The govt approved the long contemplated purchase of Swedish survillance aircraft.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\05\25\story_25-5-2006_pg7_4
No. of aircraft isn’t confirmed yet but as much as a billion dollars will be spent. Apparently matters have been finalized with SAAB and Ericsson.
http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/afx/2006/05/25/afx2772274.html
Re: Swedish AWACS deal
A very practical and a long overdue step. We should have our eyes-in-the-skies on both Bharatis and Iranians.
Had we gotten these AWACS a few years ago, Bharatis would not have been able to shoot down our unarmed aircraft over Sir Creek. We lost many good men there.
Re: Swedish AWACS deal
Will there be a transfer of knowledge?
Re: Swedish AWACS deal
Salam,
If im not wrong, PAF will buy 7 SAAB aircrafts. 6 will be fitted with AEW&C system and the other one will be a trainer/simulator.
Yes, there will be a ToT (Transfer of Technology) :)
Swedish firm agrees to supply Awacs on liberal terms
ISLAMABAD (May 28 2006): Swedish defence equipment manufacturing company, Saab, has agreed to supply 'Airborne Warning and Control System' (Awacs) to Pakistan on liberal terms of 'supplier-credit' of $1 billion, and transfer of technology.
Sources in the Cabinet here told *Business Recorder *that it was necessary to acquire latest the Awacs to safeguard the country's air defence. "Efforts to acquire such a system were being made since 1997 and, after a number of trials and evaluation of different systems in the world, Pakistan Air Force finally selected the Swedish system in 2004," sources quoted Defence Ministry officials as briefing the Cabinet on last Wednesday.
They said that the system would comprise 'Saab' aircraft, mounted with Ericson computer-based software technology. They said that technical and commercial offers were evaluated and, after intense negotiations, a financial and technological package, with an attractive offset package, was agreed upon with the company.
They said that one Cabinet member asked Defence Ministry officials that the offset facilities should include training of Pakistan's software engineers.
It may be remembered that the Cabinet in its May 24 meeting had approved purchase of the latest surveillance aircraft--Awacs--for PAF from Sweden.
hxxp://businessrecorder.com/index.php?id=431079&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=
Re: Swedish AWACS deal
^^ Let's go easy on ToT.
ToT usually happens only in the tot lot (kids play ground). AWACS is pretty complicated system and it is not that easy to build one for yourself.
Defence equipment in the West carries a lot of patents. Unless Pakistan is willing to pay royalty to everyone, the ToT will remain pretty tooty phooty (broken). Royalty is usually paid on the number of units. However if you manufacture thousands of units, then the royalty goes down significantly.
However these patents are also gaurded with great care. Unless Pakistan is offering other concessions, ToT will be really basic such as know how about doing repairs.
Re: Swedish AWACS deal
Yep, you're right. It won't be a full ToT.. We wont get the reproduction rights either. i believe, they will just setup a repairing factory or something like that.. they will also train our software engineers, so we will also know the ins and outs of its software.
Re: Swedish AWACS deal
ToT usually happens only in the tot lot (kids play ground). AWACS is pretty complicated system and it is not that easy to build one for yourself.
Harder than a nuke?
The complication is in the fabrication of the components, but the principles are well understood. I don't think Pakistan has the diverse industrial base to even develop a fraction of the components, but the purpose of ToT is to build on that base.
Buying technologies outright without an iota of technology transfer is worthless. If Pakistan cannot manage to salvage their AWACS from a state of disrepair during a conflict, then the aquisiton of this system is nothing but strategic folly.
Re: Swedish AWACS deal
This is a very good start.