Ideas2000 - Folder

Society Military and Strategic Issues
1

Foreword
Yes i know there is an existing folder for this.
But i think a folder should be archived on this occassion.
So i have borrowed the old articles from the pervious post.

Rules:
Are very simple and please abide by them.

  1. If you paste a link don’t paste the article, unless the site you use does not archive its articles.
    The DAWN has archives so just post the link.
  2. Please give the title of the article also.
  3. Only reliable sources are to be used.
    Meaning NO REDIFF and stuff.
  4. News can be taken from any source, Indian Pakistan or non-desi.
  5. All are welcome to post.
    I would actually like to see if the Indian press has given this expo any coverage.
    So could some indian provide some articles.

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Ideas2000
Official Website: http://www.ideas2000.com.pk/

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The DAWN

Link 1:
40 states to take part in defence exhibition http://www.dawn.com/2000/10/25/top9.htm

Link 2:
New plane, radar system to be displayed http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/11/top10.htm

Link 3:
Pakistan builds Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/13/top14.htm

Link 4:
Defence equipment exhibition opens today http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/14/top11.htm

Link 5:
Ideas-2000 opens: Tarar urges cooperation with private sector http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/15/top4.htm

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The NEWS
Link 1:
Pakistan builds US-designed APC http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/nov2000-daily/13-11-2000/main/main18.htm

Link 2:
Tarar asks private sector to join defence production http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/nov2000-daily/15-11-2000/main/main2.htm

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The Business Recorder

Link 1:
14 states purchasing arms, defence equipment parts from Pakistan

  ISLAMABAD (November 15) : The United States, Britain, Canada and Germany are among the 14 countries which purchase arms and parts of defence equipment from Pakistan, an official informed here on Tuesday.
  "The other buyers of Pakistani arms and parts of defence equipment are Indonesia, Finland, Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Philippines, Bangladesh, South Korea, Burma and Sri Lanka," said the official, who wanted not to be identified.
  The official said that talks were underway with the United States, Britain, Netherlands, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore and Iran to increase the export of defence equipment to these countries.
  "Pakistanis should be proud of the fact when India was importing artillery shells during the Kargil conflict, their troops were using home made ammunition," the official remarked. "The turnover of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories has doubled from Rs 4 billion to Rs 8 billion during the past three years," he added.-Internews

http://www.brecorder.com/story/S0000/S0000/S0000105.htm

CROIRE A L’INCROYABLE

2

Nice job CM

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

14 states purchasing arms, defence equipment parts from Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (November 15) : The United States, Britain, Canada and Germany are among the 14 countries which purchase arms and parts of defence equipment from Pakistan, an official informed here on Tuesday.
“The other buyers of Pakistani arms and parts of defence equipment are Indonesia, Finland, Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Philippines, Bangladesh, South Korea, Burma and Sri Lanka,” said the official, who wanted not to be identified.
The official said that talks were underway with the United States, Britain, Netherlands, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore and Iran to increase the export of defence equipment to these countries.
“Pakistanis should be proud of the fact when India was importing artillery shells during the Kargil conflict, their troops were using home made ammunition,” the official remarked. “The turnover of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories has doubled from Rs 4 billion to Rs 8 billion during the past three years,” he added.-Internews
Copyright 2000 Internews

