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[Magnus]

Pakistan Acknowledges Sea-Based Nuclear Deterrent

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has acknowledged the existence of a sea-based nuclear deterrent with the recent inauguration of the Headquarters of the Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC) by the head of the Navy, Adm. Asif Sandhila.

A May 19 press release by the military’s Inter Services Public Relations stated the NSFC “will perform a pivotal role in development and employment of the Naval Strategic Force,” and was “the custodian of the nation’s 2nd strike capability.”

Mansoor Ahmed, lecturer at Quaid-e-Azam University’s Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, and who specializes in Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programs, said this is all but specific confirmation of the widely speculated submarine-launched variant of the Babur/HATF-VII (Vengeance-VII) cruise missile.

Analyst Usman Shabbir of the Pakistan Military Consortium think tank said Pakistan has been working on its sea-based deterrent for some time.

“When the Babur was first revealed in 2005, it was claimed that it is mainly designed to be deployed from submarines. There was at least that speculation,” he said.

The Navy “has pretty good experience in using similar systems, for example, both submarine-launched Harpoon and Exocet use a similar system, and [the Navy] has operated both for a long time.”

Shabbir speculates that the launch method may be similar to the UGM-84 Harpoon’s method of being fired from torpedo tubes.

However, other analysts are not so certain the Navy can afford to undertake the responsibility of the nation’s second-strike capability.

Former Australian defense attaché to Islamabad Brian Cloughley said the size of Pakistan’s submarine force is too small to carry out this task.

“Pakistan’s current submarine fleet is not adequate in numbers [although well-trained] to be able to undertake detection and effective interdiction of the Indian fleet, given its size — which is increasing, even if slowly,” he said.

Currently, Pakistan’s submarine flotilla comprises two refurbished 1970s-era Agosta-70s and three 1990s-era Agosta-90B submarines. The latter are equipped with air independent propulsion (AIP) or are in the process of being retrofitted with the AIP module, and incrementally entered service from 1999.

Cloughley said interdiction of India’s fleet “must remain [the Navy’s] first priority,” and considers “conversion of the present assets to take Babur not only costly but a most regrettable diversion of budget allocation.”

“I would go so far as to say that, in present circumstances, it would be a grave error if such a program were to go ahead,” he added.

The Navy, however, has a requirement for new submarines and wants to increase their number. The Agosta-90B design has been superseded twice, once by the DCNI Scorpene, and briefly by a paper design called the Marlin before it was absorbed into the Scorpene family.

There is a confirmed requirement for 12 to 14 submarines to meet Navy expansion plans. This would allow for a constant war patrol of at least one deterrent-tasked submarine, leaving other submarines to carry out more traditional tasks.

However, Cloughley is still certain that Pakistan does not require such a capability.

“[Pakistan] has plenty of nuclear-capable SSMs and strike aircraft, and does not need a Navy-oriented second-strike capability,” he said.

http://www.defensene...|text|FRONTPAGE

[butterfly]

Cloughley.....another white man trying to tell us what we need and what we don't. With this we don't need to go after the Indian ships. Additionally, second strike capability won't be India specific now will it?!

[platinum786]

Mashallah, Mashallah.

This is a moment of great joy for us. Look back 10 years ago we couldn't have dreamt of this moment. Despite a decade of war, suffering, chaos, by the grace of Allah, we've gone from strength to strength. Stay firm to your beliefs, dont compromise you values, the curse of leadership will lift too, keep your faith in Allah, Allah will deliver his people from darkness.

[complicated]

agreed 100%.

platinum786, on 25 May 2012 - 08:26 AM, said:

Mashallah, Mashallah.

This is a moment of great joy for us. Look back 10 years ago we couldn't have dreamt of this moment. Despite a decade of war, suffering, chaos, by the grace of Allah, we've gone from strength to strength. Stay firm to your beliefs, dont compromise you values, the curse of leadership will lift too, keep your faith in Allah, Allah will deliver his people from darkness.

[Dizasta]

I really hope that Pakistan Navy increases its Submarine strength to at least 12-14 subs, that should be a mixture of hunter-killer and attack submarines. The submarine offers Pakistan Navy a potent and deadly offensive platform which would be able to destroy sensitive enemy installations, aircraft carriers and etc.

[SUPARCO]

Salaam,

Mubarrak ho to all Pakistani brothers and sisters.

I must also mention, this is the only military wing of Pakistan which has acknowledged possessing nuclear deterrent but have not actually demonstrated it.

The army has tested missiles, air force has launched Ra'ad but navy?  Nothing yet.

Salaam

[Felicius]

http://www.usnwc.edu...e-Pakistan-Navy

Quote

Second Strike on board Conventional Submarines: The Agosta 90B In October 2008, the chief of staff of the Pakistan Navy claimed that his service was capable of deploying strategic weapons at sea. The details as to how strategic or nuclear weapons would be deployed and whether Pakistan had developed a capability to launch missiles from submarines were not disclosed. But it is widely speculated that work on arming the Pakistan Navy’s conventional submarines with nuclear-tipped missiles has been going on now for quite some time. A sea version of the Babur cruise missile is thought to have been developed by the country’s strategic organizations.

Quote

In the short term (within five years), Pakistan Navy Khalid-class submarines with their cutting-edge technology could be armed to carry nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. Several formidable challenges would, however, have to be overcome. Missile installation and subsequent integration with the onboard combat system, as well as with the nuclear command-and-control infrastructure (C4I network), could be daunting tasks. The combat system, meant for conventional weapons, may require major changes to accommodate nonconventional weapons. During operational deployments a Pakistan Navy submarine carrying nuclear weapons would be under the operational control not of Commander Pakistan Fleet, as in existing practice, but of theNational Command Authority. Perhaps a greater challenge would be ensuring foolproof communications between the submerged submarine and the shore-based command. An electromagnetic pulse following a nuclear burst would disrupt the earth’s electromagnetic spectrum, resulting in a partial or complete breakdown of communications, including shore–submarine. The problem is compounded by the absence of domestic communications satellites. A very-low-frequency (VLF) communications system can provide an answer, to some extent. A sustained program of tests and trials would be needed to develop a robust communication system that can sustain such a contingency.

Edited by Shehz, 27 May 2012 - 09:15 AM.

[SUPARCO]

NAVAL CHIEF INAUGURATES NAVAL STRATEGIC FORCE HEADQUARTERS
Islamabad: Saturday May 19, 2012
No PR122/2012-ISPR

Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila today inaugurated the newly constructed Headquarters of the Naval Strategic Force Command (NSFC). Lt Gen (Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai Director General Strategic Plans Division and other senior ranking Naval and Military officers were also present on the occasion.

While welcoming the Chief Guest, Vice Admiral Tanveer Faiz, Commander Naval Strategic Force Command highlighted that HQ NSFC will perform a pivotal role in development and employment of the Naval Strategic Force. The Force, which is the custodian of the nation's 2nd strike capability, will strengthen Pakistan's policy of Credible Minimum Deterrence and ensure regional stability.

The Chief of the Naval Staff commended the quality of work in making the HQ NSFC a state of the art facility. He declared that the day marks the formal establishment of the Naval Strategic Force Command of Pakistan.



Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila and Lt Gen (Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai Director General Strategic Plans Division offering dua after inaugurated the newly constructed Headquarters of the Naval Strategic Force Command today. (19-05-2012) – Photo ISPR

http://www.ispr.gov....067#pr_link2067