EU MILITARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MAKES OFFICIAL VISIT TO PAKISTAN

[The Ronin]

The Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, General Claudio Graziano, visited the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) Air Headquarters (AHQ) in Islamabad on 06 November 2019.

According to a PAF media release, Gen. Graziano met with the Vice Chief of Air Staff of the PAF, Air Marshal Aasim Zaheer, where the two sides discussed “matters of professional interest and mutual cooperation.”

The following day, Gen. Graziano visited Naval Headquarters and met with the Pakistan Navy’s (PN) Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi.

According to the PN’s Director General of Public Relations (DGPR) via social media, Adm. Abbasi and Gen. Graziano discussed “matters of mutual interests and [defence] collaboration.”

Prior to being appointed as Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (EUMC), Gen. Graziano was the Chief of Defence Staff of the Italian Armed Forces. In November 2018, Gen. Graziano was selected by the 28 Chiefs of Defence of the EU’s Member States to lead the EUMC.

Notes & Comments:

Gen. Graziano’s trip follows a series of high-level visits by the heads of Italy’s defence industry, especially the CEO of MBDA Italy, Pasquale Di Bartolomeo, and President of the Italian Companies for Aerospace, Defence and Security (AIAD), Guido Crosetto (read more: Italian Defence Industry Heads Visit Pakistan).

Aside from facilitating more training, exercises, and officer exchange programs between Pakistan and the EU, one aspect of Gen. Graziano’s visit may have been to promote the interests of the European defence industry in Pakistan. Though fiscally constrained, it appears that at least some Pakistani defence programs are proceeding, with Italy approving $762 m US in arms sales to Pakistan in 2018 being a major example.

The PN in particular has evident procurement requirements. First, contracts to fit its forthcoming Jinnah-class corvettes (MILGEM) and Damen Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV)/Corvettes with sensors, weapons and other subsystems may still be open. Second, the PN’s fleet expansion will necessitate new helicopters of various kinds, which is likely of interest to the Italian defence giant Leonardo.

Likewise, the PAF has a requirement for lead-in-fighter-trainers (LIFT) and gap-filler/low-level surveillance radars that Leonardo could also potentially fill. Moreover, Leonardo’s Grifo-E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and Elettronica Group’s electronic warfare (EW) systems are on offer for use on the JF-17 Block 3, the upcoming variant of the PAF’s mainstay fighter.

https://quwa.org/2019/11/07/eu-mili...kjFD-LGt9ZNv9981GG9aN-t8qzcSycas9dwHKqi6zI9c4

 

[Sulman Badshah]

in EU , only Italy and spain are cooperating with Pakistan on regular basis

 

[Baz]

in EU , only Italy and spain are cooperating with Pakistan on regular basis

How do you know?

 

[Haris Ali2140]

in EU , only Italy and spain are cooperating with Pakistan on regular basis

What about Sweden and Germany???

 

[Flash_Ninja]

in EU , only Italy and spain are cooperating with Pakistan on regular basis

UK? Germany?

 

[Sulman Badshah]

What about Sweden and Germany???

UK? Germany?

I also stated "On a Regular Basis" ... Just recently Sweden refuse to allow PN to evaluate their ASW platform swordfish
For germany Type 214 Submarine was rejected on last minute by them .although deal was done 95%
Although cooperation in less advance weaponry is still there even with Indian Darling France

 

[Haris Ali2140]

I also stated "On a Regular Basis" ... Just recently Sweden refuse to allow PN to evaluate their ASW platform swordfish
For germany Type 214 Submarine was rejected on last minute by them .although deal was done 95%
Although cooperation in less advance weaponry is still there even with Indian Darling France

But we just got erieyes from Sweden.

 

[Gryphon]

Just recently Sweden refuse to allow PN to evaluate their ASW platform swordfish

Source?

For germany Type 214 Submarine was rejected on last minute by them .although deal was done 95%
Although cooperation in less advance weaponry is still there even with Indian Darling France

Totally incorrect.

The German side offered everything from flexible weapons integration to loans, but Pakistan (precisely Zardari and the PPP govt.) went towards the IMF effectively scrapping the deal.

 

[Imran Khan]

most of EU nations are cooperating with us in recent years

 

[TNT]

I guess that AESA would be better than chinese AESA.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

Source?



Totally incorrect.

The German side offered everything from flexible weapons integration to loans, but Pakistan (precisely Zardari and the PPP govt.) went towards the IMF effectively scrapping the deal.

Yep. It's worth remembering that the US made life a little difficult for the Europeans as of late, so the Europeans have more incentive now to be more resistant to US pressure. Moreover, the Chinese and Turks won a few big-ticket naval programs in Pakistan, and the EU industry giants weren't happy that they didn't get a chance to compete in any of those due to restrictions and fears on the Pakistani side (of blocked permits, no loans, etc).

 

[waz]

Italy and Spain, some leeway with Germany.

The UK will no longer be part of the EU and has the best links of all with Pakistan.

 

[HRK]

Just recently Sweden refuse to allow PN to evaluate their ASW platform swordfish

as per report from last year in Defence News SAAB has end Swordfish MPA/ASW marketing and probably its the end of the product as well
plz read

“From a product perspective, we are no longer marketing it. So it was a concept. It was an opportunity that we looked at on the back of GlobalEye, and we’re just concentrating on GlobalEye,” Dean Rosenfield said in a roundtable with journalists in Saab’s Bangkok office.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

as per report from last year in Defence News SAAB has end Swordfish MPA/ASW marketing and probably its the end of the product as well
plz read

It's the end of Saab marketing the product, but if you look at it another way, it gives Saab a convenient exit should such a platform end up in Pakistan's hands. "Oh, it's a discontinued product, we had nothing to do with it."

 

[HRK]

It's the end of Saab marketing the product, but if you look at it another way, it gives Saab a convenient exit should such a platform end up in Pakistan's hands. "Oh, it's a discontinued product, we had nothing to do with it."

I think due to political and diplomatic uncertainty it would be more suitable and logical to avoid SAAB and to address our needs for MPA based on Jet engines if we deal with Bombardier for platform and Rheinland Air Service separately for integration of Censors, CMS and weapons would not only increase our options in terms of customisation as per own needs but decrease risk associated with this program as well.

You also have suggested the same approach many times at the forum and in your articles .... on your website