Pakistan's Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircrafts

[HRK]

Why would it?

Enemy Aerial assets would pose no threat to PN Naval assets specially surface fleet .... ???

 

[rAli]

Not really, plenty of SAAB 2000 airframes around the world we can buy and which PAF has been quietly buying up so that we can convert ourselves.

Does beg the question that 10 Erieyes are more then enough so we will not require many more, maybe 1-2 over next 20 years for attrition.

10 Erieyes plus 4 ZDKs gives Pakistan one of the largest AEW fleets in the world, to put it in perspective

NATO = 14 E-3s
Saudi = 5 E-3s + 2 Erieyes
UK = 5 E-7s
USAF = 31 E-3s
Russia = 6 A-50
India = 3 Phalcons + 2 NETA (both development aircraft)
China = 5 KJ-2000 + 11 KJ-200 + 12 KJ-500

Essentially we have the 3rd largest AEW force in the world.

I think there is some behind the scene stuff going on here. Besides advance warning and EW, can these systems help in other ways?

Can Erieye guide BVRAAM?

With PAF being much smaller force, PAF may be looking into redundancies with having multiple birds in the air at any given time. This purchase would also be due to current threat analysis from IAF and lessons learned from last year.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

Why would it? Its PAF which has to deal with Aerial threats in sea too. Navy doesn't operate Fighter Jets

AEW&C isn't limited to just managing fighter operations.

It's overall benefit is to provide situational awareness to all networked assets, be it on the ground, in the air, or at sea. The biggest gain is over-the-horizon radar coverage: the PN can use that to track enemy ships and aircraft operating in the radar blind spots of its own ships.

It can use the targeting data to coordinate anti-ship ops with LRMPAs and Sea Kings, and -- if it gets new AAW tech -- get the AEW&C to help feed mid-course guidance info to SAMs without solely relying on the ship's radar.

 

[Bossman]

Erieyes are better in dealing with clutter compared to ZDKs. Hence, Erieyes were always meant to operate in the north and ZDKs in the South over the coast line. It works very closely with PN P3Cs and ATRs to provides a comprehensive sub-surface, surface and aerial views.

 

[Imran Khan]

Erieyes are better in dealing with clutter compared to ZDKs. Hence, Erieyes were always meant to operate in the north and ZDKs in the South over the coast line. It works very closely with PN P3Cs and ATRs to provides a comprehensive sub-surface, surface and aerial views.

its because ZDK is AESA radar sir .

 

[Akh1112]

Is it possible that earlier we received just a single order and this is follow on to get 3 more?

But why would they for saab2000..instead of bombadier


Than it is probably a new customer ...i doubt existing saab340 customers will opt for it.

Very few airforces exist that need an AWEC but cannot afford top of the line equipment ..

Infact i cant think of any lol

The Saudis use the Saab2k variant

Actually you are right..it is probably saudi arabi
I didnt know they operated saab2000 variant

no problem

its because ZDK is AESA radar sir .

we dont actually know, there is nothing to suggest either or

Why would it? Its PAF which has to deal with Aerial threats in sea too. Navy doesn't operate Fighter Jets

The Navy does operate Mirages for ASh roles

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Enemy Aerial assets would pose no threat to PN Naval assets specially surface fleet .... ???

But how better they would be intercepted? By PAF Fighters having 100km BVRs or Ships with Type 054A/Ps having 70km max considering it has HQ16B version? Air Launched Anti Ship Missiles have larger range than 70km

over-the-horizon radar coverage

Sea Spray 7300E doesn't gives over-the-horizon coverage?

 

[Yasser76]

Erieyes are better in dealing with clutter compared to ZDKs. Hence, Erieyes were always meant to operate in the north and ZDKs in the South over the coast line. It works very closely with PN P3Cs and ATRs to provides a comprehensive sub-surface, surface and aerial views.

How do the ZDKs data link with the P-3Cs and ATRs? Western system manufacturers would never allow this

 

[Akh1112]

But how better they would be intercepted? By PAF Fighters having 100km BVRs or Ships with Type 054A/Ps having 70km max considering it has HQ16B version? Air Launched Anti Ship Missiles have larger range than 70km


Sea Spray 7300E doesn't gives over-the-horizon coverage?