Pakistan meeting large portion of defence needs indigenously: President
KARACHI (November 15) : From being a country dependant on military aid from abroad, Pakistan now is in a position to meet a large portion of its defence needs indigenously.
Declaring this, President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar said here on Tuesday that Pakistan has a large defence production sector which not only has the surplus capacity to meet the needs of friendly countries, but is in a position to manufacture quality products for global defence industry companies.
Inaugurating the IDEAS-2000 the first international defence exhibition in which 100 companies are participating, including 40 foreign companies, Tarar said that the era when nations worked towards collective security through military alliances is a matter of the past.
“Nations are now seeking collaboration in the field of defence production as a means for achieving a level of mutual security and deterrence. Instead of arming for war they are arming for peace.”
The regions around Pakistan, the President stated, have had a turbulent history over the past two decades and security concerns have dominated over economic development.
Pakistan’s aim of maintaining defence forces is three-fold, he said, adding, firstly to maintain an environment that is conducive for our development. “History has proved time and again that security is one of the essential pre-requisites to economic and social prosperity.”
Secondly, for many years, our defence establishments have and continue to assist friendly countries to improve their defence capabilities through training missions and by providing them extensive facilities that we possess within Pakistan.
Thirdly, he added, Pakistan’s defence capability has always been at the disposal of the United Nations for countering illegitimate use of force.
Honouring our commitment to promote peace and stability around the globe, he said, Pakistan has been actively assisting the UN peacekeeping efforts since 1960.
Tarar said that he could say with pride that Pakistan Armed Forces have successfully performed UN peace keeping operations in some of the world’s most turbulent areas. In Somalia alone, Pakistan was the largest contributor to UN peace-keeping operations with over 7,000 troops and the third largest contributor in Bosnia.
“While our efforts towards being self-reliant in the defence field continue. We are conscious of the fact that neither the state- owned defence industries can alone meet the highly complex requirements of national defence, nor can Pakistan meet all its requirements from within.”
Consequently, Tarar said, he expected the private sector to actively participate in developing our defence manufacturing sector.
He extended an invitation to defence companies from abroad to enter into collaboration with our public and private sector industries to meet our defence requirements in selective fields.
IDEAS-2000, the President said, provides this platform for identifying areas of collaboration and investment in the defence related sector.
He assured the private and foreign sector that Pakistan is making its best efforts towards creating a highly congenial environment for collaboration and investment in the defence field.
Tarar thanked the countries who have encouraged their defence industries and firms to co-operate with Pakistan and take part in the exhibition, and added, “We regard these countries as friendly, sharing the burden of deterrence with us.”
Thanking the members of foreign delegations and representatives of the firms for attending IDEAS-2000 and greatly contributing towards its success, he hoped that they would find their participation rewarding.
He congratulated the organisers, Pegasus Consultancy (Pvt) Ltd and their team for this bold initiative to successfully undertake such a big and new venture and also like to acknowledge the role played by the Exhibitions and Export Promotion Directorate of Joint Staff Headquarters in co-ordinating the entire events of IDEAS-2000.
He announced that IDEAS-2000 would be a regular feature and expressed his confidence that it would promote defence collaboration and provide arms for peace.
This is for the first time, he stated, that an international defence exhibition is being held in Pakistan.
The defence exhibition symbolises Pakistan’s efforts towards making our defence sector industries more commercial-oriented, entering the export market and collaborating with foreign companies of friendly countries in meeting our requirements of defence, he added.-APP
Copyright 2000 APP (Published under arrangement with Associated Press of Pakistan)

3

Nice job buddy boy!

Article from the BBC -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1023000/1023014.stm

Pakistan seeks arms sales boost

Pakistan exports weapons worth $30m

By Susannah Price in Karachi

ne of the Asia’s biggest arms exhibitions has opened in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi.

The Ideas 2000 show is intended to launch the country into the arms export market.

More than 40 foreign delegations are due to attend the four-day show, where Pakistan will showcase some of its weapons.

Years of sanctions, under previous military regimes, have made Pakistan largely self-reliant in weapons and now it wants to use this to earn some revenue.

Confidence

At the Pakistan Ordnance Factories Complex, thousands of people produce a huge variety of weapons from the smallest bullets to aircraft bombs.

Assault rifles produced here are one of the army’s most effective weapons and one they believe will be popular abroad.

At the aeronautical complex at Kamra, the ageing fleet of mirage aircraft are overhauled and upgraded. And engineers believe they could carry out the service for other countries.

Military experts say the factories are seriously under-utilised and could double their production if exports pick up.

Pakistan already sells a modest $30m worth of weapons abroad a year but wants to expand this.

Organisers of Ideas 2000 say there is a lot of potential in artillery and ammunition markets, and the exhibition is aimed at tapping this market.

Motivating factors

But Rifaat Hussain, head of the defence and strategic studies department at Qaid-e-Azam University, believes there are several motivating factors for the exhibition.

“Primarily there is an economic motivation, we would like to make extra money from quality,” he says. “Then the whole question of demonstrating capability and sovereignty because we have large indigenous production base and we would like to go for niche production in export market.”

But some see the factories as a major drain on resources.

They say even a dramatic rise in exports would only cover a fraction of the defence budget, and want the government to focus on health, education and other social services.

