PAF inducts indigenious UAV

[z9-ec]

ISLAMABAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sunday inducted the indigenously manufactured Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System (UAVs), the PAF said in a statement.

The induction and operationalization ceremony was held at a PAF operational base, the PAF statement said.


"Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are ideal systems to support the emerging joint character and the asymmetric nature of warfare," it said.

It said that the long endurance of UAVs provides sustained support for more efficient and time-critical targeting, and other missions requiring greater persistence than what is provided by manned aircraft.

"UAVs offer a unique capability to get closer to a target and provide detailed bird's eye view while remaining invisible to enemy's eyes and ears," it said.

The statement said that their small size, low noise propulsion system and ability to feed information directly to battlefield commanders enhance the effectiveness of any combat force, more so of the Pakistan Air Force.

"It is, indeed, a moment of great pride and satisfaction for all of us, as acquisition of this capability will certainly contribute towards augmenting our fighting potential," Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed said at the ceremony.

In a future time frame, the Pakistan Air Force is looking forward to equipping these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with the most modern and lethal payloads, thereby enhancing their capability even further, he said.

He hoped that the PAF men would measure up to the expectations of the PAF and prove worthy of the sacred trust reposed in them.

While commenting on the modernization of Pakistan Air Force program, the air force chief said, "Up-gradation and modernization program of Pakistan Air Force are successfully progressing at a rapid pace and induction of these Air Defence Systems will make Pakistan Air Force ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow."

Xinhua.

 

[Blackpearl]

Can somebody provide some vital information about the bird?
Like engine type, operating altitude, endurance, range, guiadence system etc.
In a news channel, i heard the lady newscaster, quoting authorities, this UAV can also carry weapons, what type??

However, i hav yet to understand the induction of UAV by PAF rather then Army.

In my assessment, UAVs are primarilly for Land Forces, providing commanders, with 'over the battlefield' recconisance, lacing of targets, and attacking high priority targets. How Army is going to benefit from these UAVs, i mean, integration/ sharing of intelligence, obtained by PAF and then passing to Army.

Going further, i think , the optimum utilisation of these UAVs, is by placing this UAV squadron, manned by PAF personnel, under Army command.

 

[Keysersoze]

Can somebody provide some vital information about the bird?
Like engine type, operating altitude, endurance, range, guiadence system etc.
In a news channel, i heard the lady newscaster, quoting authorities, this UAV can also carry weapons, what type??

However, i hav yet to understand the induction of UAV by PAF rather then Army.

In my assessment, UAVs are primarilly for Land Forces, providing commanders, with 'over the battlefield' recconisance, lacing of targets, and attacking high priority targets. How Army is going to benefit from these UAVs, i mean, integration/ sharing of intelligence, obtained by PAF and then passing to Army.

Going further, i think , the optimum utilisation of these UAVs, is by placing this UAV squadron, manned by PAF personnel, under Army command.

Now you have raised a interesting question here. Does the PAF operate FAC's with the PA? Or does it rely upon the more cumbersome chain of command approach?

 

[EagleEyes]

I think in the front it is either the light or the camera. Any guess?

 

[echo 1]

Do you guys know if it has the ability to provid live feed from the battle field.

 

[blain2]

Yes to all of the above. for more information, look up Falco UAV by Galileo Avionica. PAF had been evaluating this bird for a while. I believe there has been some ToT worked out on this tactical UAV between Pakistan and the Italians.

Take a look here:
[youtube]

Defence Industry
About WWM
Military Aircraft-->Unmanned Aerial Vehicles-->Falco
Falco (Italy)

The Falco is a medium altitude Endurance & tactical UAV designed for optronic and electronic surveillance roles developed by the Italian company Galileo Avionica.
The basic mission is target detection, localization, identification and designation through it's onboard sensors suite which typically include a thermal images, a color TV camera, and a spotter or a laser designator.

The best features of the falco system include automatic take-off and landing (with STOL performance), fully redundant and fault-tolerant control systems, digital buses and control link equipment, automatic area surveillance modes ad near-real-time target image processing.

Also guess who the "International Launch Customer" was in the link below?
Galileo Avionica: The UAV FALCO System Completes Operational Validation Testing

 

[blain2]

Now you have raised a interesting question here. Does the PAF operate FAC's with the PA? Or does it rely upon the more cumbersome chain of command approach?

This idea is finding currency now where training is being imparted to Air Controllers for Army support missions. But I do not think that they are anywhere close to what the RAF and British Army have in place.

In the recent past, the PAF chief had observed the following about the interaction between the PAF and the two other sister services:

Another core development is the PAF's rewrite of its basic doctrine, which dated back to 1988.

"We tried to amplify the characteristics of air power for our sister services," said ACM Kaleem, noting that this also outlines force goals and new missions. The doctrine was released in April 2005 and a revised edition has just been completed following input from the army and navy.

 

[Quwa]

There are feasibility studies being carried out on weaponizing Falco by our old friends Galileo Avionica. Usman Shabbir on PakDef has hinted on "add-ons" and "ToT" to our dealings with Italy. It makes me wonder whether we are cooperating with the Italians on possible "projects of shared interest" similar to what we are seeing with Turkey...in fact, Turkey too has strong relations with Italy.

It is funny to note that Pakistan is already working in a Turkish MALE UAV project, and Italy is likely involved in the same project. Another funny thing to note is that the Turks are going to release a proposal for joint-cooperation in developing a medium-range SAM. The Italians and South Koreans are the most likely partners for technology expertise.

All this happens at a time when Pakistani cooperation with Turkey and Italy is intensifying.

