 16 to 24 per year with improvements like retrofit of AESA radars on existing Block I and II JF-17s are likely to follow after the Block III orders.

The military is also working on manufacturing the components of a weapon named after Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) sword ‘Al-Rasub’.

The report also sheds light on Project AZM fifth-generation fighter and development of drones by the Aviation Design Institute.  According to the report, the first “conceptual design phase” cycle is complete and there will be three more cycles in the first configuration phase.

It remains to be seen whether Pakistan partners with Turkey or China to realize its 5th-gen ambitions.


Via Defense News

Head of Sports and LENS at ProPakistani.pk


    • lol if they use nukes you and everyone you love will die. no wonder they can continue to leech our money so freely. the people have no idea what this technology is capable of.

    • Why would you ever hope that they use these weapons (especially the atomic weapons) someday? I mean its confirm death and destruction for most people of the subcontinent if this were to happen.

  • This is why people don’t pay taxes. All the money goes to waste on imported weapons. If there’s a proper war with india it has to turn nuclear because we can’t sustain a conventional war for very long. Our petroleum reserves aren’t that great.

    • Mate you have a warped sense of the process of warfare. All and Sundry know that our petroleum reserves are low compared to india. But we have alternatives in place. We know how to maintain our supplies and logistics. We can fight a conventional warfare for as long as it requires. Wars are won by strategies and planning not by resources. Had resources been the only angle to win wars, Soviet Union might have came to our shores. So chill out and do not let your brain vomits affect others. Peace!

      • sustain a conventional warfare at what costs? like syria, iraq? 63 billion defense budget and worlds popular support on their side, and dirty rotten politician as well as generals all fleeing the country after serving terms shadows ur claim of distant victory to a Herculean opponent.

    • Boongian na chor…tax chor government ki waja se log tax nahi dety thy. Ab Log tax net ma aa rahy hain. We can handle war with india whether it’s for 6 days or for 6 years. We have enough resources to fulfill our needs. Stop comparing our resources to India their needs are much larger than ours and it’s not even enough for them. they gonna break apart if war take place.

      • Well wars did take place four times in 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999. And although India suffered a lot in these but it did not break apart in any these four wars. And our country suffered great losses in terms of losing almost half of its territory and people to form Bangladesh and also losing a majority part of the Jammu and Kashmir state. So lets forget about wars and aggression. We now have the ability to annihilate India if it ever attacks us and that should give us satisfaction that it won’t. Lets focus on our economic development, civil liberties, human development, education, healthcare, poverty alleviation etc. Wars between nuclear armed nations aren’t won with bombs and weapons because in that case both the nations with lose. Wars between these countries are won economically. Lets beat India there.

        • Army is doing their job other departments aren’t… And Army has been doing their job time and again aswell recent example is of earth quakes in Azad Kashmir where were rescue departments ? Why was army called to do their job ?

    • Lmao have you got any idea about Pakistans imports ? In last few decades we have achieved the ability to make things at home and even in this report it mentions it but ignorants like you just know how to blame army for your nonsense stuff… Our country is almost self sufficient when it come to defence equipment (except some big stuff)

  • Somebody should ask the army why they need expensive farmhouses all over Pakistan and why are they still build new ones when country is suffering financially. Also they should scrape the 14 year policy for retirement with benefits. Why should I spend a dime on a person who has has taken our investment for 14 years and then suddenly decide to leave so he could live in Bahria town like houses and get subsidies on all types of goods and services.

    • No disrespect intended but none of your times goes to retired people… Army has Fauji Foundation to bear those expanses mere bahi… why do you think they have a all these business running for ? So that they can take care of their retired officers…


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