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Pakistan, Saudi Arabia 'in talks over Al-Khalid MBT, JF-17 deal'
Author:Farhan Bokhari, Islamabad
Jeremy Binnie, London
Last posted:2014-01-28
Key Points
The deal may form part of a wider defence co-operation agreement that could also involve the future deployment of Pakistan Army troops to Saudi Arabia, according to officials.
"The main elements of the ongoing discussions involve the Al-Khalid tank and the JF-17. The numbers [of platforms] are still under discussion," said a senior Pakistani government official. The Al-Khalid MBT and the JF-17 were developed by Pakistan in co-operation with China. Pakistani officials have previously sought potential customers for both platforms, citing their comparability to western hardware while being available at a considerably lower price.
Although Saudi Arabia's inventory contains Western-sourced equipment considered superior to that offered by Pakistan, Western diplomats in Islamabad said a deal would be an indirect way for Saudi Arabia to provide financial assistance to Pakistan. "Both pieces of hardware will bring profits to Pakistan. This will be Pakistan's first export of these items and this could help set a trend for the future for customers who cannot afford Western technology," said one senior Western diplomat.
The same diplomat cited reports of discussions between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on a wider defence co-operation agreement that may lead to the first deployment of Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia since the 1980s, when they deployed for "security duties".
"Right now, the Saudis are feeling pressure in the south on the border with Yemen and in the north near Syria and the Gulf,"
said the Western diplomat, who added that any new co-operation agreement might see Pakistani troops deployed to either or both of those fronts.
The Pakistani official said a new hardware deal between Islamabad and Saudi Arabia may eventually see the Saudis consider Chinese hardware more seriously for future purchase. "Once the Saudis have used Chinese technology provided through Pakistan, their comfort [with Chinese equipment] will improve. There could be future possibilities for arms deals between those two countries," he said.
ANALYSIS
Saudi Arabia's requirement for Pakistani tanks and jets is highly questionable given that it generally buys far more sophisticated and expensive military equipment from Western countries. The JF-17 is not in the same league as the 152 Boeing F-15SA and 72 Eurofighter Typhoons that the Royal Saudi Air Force is currently acquiring.
The Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) has a requirement for more tanks and a Pakistani defence official stated in October 2004 that the Al-Khalid would undergo trials in the kingdom in the following summer.
However, no further progress was reported and reports that the German government has held up Riyadh's efforts to acquire the latest variant of the Leopard 2 MBT suggest the RSLF was looking elsewhere. Meanwhile, the RSLF now plans to acquire more surplus US Abrams tanks and upgrade them to the new M1A2S standard.
While a major investment in developing closer ties with Pakistan cannot be ruled out, buying jets and tanks the Saudi military will not want would not be the most efficient way of doing this as the engines for both platforms will have to come from a third party (Russia in the case of the JF-17 engines).
At the same time, the claims that Riyadh is looking to develop closer military ties with Islamabad will fuel speculation that the Saudis - who are currently disillusioned with US policy towards Iran and Syria - are trying to diversify their strategic relations, possibly with an eye towards obtaining Pakistani nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
JDW
Author:Farhan Bokhari, Islamabad
Jeremy Binnie, London
Last posted:2014-01-28
Key Points
- Government officials in Islamabad have said Pakistan is in talks with Saudi Arabia over the possible sale of Al-Khalid MBTs and JF-17 fighter aircraft
- However, the potential deals appear to be more about the two countries' foreign policy objectives than gaps in Saudi military capabilities
The deal may form part of a wider defence co-operation agreement that could also involve the future deployment of Pakistan Army troops to Saudi Arabia, according to officials.
"The main elements of the ongoing discussions involve the Al-Khalid tank and the JF-17. The numbers [of platforms] are still under discussion," said a senior Pakistani government official. The Al-Khalid MBT and the JF-17 were developed by Pakistan in co-operation with China. Pakistani officials have previously sought potential customers for both platforms, citing their comparability to western hardware while being available at a considerably lower price.
Although Saudi Arabia's inventory contains Western-sourced equipment considered superior to that offered by Pakistan, Western diplomats in Islamabad said a deal would be an indirect way for Saudi Arabia to provide financial assistance to Pakistan. "Both pieces of hardware will bring profits to Pakistan. This will be Pakistan's first export of these items and this could help set a trend for the future for customers who cannot afford Western technology," said one senior Western diplomat.
The same diplomat cited reports of discussions between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on a wider defence co-operation agreement that may lead to the first deployment of Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia since the 1980s, when they deployed for "security duties".
"Right now, the Saudis are feeling pressure in the south on the border with Yemen and in the north near Syria and the Gulf,"
said the Western diplomat, who added that any new co-operation agreement might see Pakistani troops deployed to either or both of those fronts.
The Pakistani official said a new hardware deal between Islamabad and Saudi Arabia may eventually see the Saudis consider Chinese hardware more seriously for future purchase. "Once the Saudis have used Chinese technology provided through Pakistan, their comfort [with Chinese equipment] will improve. There could be future possibilities for arms deals between those two countries," he said.
ANALYSIS
Saudi Arabia's requirement for Pakistani tanks and jets is highly questionable given that it generally buys far more sophisticated and expensive military equipment from Western countries. The JF-17 is not in the same league as the 152 Boeing F-15SA and 72 Eurofighter Typhoons that the Royal Saudi Air Force is currently acquiring.
The Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF) has a requirement for more tanks and a Pakistani defence official stated in October 2004 that the Al-Khalid would undergo trials in the kingdom in the following summer.
However, no further progress was reported and reports that the German government has held up Riyadh's efforts to acquire the latest variant of the Leopard 2 MBT suggest the RSLF was looking elsewhere. Meanwhile, the RSLF now plans to acquire more surplus US Abrams tanks and upgrade them to the new M1A2S standard.
While a major investment in developing closer ties with Pakistan cannot be ruled out, buying jets and tanks the Saudi military will not want would not be the most efficient way of doing this as the engines for both platforms will have to come from a third party (Russia in the case of the JF-17 engines).
At the same time, the claims that Riyadh is looking to develop closer military ties with Islamabad will fuel speculation that the Saudis - who are currently disillusioned with US policy towards Iran and Syria - are trying to diversify their strategic relations, possibly with an eye towards obtaining Pakistani nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
JDW
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