 

[hassan1]

some one tel me what is the name of this UAV
and how may uavs used by paf
name of all paf uav

 

[fatman17]

Pakistan air force inducts home-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

ISLAMABAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sunday inducted the indigenously manufactured Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System (UAVs), the PAF said in a statement.

The induction and operationalization ceremony was held at a PAF operational base, the PAF statement said.

"Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are ideal systems to support the emerging joint character and the asymmetric nature of warfare," it said.

It said that the long endurance of UAVs provides sustained support for more efficient and time-critical targeting, and other missions requiring greater persistence than what is provided by manned aircraft.

"UAVs offer a unique capability to get closer to a target and provide detailed bird's eye view while remaining invisible to enemy's eyes and ears," it said.

The statement said that their small size, low noise propulsion system and ability to feed information directly to battlefield commanders enhance the effectiveness of any combat force, more so of the Pakistan Air Force.

"It is, indeed, a moment of great pride and satisfaction for all of us, as acquisition of this capability will certainly contribute towards augmenting our fighting potential," Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed said at the ceremony.

In a future time frame, the Pakistan Air Force is looking forward to equipping these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with the most modern and lethal payloads, thereby enhancing their capability even further, he said.

He hoped that the PAF men would measure up to the expectations of the PAF and prove worthy of the sacred trust reposed in them.

While commenting on the modernization of Pakistan Air Force program, the air force chief said, "Up-gradation and modernization program of Pakistan Air Force are successfully progressing at a rapid pace and induction of these Air Defence Systems will make Pakistan Air Force ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow."

 

[gnabi]

UAVs as per my information cannot be used for lethal payloads. Their small size and low weight carrying capability coupled with short range is their undoing. RPVs are bigger and carry a greater payload. They are the ones that can carry ASMs as well.

 

[khattakfaisal]

between an info here... i have seen this bird flying twice above garrison... any other plane is not allowed to fly over it... these birds(2 of them) kept on circling around for more then an hour... yesterday i saw them again but at very high altitude... they move much slower then a normal plane... n sound like a humming mosquito... the first incident happened at night...

 

[Arsalan]

between an info here... i have seen this bird flying twice above garrison... any other plane is not allowed to fly over it... these birds(2 of them) kept on circling around for more then an hour... yesterday i saw them again but at very high altitude... they move much slower then a normal plane... n sound like a humming mosquito... the first incident happened at night...

well the noise factor is a key area of focus for the UAVs and UCAVs!
the idea is to have enemy in sight witout letting him know that they are being watched!
as said earlier, the other UAVs in service which were totally indegenious with no foreign link were good enough and the whole deal for the falco may well be to get insight of the silent feature of them (as our were not good in engine and propeller noise signature)and use the expertise in future programmes!

regards!

 

[sidharth]

Pakistan's impressive pursuit of UAV technology

August 27, 2009, (Sawf News) - After the Babur cruise missile, Pakistan maybe poised to surprise India all over again by fielding a indigenously developed Predator like drone and producing UAVs locally.

According to Flight Magazine, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) is about to begin production of Selex Galileo's Falco unmanned air vehicle at its facilities in Kamra.

PAC engineers have been working on the first UAV project of the country for two years.

The UAVs, which will roll out in the "near future," will undertake surveillance missions, says air force chief of staff Air Marshal Farhat Hussain.

"The Falco UAV will greatly enhance the air force's operational capability," he adds.

Developed by Selex Galileo, the Falco features autonomous navigation and control system, has an endurance of 8-14h and a standard control link range of 200 km. It is capable of short take off from semi-prepared airstrips, or can be launched using a pneumatic catapult.

Its customizable sensor suite comprises EO/IR, SAR, Maritime Surveillance Radar, ESM, self-protection equipment, hyperspectral, NBC sensors.

Most importantly, Falco can laser-designate targets for other platforms.

It can also be equipped with chaff and flare dispensers for self-protection purposes.

Pakistani army is probably gaining a lot of experience in working with drones combating the Taliban. Sure, the drones are American but their capabilities are being put at the disposal of the Pakistani army. It is likely that they are getting a lot valuable guidance from the Americans on the effective use of drones, not to mention the networking and targeting infrastructure so essential for their successful deployment.

Pakistan is also reported to be flight-testing the Burraq UAV, named for a winged horse creature in Islamic tradition, similar to Pegasus.

The UAV is to be equipped with a NESCom-designed laser designator and laser-guided missiles. Unlike the Falco, Burraq will be able to attack and destroy targets.

Officially, Pakistan denies the existence of the Burraq program.

A spokesman for the military's Inter Services Public Relations said it was "not ready to give a statement on the issue at this time."

Retired air commodore Kaiser Tufail of the PAF says Pakistan has the capability to develop a hunter killer UAV.

"You only have to see our track record," say Tufail. "We have some fantastic achievements in the field of defense."

India hasn't acquired such capability, let alone developed it locally.

India is and has been in desperate need of drones for years. Our services, ever mired in tradition and bureaucracy, have not deployed drones to patrol our difficult borders or coastline. Our internal security forces have not leveraged drones to counter insurgency – in Kashmir, the north east or the Naxalite infested areas.

Meanwhile, DRDO continues to bleed the nation in quixotic pursuits with esoteric projects like the LCA, Arjun MBT, even an Anti Missile System, ironically when they have yet to field a credible anti-aircraft missile system.

It is conceivable that extensive use of drones could have averted Kargil, not to mention relentless incursions by the Chinese army in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Instead, the Indian army has relied on Long Range Patrols to safeguard the borders, a concept almost as old as humanity.