“In a country where the majority of children don’t have schools to go to, it’s a shame to spend so much on defence,” says physics professor Pervez Hoodbahi.

Others see the armaments factories as a necessity to maintain the country’s defences. And the authorities believe their products will be in great demand in international markets due to their competitive prices.

The show in Karachi will be an indication of how realistic these hopes really are.

4

From CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2000/ASIANOW/south/11/14/pakistan.arms.reut/index.html

Pakistan opens arms show to boost exports

November 15, 2000

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistan’s President Rafiq Tarar opened a four-day arms show in the port city of Karachi on Tuesday, saying the country’s defense industry was ready to grab a larger slice of the global arms export market.

Tarar said the country was now in a position to meet a large portion of its defense needs indigenously and was also ready to boost exports.

“Pakistan has a large defense production sector which not only has surplus capacity to meet the needs of friendly countries, but is also in a position to manufacture quality products for the global defense industry,” he said.

Tarar said Pakistan developed a defense industry because of a turbulent history over the past two decades, referring indirectly to the hostilities with arch-rival India and raging civil war in neighboring Afghanistan.

“Our defense capability is aimed at ensuring minimum level of security to maintain an environment that is conducive for our development,” he said.

Tarar said the exhibition would provide a platform to the global defense industry to invest in Pakistan.

“I would like to assure the private and foreign sector that we are making our best efforts towards creating a congenial environment for collaboration and investment in the defense field,” he said.

Pakistan’ annual arms exports are just $50 million, but the organizers hope that the show – dubbed IDEAS 2000 – will enable the country to carve a place in the medium-technology arms market.

The show, which began at the country’s biggest export center, Karachi, will be held every two years.

Pakistan’s latest surface-to-surface nuclear-capable Ghauri and Shaheen missiles were on display at the show, as was the Al-Khalid tank – equipped with 125 mm smooth bore gun, auto-tracking system and thermal imaging – which the country has recently started producing with the help of China and Ukraine.

The show has brought together 45 state and private Pakistani companies in the arms and defence-related equipment sectors.

Delegates from more than 40 countries are also attending the show, including firms from China, Ukraine and Turkey displaying their products.

5

great articles u guys!! very informative. Are any pics of the show available??

6

[quote]
Originally posted by hk:
great articles u guys!! very informative. Are any pics of the show available??
[/quote]

Yeh!! i need to see the pics!!!

7

New Rule
5. If you post here you have to have an article.

CROIRE A L'INCROYABLE

8

Mushshak plane, radar launched at IDEAS-2000 Exhibition : http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/16/top2.htm

People be allowed to arms show, says CE : http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/16/top14.htm

HK and Dr. Who,

I don’t think that pictures of the exhibition are loaded yet, as it’s not ’over’ in Pak - perhaps in some weeks. And yeah I want to see those pictures, and if I were in Pak, I’d definitely cross my fingers for an ok from the related personnel to let us see it live.

9

[quote]
Originally posted by CM:
***New Rule*
5. If you post here you have to have an article.

**
[/quote]

Oh yaar thora rahem!!!

10

Dawn

Link 1:
People be allowed to arms show, says CE http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/16/top14.htm

Link 2:
Al-Khalid’s mass production soon: Sanctions not to hit defence, says CE http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/16/top1.htm

Link 3:
Mushshak plane, radar launched at IDEAS-2000 Exhibition http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/16/top2.htm

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The News

Link 1:
US sanctions not to hurt arms exports, production: CE http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2000-daily/16-11-2000/main/main1.htm

Link 2:
Pakistan negotiating export of Super Mushshak to ME countries: Mushaf http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2000-daily/16-11-2000/main/main2.htm

CROIRE A L’INCROYABLE

11

Oh yeah, rule 5 is deleted.
Ignore it.

CROIRE A L'INCROYABLE

12

Yea, Our boys in green kickin' ass, the amount of indigenous production increasing,
such as Al Zarrar, Al Khalid tanks M113A2 armoured personell carriers, small arms such as G3A2 rifle, MP5 sub machine gun, 12.7 sniper rifle, all kinds of grenades and machine guns, as well as Agosta 90B and the Super Seven, and Shaheen and Gauri missiles.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD

13

The News:

Saudi Arabia to buy 40 Mushshak trainer aircraft.
http://jang-group.com/thenews/nov2000-daily/17-11-2000/metro/k1.htm

14

As always this time also the news article reported by BBC about this exhibition is actually a critisim.

