'We will counter India's AWACS radar with 500 US missiles': Pakistan

The Times of India ^ | 28 May, 2009 | The Times of India

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has voiced concern over the acquisition of Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft by India and said it would counter the threat by inducting 500 American Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles.

Claiming that induction of AWACS by India would trigger a new arms race in the subcontinent, Pakistan's Air chief Air Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman said Islamabad would match this capability by acquiring its own AWACS by September this year.

This, when a US Congressional report has said that Pakistan with about 60 nuclear warheads; primarily targeted towards India, is continuing production of fissile material for weapons and adding to its weapons production facilities and delivery vehicles.

The Air chief told newsmen in Risalpur that Pakistan was also procuring more US-made F-16 fighter aircraft.

Suleman was commenting on reports that India had inducted the first of its three Phalcon AWACS into the Indian Air Force.

Pakistan is proposing to buy a Swedish SAAB Ericsson AWACS, which however, have a limited range as compared to the Phalcons.

The Air Chief said PAF was supporting the military in its ongoing operations in Swat and Malakand in NWFP. "PAF had destroyed several Taliban hideouts and caches of ammunition to pave the way for rapid advance by ground forces in Swat."

Asked about whether Pakistan had capability to shoot down drones, Suleman said "definitely" and cited the shooting down of an Indian surveillance plane in 2002 near Lahore.

[MyTwoCopperCoins]

Russia Cut Out Of Indian AWACS Plans

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htecm/articles/20090527.aspx

May 27, 2009: After more than a year of delays by Russia (which was supplying the modified Il-76 aircraft), India has received its first Phalcon AWACS aircraft. The Il-76s had to have part of the airframe reinforced (to accommodate the Israeli Phalcon radar) and install more powerful engines. This system is basically an Israeli radar mounted in a Russian Il-76 transport. AWACS have proved to be a crucial element in winning air superiority, and more efficient use of air power.


India ordered three of the IL-76 AWACS, for $367 million each (radar, aircraft and other electronics) in 2004. Now India is looking for three more Phalcon AWACS, to provide better warning of nuclear missile attack from Pakistan, or China. India is open to offers from other aircraft manufacturers, as it was not happy with Russia and the Il-76. Israel uses Boeing 707s, which are no longer manufactured. But Israel will install Phalcon in a Boeing 767, or an AirBus aircraft, both of which the U.S. Air Force considered for its new aerial tanker. Russia has irked India several times with late deliveries of military equipment, as well as warranty and pricing disputes. The IL-76 delay apparently had long term negative effects on trade relations.

Phalcon uses a phased array radar (thousands of small radar transmitters are fitted underneath the aircraft). The phased array radar, in combination with the latest, most powerful computers, and other antennas for picking up a variety of signals, enables Phalcon to be more aware of what electronic equipment (airborne or on the ground) is operating up to 400 kilometers away. The phased array radar allows positions of aircraft on operator screens to be updated every 2-4 seconds, rather than every 20-40 seconds as is the case on the United States AWACS (which uses a rotating radar in a radome atop the aircraft.) The major advantage of the Phalcon is that it is a more modern design. The latest improvements enable it to spot distant ballistic missiles rising up into the air, or cruise missiles coming in low and slow. The Phalcon Il-76 AWACS can stay in the air for about 14 hours per sortie, so three would not be able to provide anything like 24/7 coverage (given the need for maintenance). Eight Phalcons could provide constant coverage, during a crises situation.

 

 

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Claiming that induction of AWACS by India would trigger a new arms race in the subcontinent, Pakistan's Air chief Air Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman said Islamabad would match this capability by acquiring its own AWACS by September this year.

Notwithstanding the fact that India's military concerns are primarily about China, Pakistan will never stop trying to match every military acquisition India makes and using our tax dollars to do it.

[rhombus]

Pakistan will never stop trying to match every military acquisition India makes and using our tax dollars to do it.

Then they should at least buy American. ;-)

[Cicero]

Obama and Gates are eager to help Pakistan acquire more weapons. And they have cut India off, just like Israel.

[cranked]

Pakistan has some serious mental issues.

Why worry over India’s acquisition of AWACs platforms when your own country is near being classed a ‘failed state’ and going up in smoke because of failed appeasement terrorists policies?

Some crazy folks running Pakistan.

[verity]

“Some crazy folks running Pakistan.”
Could be crazy folks running all the ..stans.

[Nathan Zachary]

"Some crazy folks running Pakistan."

And we are giving them crazies even more weapons.

Some crazy folks running this country as well.

[massgopguy]

Why would anyone want to nuke India?

[cranked]

Agreed.

[cranked]

Because of the age old Hindu-Muslim hatreds, as well as, Pakistan once being part of India. In other words, the hatred and animousity between the two is 1) religious and 2) historical.

[PapaBear3625]

Why worry over India’s acquisition of AWACs platforms when your own country is near being classed a ‘failed state’ and going up in smoke because of failed appeasement terrorists policies?

Islamic states are generally "failed states" unless they have a source of unearned wealth. This generally takes the form of exploitable natural resources (like oil), or by the conquest, pillage and enslavement of neighboring non-Islamic states (the historical norm). If Pakistan is going down the sewer, their logical way out is to take over India.

[Cheetahcat]

Duh lets see who would I trust India or Say Pakistan who is NOT trusted in that Area. Tough choice.

[Nathan Zachary]

"Why would anyone want to nuke India?"

The Muzzies have been trying to take over India for the past 1200 years.

And like fools, the Brits divided up India and created Pakistan hoping that would give the Muzzies their own homeland and make peace.
Instead, it just provided them a base of operations from which to build up a military offensive and launch attacks from instead of having to retreat through afghanistan back to the ME to replentish their armies and rearm, then march all the way back again on another invasion attempt.

Do we ever learn from History? Nope. Since the day Mohammad invented his Islamic war cult, Islam has launched invasion after invasion of every country in the ME and into Europe, Africa, Afghanistan and India as they had the misfortune of becoming "neighbors" to this murderous blood cult.

We should know what will happen after a "Palestinian state" is created. Unfortunately the UN has become corrupted with Mohammadans, and the USA is run by idiots who have no concept of world history that our founding fathers did.

[cranked]

Pakistan will fail, miserably, in any attempt to take over India.

[PapaBear3625]

They may not actually attempt to invade, but they will get very energetic about demanding "aid" for their failed state, as a price for "keeping a lid" on Islamists.

Sort of like how the Mafia requests "protection money".

[Nathan Zachary]

You are forgetting that Paki-Stan was once part of India.
It was the remnants of Muzzies in northern India left behind from failed Mohammadan invasions, who then interbred and became permanent Muzzie/Indian residents and continued the terrorism from within- like they do in every country they get a foothold in and increase their numbers to saturation point.

The UK and Europe is another example where this is happening.

As for India, the invasions will continue from Pakistan (Thanks Brits) until they finally take over all of India, even if it takes another 1000 years.

[Nathan Zachary]

"Pakistan will fail, miserably, in any attempt to take over India."

No they won't. They already have half of India. And it only took 1200 years. Paki-Stan used to be part of India.

[cranked]

We can agree to disagree?
As such, Time will eventually be the final arbiter.

[G8 Diplomat]

And like fools, the Brits divided up India and created Pakistan hoping that would give the Muzzies their own homeland and make peace.

The original two-state solution. It was a failure. Those who don't learn from history....

[shredderman]

Or the Barbary Pirates demanding “Tribute”