Sure but situational awareness is key. While the HQ-16 may not be the LONGEST ranged system, it is still sufficient for airborne threats. I am sure the ZDK's can also track AShM's and also other threats like ships.

In terms of the Seaspray 7300E, i cant find anything to say that it offers OTH coverage, i have checked Leonardo's brochure.

How do the ZDKs data link with the P-3Cs and ATRs? Western system manufacturers would never allow this

Im pretty sure Pakistan uses a proprietary datalink standard, the Link-17, its a domestic standard

 

[Dazzler]

No one can really "check the usage" in Pakistan, we can only go by what news is available. Do you have usage stats of ZDK compared to Erieye in PAF service? I doubt it. Simple truth is PAF seems to love Erieye, this is our thurd order for the system and will create a fleet of 10. ZDK has been in service just as long and Chinese can give us more on very good terms of credit but we have not ordered even a single one. That speaks enough.

My guess with 10 Erieyes we want complete coverage of Pakistan. So that begs the question what is ZDK useful for? My guess is it will be committed just to support Navy over the sea.



Yes, in which case it will essentially be Erieyes that support 90% of PAF fighter operations

This should end conspiracy theories related to the ZDK. Not to mention, I see it doing multiple sorties almost daily. A not-so-good or inefficient system would not be used that way. It had its share of problems early on but most were addressed.

PAF keeps a watch using ZDKs on the coast/ south zone.

 

[Yasser76]

This should end conspiracy theories related to the ZDK. Not to mention, I see it doing multiple sorties almost daily. A not-so-good or inefficient system would not be used that way. It had its share of problems early on but most were addressed.

PAF keeps a watch using ZDKs on the coast/ south zone.

You need to calm down, no one is saying ZDK is useless, just that PAF may prefer the Erieye hence why it is ordering more. Could be for many reasons. It's like saying PAF prefers buying more F-16s then JF-17s. Does not imply JF-17 is useless just that F-16 has more capability.

Personally I think Erieye helped give such a bloody nose on Feb 27th and easily integrates with PAF Western systems, also maybe Swedes are still ahead of China in AESA.

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

ure but situational awareness is key. While the HQ-16 may not be the LONGEST ranged system, it is still sufficient for airborne threats. I am sure the ZDK's can also track AShM's and also other threats like ships.

You will have only 4 Type 054A/Ps. And its not confirmed if they would be equipped with HQ16A or B Version

This should end conspiracy theories related to the ZDK. Not to mention, I see it doing multiple sorties almost daily. A not-so-good or inefficient system would not be used that way. It had its share of problems early on but most were addressed.

PAF keeps a watch using ZDKs on the coast/ south zone.

Are they AESA?

 

[Akh1112]

You will have only 4 Type 054A/Ps. And its not confirmed if they would be equipped with HQ16A or B Version


Are they AESA?

Irrelevant since we would have 8 Anti Air Warfare capable frigates in the form of the Milgem's and the 054's. Im also pretty sure they will be using the HQ-16B.

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Milgem

They will confirm use Chinese SAMs?

 

[Dazzler]

You need to calm down, no one is saying ZDK is useless, just that PAF may prefer the Erieye hence why it is ordering more. Could be for many reasons. It's like saying PAF prefers buying more F-16s then JF-17s. Does not imply JF-17 is useless just that F-16 has more capability.

Personally I think Erieye helped give such a bloody nose on Feb 27th and easily integrates with PAF Western systems, also maybe Swedes are still ahead of China in AESA.

Reporting for duty...

You will have only 4 Type 054A/Ps. And its not confirmed if they would be equipped with HQ16A or B Version


Are they AESA?

It is an E-Scan radar that rotates mechanically. The upgraded ones are to have KLC-7 radar with a much higher T/R count, SATCOM and other goodies. The same radar will be used on Chinese naval AW&CS aircraft.

ZDK's current radar

Upgraded ZDK is to house this