Friday, May 14, 2010

PLAN’s Xia submarine to Pakistan??

Here is a nice summer reading.... according to Commander Muhammad Azam Khan, Pakistan Navy (Retired)'s latest article published in the summer issue of The US Naval War College Review. "Options for the Pakistan Navy", leasing of a Xia class SSBN to the Pakistan Navy is a "viable choice"

Wow, a tall order by any standard.

http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/cc6209f2-7f01-4bb7-ac24-8c301c62f015/S-2--Options-for-the-Pakistan-Navy

Quote:

The once slowly expanding military ties between Beijing and Islamabad have now matured into a strategic partnership, as is evident from local production of the JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter, the Al-Khalid tank, and F-22P frigates.This partnership is further evidenced by the PLAN’s regular participation in the large multinational AMAN series of exercises hosted by the Pakistan Navy. Pakistan’s strategic community and Beijing could plan the training and subsequent lease of a nuclear-powered submarine.

The PLAN’s Xia submarine could be an appropriate start. A pool of selected Pakistan Navy officers could be trained to operate an SSBN, with theoretical/academic work ashore followed by operational training at sea and finally a strategic deployment. Though such a plan seems ambitious and the PLA Navy’s SSBNs rarely prowl far, this remains a viable choice that would serve the two countries well strategically.
End quote

2 comments:

duskylim said...

Lease a missile boat? No way!

No country has ever allowed another access to its ballistic missile submarines, no matter how close the relationship.

An attack boat without cruise missiles is a defensive system, but a missile boat is a strategic offensive strike weapon.

Such a move would make India's already nervous military hawks even more paranoid and might result in dangerous moves on their part.

A Xia boat with 12 accurate nuclear missiles would be seen as such a threat to them that they would probably over-react.

I think that the statesmen of the PRC would not risk an Indian over-reaction and enmity to allow this to happen.

Coatepeque said...

agree