"Pakistan's industry joins international competition for new NATO-standard rifle"

[falcone]

"Pakistan's industry joins international competition for new NATO-standard rifle
Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) has supplied the Pakistan Army with trials PK-8 assault rifles as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) considers changing from 7.62 mm weapons to a 5.56 mm system.But POF is facing competition from international companies including FN Herstal, which has already supplied certain units within the Pakistan armed forces with 5.56 mm weapons.
[Jane's International Defence Review - first posted to http://idr.janes.com - 14 March 2007]"

Does anyone have info. on the "PK-8" rifle? Anyone want to speculate on the potential success of Pakistani small arms in the international arena?

 

[PakShaheen]

An image or two would be nice, along with some specs.. I tried google-ing it and all i came up with was the Soviet PK (the FN MAG soviet equivalent).

 

[PakSniper]

Full Text of the Janes article follows:

JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY - MARCH 07, 2007

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pakistan tests assault rifle
Andrew White Jane's Land Reporter
London

The Pakistan Ministry of Defence (MoD) has procured 50 PK-8 assault rifles from Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) for evaluation tests as it considers changing calibre in line with NATO armed forces.

The PK-8, which fires the standard NATO 5.56 mm cartridge, has undergone tests in environments ranging from -40˚ C to +50˚ C and the system is being offered as a replacement for the army's existing armoury of 7.62 mm Heckler & Koch G3 assault rifles.

Complete with an Aimpoint optical sight and Picatinny rail for add-on ancillaries such as laser pointers and underslung grenade launchers, the PK-8 has a folding stock, shorter barrel and multiple parts commonality with its larger-calibre G3 relation, according to POF.

Any change in calibre for the army could see the procurement of around 500,000 assault rifles, although POF Director Syed Naseem Raza told Jane's that it was "very happy" with 7.62 mm weapon systems.

Industry sources at POF have recommended that any calibre change be gradually phased in, starting with procurements for the army's Special Service Group (SSG) and light infantry.

Currently, certain units within the Pakistan armed forces already use 5.56 mm systems.

Industry sources told Jane's that they were confident of seeing a new programme within a couple of years.

The army also uses 7.62 mm AK-47 assault rifles and 9 mm MP5 submachine guns.

Speaking at the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar in Karachi in 2006, General Ihsan, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee, said that a possible change from 7.62 mm to a more uniform NATO round was being considered.

However, Gen Ihsan admitted that there were "resource constraints" to consider before any decision was made: "We are very conscious of equipping our soldiers with the very best possible weapons and equipment, but we must prioritise our requirements," he said.

"We have paid substantial money into indigenous industry and we must first check this before we think about a changing calibre," said the general. Selecting the PK-8 means the MoD would not have to transfer technology from abroad to fulfil any contract.

 

[kidwaibhai]

hey does anybody has any pics of the PK-8 i have been trying to get it for a long time

 

[blain2]

hey does anybody has any pics of the PK-8 i have been trying to get it for a long time

http://www.ispr.gov.pk/images/Big%20Images/DSC_0037.JPG

Blow the picture up and see the PK-8 in green with the scope on. In front of the rifle is a small tag with PK-8 written on it.

More pictures here:

PK-8 and PK-7 - http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i123/blain2/726230601.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i123/blain2/Shaukat-gun-IDEAS.jpg

As you can see, very similar to the overall G-3 design, thus the advantage of being able to use the G-3 production line (which has had considerable investment in money and time over the past two decades).

In the first picture above, the rifle on the front left is PK-8, to the right is PK-7 which is the 7.62mm version of the MP-5 (also shown in the above picture with Shaukat Aziz).

PK-7 (From Janes): Description
The PK-7 is a selective fire, compact weapon designed for use by the military as well as civilian law enforcement agencies. The weapon is based on the blow back recoil roller locking system and is chambered for the 7.62 × 39 mm round. The effective range of the PK-7 is 300 m. The weapon is manufactured from steel pressings and polymer stock, foregrip and pistolgrip. The weapon is fed by 30-rd box magazines. It features flash hider, sling attachments and iron sights.

The rifle in the back of the first picture is something that I have not been able to identify. It may be a scoped sniper rifle, but not exactly sure what it is.

 

[echo 1]

I think that Pakistan should work on developing a SAW (squad automatic weapon) using the PK-8 so at least soliders can use it along side the MG-3 like the German Army. This will provide excellent suppessive fire capability and with good range and proper aiming system it could become a very leathal combination.

 

[blain2]

I think that Pakistan should work on developing a SAW (squad automatic weapon) using the PK-8 so at least soliders can use it along side the MG-3 like the German Army. This will provide excellent suppessive fire capability and with good range and proper aiming system it could become a very leathal combination.

There has been a recent re-structuring of the Infantry units TO&E with Infantry units getting additional MG-3s to increase firepower at the section level. I think something along the lines of FN Minime would be a great addition, however I think the PA would have to look at less expensive alternates.

 

[echo 1]

That is why Pakistan should try to make a PK-8 verient of a SAW oh and I saw more pictures of the PA8 but defencetalk says that these are G3's not PK-8s sorry but I cannot post the website can someone tell me how so I can post it.

 

[blain2]

That is why Pakistan should try to make a PK-8 verient of a SAW oh and I saw more pictures of the PA8 but defencetalk says that these are G3's not PK-8s sorry but I cannot post the website can someone tell me how so I can post it.

Defencetalk is wrong! You can quote me on it at DT

PK-8 has commonality with the G-3 for some very specific reasons thus it looks similar.

If you want to post something from there, just copy the URL and paste it here. That should do the trick.

 

[EagleEyes]

If you search the images on google with "PK-8 gun". You will get this result.

PK-8 gun - Google Image Search

Now those pictures point to this thread, where PA guns have been discussed.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/land-forces/3775-average-pakistani-soldier-7.html

 

[Proud to be Pakistani]

Ironical!

POF Official website shows nothing about PK-08.

No marketing and we are entering the race for NATO standard rifle....?

Welcome to Pakistan Ordnance Factories

 

[Neo]

An image or two would be nice, along with some specs.. I tried google-ing it and all i came up with was the Soviet PK (the FN MAG soviet equivalent).

There you go, it was posted by Blain somewhere else

 

[Keysersoze]

Ironical!

POF Official website shows nothing about PK-08.

No marketing and we are entering the race for NATO standard rifle....?

Welcome to Pakistan Ordnance Factories

The competition is to supply the Pak army........with the contacts they undoubtedly have they would not need too much marketing.

 

[blain2]

The competition is to supply the Pak army........with the contacts they undoubtedly have they would not need too much marketing.

Agreed. POF's job is to convince the Army that the PK-8 makes sense to induct.
Army may have other things on its mind but usually if its a decent enough weapon, they would also support the local industry.

 

[Always Neutral]

World over near all Nato forces use 5.56 mm weapons so it will be wise for PAF to also change over budget permitting for allowing inter-operability between all its own units and the NATO forces in say Afghanistan.