Surprisingly CNN didn't had any critisim about the exhibition.

15

http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/17/top1.htm

IDEAS-2000: Saudi Arabia, Malaysia interested in Agosta

By Shamim-ur-Rahman

KARACHI, Nov 16: Saudi Arabia and Malaysia have expressed interest in Pakistan’s expertise for building the French-designed Agosta 90-B submarines and explored the possibilities for striking a deal in this regard.

This was stated by the naval chief, Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza while briefing newsmen on navy’s efforts for self-reliance at the media centre of IDEAS 2000 defence exhibition on Thursday.

“We have been successful in the sale of midgets and we are also exploring the possibility of selling Agosta 90-B submarines to a regional country,” he said.

Admiral Mirza added that Saudi Arabia and Malaysia were interested in the product. Qatar was also a buyer of Pakistan-built midgets, he said.

Delegation of these countries visited the surface ships and submarine rebuild and manufacturing facilities at the naval dockyard.

He said that any tri-lateral deal with regard to Agosta 90-B would not only boost Pakistan’s image and credibility in international market, but also help in earning sizable foreign exchange, required for future development programmes of the services.

A deal in this regard would also result in considerable savings for the prospective buyers, he added.

Admiral Mirza said the navy was looking for regional and other markets for its products.

He said that the second Agosta, now being built at the dockyard, would be delivered in 2002 and the third would be commissioned in 2004. Over 750 people were working on the project. Of them 500 had been trained in France, he added.

As the production gathers momentum, “we will certainly go for deletions for producing spare parts, which will enable us to reduce dependence on others”, the admiral said.

He said Pakistan believed in transfer of technology and told a questioner that we have paid for all the assistance on transfer of technology to France, which figured out at $1 billion and with mark-up came at $1.4 billion. It included expenses incurred on setting up of workshops and upgradation of the shipyard.

Pakistan’s public sector defence companies and overhaul rebuild capabilities were engaged in a wide-range of activities that could be utilized by friendly nations, he said.

Mr Mirza maintained that owing to the prevailing regional environment the outlay on defence was high and the expenditure could be off set by commercializing the defence industry and other allied sectors like training and repair/maintenance facilities.

The navy, he said, had gone in a big way for indigenization in shipbuilding with Chinese assistance. He said those countries, who were using similar type of vessels, could also benefit from Pakistan’s expertise for training of its personnel besides repair and maintenance of the vessels.

Replying to a question about grounding of French-built P-3 Orion reconnaissance plane, the naval chief said those were being conserved for use in emergency. He added that because of the international sanctions in 1998 there were some difficulties with regard to its spares. Therefore, it was decided to conserve our energy.

“But if needed we can fly the plane,” he said.

The French authorities had come under pressure from the European Union, after 1998, but that was a temporary phase which was over and “we have the best of relationship”, the admiral said

Responding to a question with regard to the possibility of Karachi’s blockade by India the naval chief said, “we can give you assurance this situation will not arise and there is no possibility of Karachi’s blockade.”

He said as Pakistan could not compare ship-to-ship or man-to-man with India, the strategy, based on “selective deterrence”, had given a definite edge to it in selected areas.

Admiral Mirza said, Pakistan had acquired superior submarine technology, like Agosta class submarines besides ships and petrol boats, and was able to manufacture spare parts from its own expertise and those based on transfer of technology.

16

WOW!!!

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/eek.gif

This is really exciting to hear, US and UK buying from Pakistan? Damn! Now we are getting some where. Great to hear good news.

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

V~V~VHe came, He saw, He conqueredV~V~V**

----*Priest-OF- Painful Truth*----

17

Dawn

Link 1:
IDEAS-2000 ends with aerobatics show http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/18/top1.htm

Link 2:
Defence show opens for public http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/18/top2.htm

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The News

Link 1:
Thrilling fire display climaxes IDEAS-2000 http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/nov2000-daily/18-11-2000/main/main4.htm

CROIRE A L’INCROYABLE

18

http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/18/top1.htm IDEAS-2000 ends with aerobatics show

SONMIANI (Balochistan), Nov 17: The four-day international defence exhibition ended here with an impressive aerobatics show at the Pakistan Air Force tactical range here on Friday.

