Tank131
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The issue of 052D is multifactorial. A few years ago they were a definite no m9stly because without proper frigates to support them they could becoming big targets/sitting ducks for the IN, especially when we look at the cost and PN likely only being able to afford 2 of them. Now you have 4 Jinnah class on the way and 4 Type 054A/P, you have enough support to adequately protect a destroyer like 052D.
With that said, you also have to factor in not only the cost of the vessel, but also its operational costs. Including manning it. If we look back about 15 years, the US had offered the Spruance Class USS Fletcher to PN free of charge, as a hot transfer. The 8000t vessel was equipped with an 8 cell Sea sparrow launcher (likely removed) space for 8 harpoon canisters, an 8 cell ASROC launcher (which likely would have been removed), a 21 cell RAM launcher, and a whopping 61 cell Mk-41 VLS. You could have requested SM-2 to equip it and it would gave been overwhelmingly the most powerful ship in PN/IN theater at tye time, except PN turned it down because they could not even afford its operating cost for 1 year, in no small part than it takes 334 people to man the ship. Now the type 052D will likely have far lower operating costs and certainly takes fewer people to operate it at ~280, and it being only in the 7000t range, but it will still be a significant cost. And a single 052D wont move any needles. You would need multiple such ships (at least 3-4) to make any real threat to IN in an offensive posture.
I think PN should focus right now on a multiprong strategy instead of 052D.
1. Really learn the warship building trade by utilizing the full capacity of the intellectual property you bought from Turkey regarding the MILGEM. Learn it modify it if necessary and build more.
Part of this includes investing in an infrastructure tgat allows you to build a ship from scratch in house which Pakistan cannot do given it has no capacity at this stage to make ship- grade steel.
2. Focus on developing weaponry in house. Some of this is already being done with reports of a hypersonic AShM under development (likely a modified C-302 or cx-1), but more importantly development of a system of SAMs with multiple layers of defense starting with long range (150km+, ideally 200km+) with high altitude and ballistic intercept capabilities. This would be a very long term project id a solution cannot be acquired off the shelf (like hq-9 and its varients). The second (and in my opinion the more immediately crucial is a medium ranged quad packed sam. Something in the 50-70km range. This can be in conjunction with Turkey or china, but would allow Pakistan to install it on any ship of Pakistans choosing. CAMM-ER would be ideal but for the last segment of this to come true, some type on in house solution is needed. The last is a PDMS with an (ideally) 10-20km range for supersonic missile. You could even use Anza Mk3 as a starting point and develop from there.
3. Jointly develope larger warships with friendly nations (ideally Turkey) so as to cut costs amd share the burden (much like the french and Italian did with the Horizon class).
With that said, you also have to factor in not only the cost of the vessel, but also its operational costs. Including manning it. If we look back about 15 years, the US had offered the Spruance Class USS Fletcher to PN free of charge, as a hot transfer. The 8000t vessel was equipped with an 8 cell Sea sparrow launcher (likely removed) space for 8 harpoon canisters, an 8 cell ASROC launcher (which likely would have been removed), a 21 cell RAM launcher, and a whopping 61 cell Mk-41 VLS. You could have requested SM-2 to equip it and it would gave been overwhelmingly the most powerful ship in PN/IN theater at tye time, except PN turned it down because they could not even afford its operating cost for 1 year, in no small part than it takes 334 people to man the ship. Now the type 052D will likely have far lower operating costs and certainly takes fewer people to operate it at ~280, and it being only in the 7000t range, but it will still be a significant cost. And a single 052D wont move any needles. You would need multiple such ships (at least 3-4) to make any real threat to IN in an offensive posture.
I think PN should focus right now on a multiprong strategy instead of 052D.
1. Really learn the warship building trade by utilizing the full capacity of the intellectual property you bought from Turkey regarding the MILGEM. Learn it modify it if necessary and build more.
Part of this includes investing in an infrastructure tgat allows you to build a ship from scratch in house which Pakistan cannot do given it has no capacity at this stage to make ship- grade steel.
2. Focus on developing weaponry in house. Some of this is already being done with reports of a hypersonic AShM under development (likely a modified C-302 or cx-1), but more importantly development of a system of SAMs with multiple layers of defense starting with long range (150km+, ideally 200km+) with high altitude and ballistic intercept capabilities. This would be a very long term project id a solution cannot be acquired off the shelf (like hq-9 and its varients). The second (and in my opinion the more immediately crucial is a medium ranged quad packed sam. Something in the 50-70km range. This can be in conjunction with Turkey or china, but would allow Pakistan to install it on any ship of Pakistans choosing. CAMM-ER would be ideal but for the last segment of this to come true, some type on in house solution is needed. The last is a PDMS with an (ideally) 10-20km range for supersonic missile. You could even use Anza Mk3 as a starting point and develop from there.
3. Jointly develope larger warships with friendly nations (ideally Turkey) so as to cut costs amd share the burden (much like the french and Italian did with the Horizon class).