Pakistan Navy seeks approval to purchase Chinese submarines

Pakistan's Defence Ministry has asked the federal cabinet to approve the purchase of conventional Chinese submarines to counter "emerging threats" that the country faces, according to a media report on Wednesday.

The acquisition of the Chinese vessels will pave the way for joint development of conventional submarines, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted unnamed officials as saying.

The Defence Ministry informed members of the cabinet that the Pakistan Navy is facing a "critical force imbalance" in terms of the number of submarines and ships in its fleet.

The "capability gap is widening exponentially with the passage of time", the report said.

In view of "urgent naval requirements ", the issue of acquiring Chinese submarines was part of the talking points for President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to China in 2009.

The matter was also discussed during the Chinese premier's visit to Pakistan in 2010, the report said.

The cabinet has been told that Naval Headquarters had pursued the purchase of submarines with Chinese authorities.

A "mutually agreed draft protocol" is to be signed between the Pakistan Navy and the relevant Chinese department as a first step towards the joint development of conventional submarines.

Pak Navy in process to purchase Chinese submarines

Islamabad: Pakistan's Defence Ministry has asked the federal cabinet to approve the purchase of conventional Chinese submarines to counter "emerging threats" that the country faces, according to a media report Wednesday. 

The acquisition of the Chinese vessels will pave the way for joint development of conventional submarines, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted unnamed officials as saying. 

The Defence Ministry informed members of the cabinet that the Pakistan Navy is facing a "critical force imbalance" in terms of the number of submarines and ships in its fleet. 

The "capability gap is widening exponentially with the passage of time", the report said.

In view of "urgent naval requirements", the issue of acquiring Chinese submarines was part of the talking points for President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to China in 2009. 

The matter was also discussed during the Chinese premier's visit to Pakistan in 2010, the report said.

The cabinet has been told that Naval Headquarters had pursued the purchase of submarines with Chinese authorities. 

A "mutually agreed draft protocol" is to be signed between the Pakistan Navy and the relevant Chinese department as a first step towards the joint development of conventional submarines. 

Top-Level Talks Focus on US-Pakistani Operations

Oman: Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the top commanders reasonable for carrying out the Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy met here today with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to discuss regional security issues and explore new ways to better coordinate military operations.

In addition to Mullen, Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of U.S. Central Command; Navy Adm. Eric Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command; and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, participated in the day-long session.

“I was very grateful for General Kayani's time and the opportunity to continue the dialog and the relationship at this very critical time in our shared efforts,” Mullen told reporters after the session.

A military officer familiar with the high-level proceedings –- the third of their kind to date -- called them “very candid and cordial, and very productive.”

Both delegations gave operational updates, discussing the need for more road-building and other infrastructure development and greater cross-border communication and information-sharing.

“The chairman believes this kind of dialog is vital to improving coordination and communications between our two militaries,” the official said.

Mullen believes the Pakistani military “continues to do a remarkable job battling extremists inside their borders,” he said.

Today’s meeting had been in the planning process for months and was not tied to recent developments or current events in the Middle East, the official emphasized. It occurred during Mullen’s week-long trip through the region, which although long-planned, has changed in nature in light of widespread unrest in the region.

Kayani, in a statement released by the Pakistani military, said he was “pleased to have the opportunity to discuss with American officers the progress we have made fighting extremists in our country and to offer them my thoughts about how our two sides might better cooperate.”

“Pakistan’s soldiers have fought bravely and accomplished much at great cost,” Kayani said. “We must honor those sacrifices by making sure our military operations are understood.”

Pakistani Maj. Gen. Javed Iqbal, director general of military operations, and Brigadier Muhammad Saeed accompanied Kayani to the session.

Mid-ocean rendezvous with an old friend for HMS Cornwall

WHAT does 21 plus 22 equal?

That’s right, naval firepower.

The 21 is Pakistan’s PNS Shah Jahan – formerly Type 21 frigate HMS Active – and the 22 is our very own HMS Cornwall, both keeping pirates under the knout off the Horn of Africa.

Cornwall is the flagship of Combined Task Force 151, the international naval force tackling piracy and other criminal activities in the Indian Ocean.

That task force is currently headed by Pakistan’s Cdre Aleem and his staff, and when Shah Jahan joined 151, it allowed a bit of an Anglo-Pakistani get together.

While the Shah Jahan’s Allouette helicopter ferried Cdre Aleem to the Pakistani frigate, Cornwall ship’s company enjoyed a rather more basic form of transport to take them across to the new arrival (ie sea boat).

A number of sailors from both ships ‘cross-polled’ for a glimpse of life in the respective navies, among them ET(WE) Sam Cassidy. He’s too young to have served on T21s... but he knows a man who did.

"It was amazing being in a ship that my father knew so well and that I had visited as a little boy –  the memories came flooding back,” he said.

“I’ve taken loads of photos for my dad and can’t wait to tell him all about it! And it was great to see her in such good shape and at the centre of Pakistan Navy operations.”

Active was laid down 40 years ago and served under the White Ensign, earning battle honours in the Falklands, until 1994 when she was sold to Pakistan.

Her crew were given a tour of the ship, received briefings on the current state of play in the fight against piracy and watched Cornwall’s upper deck team demonstrate how to deal with a small surface contact, while the Fighting 99’s Royal Marines boarding party worked with their Pakistani counterparts.

Apart from the meet ‘n’ greets and tours, there was an operational side to the rendezvous: as Shah Jahan has only recently joined CTF 151 this was an ideal opportunity for her key personnel to be brought up to date with activity in the region, including intelligence and situational briefs and some boarding training.

"Our links with the Pakistan Navy have always been strong,” said Cornwall’s CO Cdr David Wilkinson of the rendezvous with PNS Shah Jahan.

"It also brought back some very fond memories for those of us who were in the Royal Navy when HMS Active was still in commission under the White Ensign."

PNS Shah Jahan leads HMS Cornwall during the rendezvous. Picture: LA(Phot) Dave Jenkins