Attack on PAF Base Minhas

[Safriz]

National 200 million dollars questions for PAF Farrukh Saleem
Friday, September 07, 2012
From Print Edition 81 32 9 2 ISLAMABAD: In October 2005, Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget or
Saab, the Swedish manufacturer, agreed to sell us the most
modern airborne tactical surveillance system — a high-speed
turboprop that uses 4,591 shp Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop
engines and is equipped with Ericsson Microwave Systems’
Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) based on the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA). In 2009, we got the best and the most cost-efficient air policing
platform but paid through the nose a wholesome Swedish krona 8.3
billion or an equivalent of $1.2 billion — $800 million for Saab and $
400 million for the Erieye. Saab 2000 Erieye was built to specifications of the Pakistan Air Force
(PAF) with a 450-km Erieye radar range. The Erieye is not only data-
linked to the PAF command and control infrastructure but links up with
our F-16 Fighting Falcons as well. PAF Base Minhas has two fighter squadrons. On December 10, 2007, a
suicide bomber attacked a PAF employees’ bus. On January 18, 2008,
four rockets were fired one of which landed on the “roof of the NCO
mess and two rockets inside the Mirage Rebuild Factory.” On October
23, 2009, a “suicide bomber killed eight people on a check post outside
the base.” That’s a total of three attacks on the same PAF Base. In between, PNS Mehran’s principal assets the Lockheed P-3 Orions, the
$36 million four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime
surveillance aircraft, also came under attack and were severely
damaged. On August 16, 2012, PAF Base Minhas came under a serious attack yet
again. The attack was targeted and the target was Saab 2000 Erieye.
Rocket propelled grenade(s) were fired at the Orions and rocket
propelled grenade(s) were fired at the Saab 2000. According to some
reports, one Saab 2000 was destroyed and two others were damaged.
Other reports claimed one destroyed and one damaged. All said and done, that’s at least a $200 million loss, if not a lot more. Is the PAF unaware of the fact that Pakistan is in a state of war? How
can rocket propelled grenades penetrate hangars that house the Orions
and the Saab 2000? Why was more than one Saab in one location?
Hasn’t the PAF built Hardened Aircraft Shelters (HAS), Kevlar deployable
shelters or underground shelters for the most prized of our aircraft?
How did the intruders know the exact location of the Orions and the Saabs? Why can’t we have buffer zones around facilities that store
Orions and Saabs? Why did the base commander himself jump into the
firefight? We are at war and the PAF ought to be practicing dispersal at
bases as well as dispersal between bases. Ejaz Haider, in his column titled ‘Analysis: the bigger questions
surrounding Kamra’, calls P-3 Orion as Pakistan Navy’s (PN) eyes and
Saab 2000 as Pakistan Air Force’s eyes. Imagine; our enemy is taking
out our eyes — one at a time — and PAF was caught catnapping. An
experienced aviator once said: “There are only two types of aircraft —
fighters and targets.”

This is accurate news. Ericsson (Dubai) has given the PAF an estimate of around US$200 million to cater for the repair to the Erieye during the said attack

The article you quoted..i posted the whole of it above..
It doesnt say 'reoair cost 200million.'
It says each saab 2000 costs 200 million,.no mention of reoair cost..so please stop jumping to conclusions.

 

[Safriz]

PCNS ensures Air Force all additional funds would be made available.
PHOTO: AFP ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) has
directed the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to tighten security measures
at airbases and sensitive facilities across the country while
assuring the PAF that all additional funds required to enhance
security measures would be made available. Reiterating the importance of protecting the country’s air assets, the
PCNS directed the deputy chief of air staff to urgently compile financial
estimates for new security measures and guaranteed that “the
committee was ready to send its recommendation for allocation of
more funds for the safety of national installations”. Talking to The Express Tribune, PCNS chairman Senator Raza Rabbani
said “people who lost their lives while defending the base were
martyrs and the committee members express our heartfelt solidarity
with their loved ones”. Emphasising the need to tighten security at Kamra, which houses the
country’s largest aeronautical complex and has been subject to three
terror attacks in the past three years, Rabbani added that “Once PAF
comes with new financial estimates, PCNS will recommend the
issuance of more funds for safety of Kamra base.” During the in-camera briefing to the PCNS on the Kamra terrorist
attack, base commander, Air Commodore Muhammad Azam revealed
that the three terrorists involved in the attack hailed from Punjab
while one of the three was confirmed to be a resident of Sialkot.