“It was a joint venture of army and air-force in which tanks and fighter planes and Super Mushshak trainers participated,” an official told AFP.

He said the Al-Khalid and Al-Zarar tanks, built with Chinese assistance, fired at designated targets and proved to be the main attraction.

Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are among several countries to have shown interest in buying arms from Pakistan, officials told the French news agency.

“Saudi Arabia is interested in the Mushshak trainer aircraft and Malaysia is keen on anti-tank missile systems and the Agosta submarines,” said Maj-Gen Ali Hamid, chief coordinator of the show.

The exhibition, the first of its kind in Pakistan, was attended by defence chiefs and ministers from some 40 countries, it said.

APP adds: The aerobatics, air-to-ground, ground-to-ground and ground-to-air fire display impressed the foreign dignitaries.

Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf was the chief guest on the occasion.

Foreign delegates, diplomats, and experts commended the achievements made by Pakistan in the field of defence production.

The joint display started at 10am with the two 35-year-old F-6 planes, presenting salute to the participants at Sonminani.

The indigenously-developed ‘Super Mushshak’ plane presented dazzling aerobatics, which was followed by the Karakoram-8, advanced trainer aircraft, presenting a very high rate of rolls of 300 degree a second.

A single Mirage aircraft passed through with a supersonic speed creating an impression as if a bomb had exploded with a bang.

The commentator announced that Pakistan was carrying out modifications and overhauls of engines, airframe and avionics of the aircraft at PAC Kamra.

It followed the firing demonstration by the indigenously-developed T-59M-II (Al-Zarrar), which is ranked among the most modern tanks.

The trawler anti-mine’s (TAM) demonstration registered complete success when it minutely exploded two anti-tank mines.

The firing of ANZA (locally-developed ground-to-air missile system) was also demonstrated.

Another battle tank T-85 (Al-Khalid) also pounded a number of shells on the targets hidden behind a thick wall of the bushes.

The “Baktar Shikan” (ground-to-ground missile), used for destroying the thick-walled rolling stock besides tanks and other machinery, was also demonstrated.

The last round of the aerial display and firing demonstration comprised over the pounding of high and medium intensity bombs, shells, and firing of rounds.

The Chinese-built F-7 aircraft demonstrated strafing attack by using 30-mm guns.

A set of Mirages pounded PSD-1 type cluster bombs fitted with programmable sub-munitions which can be programmed, using a PC for random detonation between 30 seconds to 72 hours.

Formation of three Mirages delivered 500-pound bombs each against the target vehicles.

Another locally-manufactured 2,000-pound MK-84 bomb, was demonstrated by pounding it on hardened shelters and bunkers.

The fire-power demonstration concluded with three F-16 planes pounding 12 MK-82 bombs each on hardened targets in a single attempt.

Chief of the air staff, Air Chief Marshal Pervaiz Mehdi Qureshi, Naval chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza, governors of Sindh and Balochistan, federal ministers and senior officials from the three forces and civil administration were also present, besides noted scientists Dr Qadeer Khan and Dr Samar Mubarakmand.

http://www.dawn.com/2000/11/18/top2.htm Defence show opens for public

KARACHI, Nov 17: The international defence exhibition will remain open to general public on Nov 18 from 10am to 2pm. Two mobility displays will be held at 11am and 12.30pm.

However, the inside halls will not be opened since exhibitors have already moved out according to the original schedule.

On display outside the exhibition halls are Pakistan-made Mushshak and unmanned aeroplanes, Shaheen and Ghauri missiles, Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar tanks, APCs, and military vehicles.- APP

Na Hota mein, Tu Kya Hota

19

state-of-the-art equipment

20

http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/20001118/iin18042.html Pakistan rolls out its tanks, missles for sale
KAMAL SIDDIQI

KARACHI, NOVEMBER 17: It is only Pakistan’s first international defence exhibition, but it’s left the hosts and participants impressed. Thousands of visitors thronging the ``IDEAS 2000’’ defense show, being held in Karachi, have been coming away stunned with the range of locally-manufactured weapon systems and equipment on display.

