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Pakistan interested to purchase JAS-Gripen plans
EFL:
Pakistan is acquiring state of art high-tech front role most sophisticated JAS-Gripen plans for Pakistan Air Force (PAF) from Sweden. These plans on their induction in the PAF would help in restoring balance in air defence of South Asian skies especially between Pakistan and India. The Gripens are far superior then Mig-27, Mig-29, Mig-31 and Mairage-2000, the front role Indian fighter plans. Well placed defence sources told The News here on Monday that President General Pervez Musharraf is visiting three important Scandinavian countries next month including Sweden and it is expected that the deal for purchase of the Gripen would also come up for discussion.
| Wonder were the Paks found the cash? |
The President will visit to Denmark and Norway in the same trip. The sources said that Pakistan is going for JAS-39 version of Gripen plans, considered to be far more effective than US made F-16, the only front role state of art plans the PAF is relying and the mainstay of the Pakistan Air Force for any eventuality. The overhauling and maintenance technology will also be transferred to Pakistan of Gripens by Sweden once the deal is struck, the sources said.
| Whereupon the overhauling and maintenance will be like everything else in Pak-land. |
Pakistan has planned to buy 40 JAS-39 Gripens with most modern radars would be fitted in them. These planes will be capable to strike deep into the enemyâs territory as these plans could be refueled in the air. They will be equipped with jamming transmitters and capable of carrying any type of warhead to a distance of more than three thousand kilometre, the sources added.
| I guess we all know what kind of warhead they're talking about. |
| And just how do the Paks plan to do in-air refueling? |
The sources said that Pakistan has decided to acquire the Gripens after finding difficulties in getting US made F-16s while Pakistan has also studied French made Rafael and upcoming European plan Euro fighters. In the end it has been decided to go into a deal for the Gripens. Pakistan is expecting to induct JF-17 Thunder in the PAF in early 2007 but the Gripens would be available much before that, the sources said. The PAF is in dire need of high-tech plane. The Gripens will adequately fulfil the need, the sources said. Pakistan could not have any high-tech plan after acquiring F-16 some twenty years ago. The JF-17 Thunder is being manufactured with collaborations of Chinese technology and again it would be slightly advanced to the mid-tech plans. The JF 17 Thunder will be framed close to the F-16 while the Gripens will be Delta wing plan resembling with French made Mairage-2000 and it will be all weather capability plan with multi role of fighting, bombing and role of reconnaissance. The super sonic Gripens will be flying with mach-2plus speed, beating in speed all its contemporaries, the sources said.
So they can run away fly faster. |
The single seat fighter-attacker-reconnaissance Gripen is heads up and down display that replaces normal flight instruments. Its excellence has already proven and with ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) and navigation system, the Gripen is considered to be the current centuryâs plan in true sense, the sources added. The sources said that Sweden is prepared to supply the plans according to the requirement of Pakistan. Foreign Secretary Riaz Kkhokhar visited Sweden last month and discussed with the authorities in Stockholm schedule of the visit of the President of Pakistan. Both the capitals are engaged in finalising the dates for the visit.
Posted by: Steve 2004-06-28 |