 

[Jango]

Hasn’t the PAF built Hardened Aircraft Shelters (HAS), Kevlar deployable
shelters or underground shelters for the most prized of our aircraft?
How did the intruders know the exact location of the Orions and the Saabs? Why can’t we have buffer zones around facilities that store
Orions and Saabs?

Yeah, as if it is a piece of cake to do it.

 

[Anotherangle]

Yeah, as if it is a piece of cake to do it.

Let me ask you sir, what would it take:
1. to have 2/3 platoons dug in around an airbase home to assets like AWACS?
2. to raise secondary sand walls as high as aircrafts to obstruct an incoming rocket?

 

[Jango]

Let me ask you sir, what would it take:
1. to have 2/3 platoons dug in around an airbase home to assets like AWACS?
2. to raise secondary sand walls as high as aircrafts to obstruct an incoming rocket?

My point was about the HAS for everything and Kevlar hangars etc etc.

We do not enough space to dig in a platoon around our bases. Chaklala, Kamra, Masroor etc etc don't simply have enough of a buffer zone around them.

 

[Imran Khan]

My point was about the HAS for everything and Kevlar hangars etc etc.

We do not enough space to dig in a platoon around our bases. Chaklala, Kamra, Masroor etc etc don't simply have enough of a buffer zone around them.

buffer zone is must must must sir jee

 

[Jango]

buffer zone is must must must sir jee

Yes it is.

There is a reason US bases in Afg are in the middle of nowhere, i.e Bagram etc etc.

In Pakistan however, bar one or two, none have enough space between outer wall and civilian population.

 

[Imran Khan]

Yes it is.

There is a reason US bases in Afg are in the middle of nowhere, i.e Bagram etc etc.

In Pakistan however, bar one or two, none have enough space between outer wall and civilian population.

not only this but look nuke sites are same in danger they should have clean buffer zone between the first wall and first fence some 500metters. any adult try to cross it shot him from tower .

 

[zalaan]

i have no doubt in my mind and its common sense that there may be an involvement of an inside snitch the solution is simple find traitors and prosecute them

 

[karan.1970]

not only this but look nuke sites are same in danger they should have clean buffer zone between the first wall and first fence some 500metters. any adult try to cross it shot him from tower .

Any special arrangements around Nuke sites, will actually act like an advertisement about those sites being Nuke sites. The best defence for Nukes is for people to not even know where they are stored..

 

[Jango]

not only this but look nuke sites are same in danger they should have clean buffer zone between the first wall and first fence some 500metters. any adult try to cross it shot him from tower .

Nukes are a different story. They may seem really close, but are actuall very very far.

There is the overground eatablishment first. Then there is the tunnel system. Firstly the tunnel entrance is secluded. Then there are long distances of tunnels underground and in mountains, a labyrinth of tunnels, then blast doors etc etc etc, and then the warhead. All the warheads are underground in Pakistan. So you cannot take a meanful nuke without going underground, and because there is no google earth for underground, nobody can get a idea or general sense of placement and direction, unauthorised person of course.

I wrote a post in some thread about the distances of the outer most boundary of base, to the nearest houses and the general distance from the wall.

 

[Anotherangle]

i have no doubt in my mind and its common sense that there may be an involvement of an inside snitch the solution is simple find traitors and prosecute them

Dear, this is an scapegoat for hiding the real problem, not a solution: the enemy usually has the information and good defense means despite the intelligence, the enemy fails. Spying and counter-spying will continue; it is a game of cat and mouse. The solution is to improve your planning!

 

[khanasifm]

underground hangers
382


http://books.google.com/books?id=rN...;ved=0CEUQ6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q&f=true

 

[Safriz]

For RPG Heavy Gauge wire mesh with gaps between them can be a cheap protection..The Shaped charge deforms and loses effectiveness while colliding with wire mesh..

So yes there are solutions...
For buffer zone..Old style moat? around the base?

 

[Safriz]

^^^^
For your comment...being racist is an understatement......