Dr Mehmood-ul-Hassan Khan
SOUTH East Asia (SEA) has become “volatile” due to Indian perpetual hegemonic designs. Its “warmongering” has now destabilized the region. Its various military misadventures has now forced all its neighbors to form strategic partnership to deter Indian ill schemes against them. Strong military has been “custodian” of country’s sovereignty and national territorial integrity. Human civilization evolution has been developed because of strong defense and deterrence. Great Roman Empire, Mongol, Mughals, Chinese and even Asoka’s glorification in the human history primarily, achieved because of martial power and collective determination to defend national pride, prestige and people alike. Most recently, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa congratulated Chinese People’s Liberation Army on its 93rd anniversary and termed the militaries of the two countries key components of Pak-China strategic partnership.
With the passage of time and rapidly changing geopolitical and geostrategic trends in the region as well as in the world, both countries have now decided to further strengthen bilateral military cooperation in diverse fields of mutual understanding and of course survival. There is a hue and cry in the Indian mass media because of the emerging military ties between China and Pakistan. Naval cooperation is getting momentum between China and Pakistan. In this context, the launching ceremony of 1st ship of Type-054 Class Frigate constructed for Pakistan Navy has held at Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard Shanghai, China. The ceremony was graced by Commodore Azfar Humayun (Chief Naval Overseer, China) as Chief Guest along with Mr. Li Hongtao, Chairman, China Shipbuilding Trading Co, Ltd. (CSTC). These ships are highly advanced guided-missile frigates and are the biggest vessels China has ever exported. Being prominent regional expert on China, I rate it as major milestone in construction of state-of-the-art Frigate for Pakistan Navy. It would further strengthen Pakistan’s naval deterrence. It would enhance its naval combating capabilities to safeguard its waters, national vested interests, blue economy and its associated sectors in the days to come. The acquisition of the warships will further increase its combat capacity and operational capabilities and by 2021, three more would be supplied to Islamabad.
Moreover, it hopes that inclusion of these modern ships in the fleet of Pakistan Navy will significantly play an important role in regional peace and security and “equation” of power will be more moderate in Indian Ocean (IC) in the days to come. The Frigate has “type-054 Class” equipped with latest weaponry consisting of surface, subsurface and anti-air weapons. It has world class combat management system (CMS) and modern sensors (MS) which will be a valuation-addition for Pakistan Navy. It will definitely, provide a technologically advanced surface platforms of Pakistan Navy Fleet. During the ceremony, the Chief Guest labelled the event as new chapter in Pakistan-China defence partnership whch would further strengthen military cooperation. He also appreciated the commitment and dedication of Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard, China and adamant support provided by CSTC for continuity of program despite Covid-19 pandemic. The ceremony was attended by officials of Pakistan Navy and CSTC/ Hudong Shipyard.
Pakistan signed a contract with the China Shipbuilding Trading Company Ltd. (CSTC) for the delivery of two Type 054 A/P frigates in 2017. The steel-cutting ceremony for the second Type 054A frigate for the Pakistan Navy (PN) was held in China on 19 December 2018, marking the beginning of construction of the vessel at the shipyard in Shanghai. The Type-054 warship is equipped with latest weapons, including long-range missiles and hi-tech sensors, capable to undertake operations in all domains of naval warfare. It is most advanced frigate in service with the PLA Navy and is equipped with modern sensors and air defence systems. It is a multi-role frigate and is recognized as the backbone of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet of surface combatants with 30 vessels in commission. It is a new generation multi-mission frigate, derived from the Type 054 (Jiangkai Class) which integrates advanced weapons and sensor system. For the further strengthening of naval defence, Pakistan also sealed a $5 billion deal with China in 2016 for the acquisition of 8 Chinese Yuan-class type 041 diesel submarines by 2028. Type 054 A/P frigates have a length of 134 meters, a beam of 16 meters for a displacement of 4,000 tons. It has a crew complement of 165 sailors and are fitted with advanced weaponry which includes torpedos, anti-submarine rockets, CIWS, and surface-to-surface missiles. It has been reported in the regional as well as international media that Pakistan may deploy Chinese CH-4 drones near the LoC near occupied Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh to strike Indian assets deployed in the region. Indian media claims that Pakistan may be in process of procuring and fielding the CH-4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from China in big numbers from Chinese Aerospace Long-March International Trade Company (CALIT).
According to Pakistan sources the first tranche of Cai Hong-4 (CH-4) will be commenced in 2020. It will further strengthen Pakistan Air Force (PAF) operational capability. It would be a value-addition to its tactical manoeuvring. It would further diversify its aerial defence in the days to come. It can carry 6 weapons on its hard points and a payload of up to 345 kgs. It is a long endurance medium-altitude drone. It is technically capable of firing air-to-ground munitions from a maximum height of 16,000 feet. China has already confirmed the export of the armed Wing Loong-II drones to Pakistan earlier in 2018. Changing military scenarios in the Asia and Far East Asia Region (FEAR) because of the US arms assistance to India, Taiwan, and Japan with the latest state-of-art weapons, the latest supply of CH-4 to Pakistan should be taken as a strategic move of China to further strengthening of aerial defence of its partner and trustworthy ally Pakistan. Pakistan and China are strategic partners and iron brothers and mutual help is a tradition between the two countries and the two militaries. Both sides have always been peace loving nations. Both militaries pursue defensive national defence policies and care about their international responsibilities and actively participates in UN Peacekeeping operations, vessel protection operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
—The writer is Director, Geopolitics/Economics Member Board of Experts, CGSS.