Little was known of Pakistan’s military might, and the country had never put on show its full range of military might before. Now, visitors at IDEAS 2000 could see the 1,500-kilometer-range Ghauri and 600-kilometer range Shaheen missiles, which are not for sale, in firing positions. On static display was the 2,500-kilometer range Shaheen II missile.

Senior officials at Pakistan Ordnance Factories, Wah, said several delegations would be proceeding to the Pakistan Ordnance Factories after the show, including teams from Syria, Egypt, Bangladesh and Kenya. Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Qatar have expressed interest in transfer of technology from Pakistan for construction of Midget and Agosta submarines, which have been built in collaboration with Italy and France, Pakistan chief of Navy, Admiral Azim Mirza told the press.

Malaysian air chief, Air Chief Marshal Sri Ahmad Saruji, told reporters that he was greatly impressed by the arrangements. It is certainly impressive as you are holding the show for the first time,'' he said. I have found the arrangements quite excellent and I am impressed.‘’

The army gave a mobility display of Al-Khalid main battle tank (MBT) and Al-Zarrar, the upgraded T-59 MBT. Pakistan strongman General Pervez Musharraf commented that Pakistan would soon start mass production of the Al-Khalid battle tank, ``which will symbolise its capabilities in defence production.‘’

The 46-tonne three-man tank has a maximum speed of 65 kms per hour and a cruising range of 400 kilometers. Musharraf said the Al-Khalid was superior to the Arjun tank, which was rejected by the Indian Army because of its heavy weight.

The Pakistan Air Force also opened up the cockpit of its upgraded Mirage III to show off the new avionics package put in place by French firm Sagem. Also on display were the Karakoram-8 jet trainers and Super Mashshak primary trainers.

Meanwhile, senior officials of A.Q. Khan Research Laboratory said theyhad provided some 13,000 Baktar Shikan anti-tank missiles to the PakistanArmy. The Baktar Shikan missile, developed by the A Q Khan Laboratories,is replacing the American TOW missiles in the army’s inventory. The spareparts of TOW are no longer available under the Pressler Amendment. The missile, like the TOW, is wire-guided and can be fired from jeep, armoredpersonnel carrier or helicopter.

The A.Q. Khan Laboratories have also met the Pakistan Army’s requirements for the Anza Mk-1 surface-to-air missiles, said the senior officials. Now, they are producing the Anza MK-2, which the army has started inducting.

The A.Q. Khan Laboratories have also sold Pakistani-made laser range finders to several countries, including Saudi Arabia.

Similarly, the Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO) is hoping to sell body scanners to Sri Lanka and Lebanon. The non-metallic mine detector NMMD MK 3.1 detects non-metallic objects and plastic mines and, as such, is a useful tool in counter insurgency operations.

DESTO has also developed a rocket-assisted mortar bomb, called Glider, for the Pakistan Army, increasing its range from around 6,000-6,500 meters to 10,000-10,200 meters.

Apart from that, the organisation has produced several items for the Pakistan Navy. These include bombette signal star, which is used by submarines for signaling. The item in question, which was imported for Rs. 0.25 million, is now being produced by DESTO for only Rs. 14,000.

Moreover, DESTO is also making oxygen candles for the country’s submarines. The candle generates oxygen in an emergency. Officials said the product in question was being produced for only Rs. 4,000 per unit and the navy had stopped paying Rs. 45,000 for its import.

DESTO has also started production of depth charge, SEA SURGE, an anti-submrine weapon used in shallow waters. The depth charge can be dropped either from a fixed wing aircraft or a helicopter for costal defense.

DESTO is also producing tear gas shells for the Pakistan police, which were earlier imported at a cost of Rs. 400 million per annum.

The managing director of the Centre of Excellence at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, Wing Commander Changezi, asserted that his facility, boasting supercomputers, had no rival in Pakistan. ``We can produce products which no other facility can come up in Pakistan,‘’ he said.

The official showed parts of the CFM-56 engine mounted on Boeing and Airbus aircraft, which his organization which offers both integrated and flexible manufacturing, had produced. ``We can make any part of any aircraft, including the Space Shuttle,‘’ said Changezi. The Centre will soon start production of the parts of its Atar-9C engine.

Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

**Seems like everything is fine and dandy, but Changezi saab went a lill overboard there with his statement about the Space Shuttle

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

**

Na Hota mein, Tu Kya Hota