Burraq: Pakistan’s First Domestic Made Armed Drone

The United States Air Force has been using Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) in the war against terror for quite a while to target Taliban and insurgents in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In light of efficiency and productivity of these UAVs, Pakistan repeatedly requested USA to equip Pak army with drone technology, which were turned down. This was when Pakistan began its own UAV development program. The military funded different drones built by both the private and public sector.

The result is that Pakistan has made tremendous strides in UAV development. Mukhbir, Uqaab, Jasoos are just a few of the UAVs developed.

Pakistan in fact entered into a deal with the Italian firm, Selex-Galileo, for the licensed local production of UAV aircraft at the Kamra Aeronautical facilities. Falco UAV was built in these facilities and now the Air Force is looking to provide it firepower in the form of miniature missiles.

The Pakistan Navy also acquired rotorcraft drones from foreign sources while the Pakistan Army has been working to develop partnerships with China and has provided incentives to local manufacturers to continue developing advanced platforms within the country.

However these were all reconnaissance drones. There was awareness about the need for an armed drone capable of wiping out targets without the need for fighter jets and now it seems that the Burraq, under development for four years and billed as a long range and high endurance armed UAV aircraft, may be ready for deployment.

First news of Pakistan starting work on Predator-like drones surfaced in 2009, when it was revealed that NESCOM was flight testing a new design aircraft which was to be equipped with laser designator and laser guided missiles. Now it seems that all the pieces of the Pakistani drone development program puzzle are coming together. Sources suggest that it will be in flight by early 2012.

The Pakistani UAV program is just one indicator of the potential of this country. A domestic UAV program is beneficial in numerous ways. Firstly, it will aid the local manufacturing industry and all the money that would have flowed out of the country stays here.

If technology is purchased, it has to be used as it is provided, there is no room for customization and there's always the knowledge that the seller would be capable of neutralizing the technology in question if they wanted to since we don't know if they included fail safes in the designs if the technology were to be used against them.

With a domestic program, we can realize the full potential. This also provides a boost to different tech firms operating in Pakistan since someone has to supply all the things like materials to software to build the UAV. So not only is the Burraq is going to help bolster our defenses, it will also provide economic benefits.

The Burraq UAV is an example of how we can achieve whatever we set our minds to. In a world where foreign powers are looking to gain the upper hand when ever possible, such technological programs will work to keep them at bay while keeping our people safe. ProPakistani prays that we will continue to explore new research avenues and develop technology to protect the sovereignty of the country

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Cross-border attack of Pak and Afghan: Security forces kill 11 militants, regain control of Bajaur

An overnight operation by security forces and local lashkars against a cross-border attack in Bajaur Agency ended on Friday when the army regained control of the area.

Several hundred militants had crossed over from Afghanistan and occupied three villages in Bajaur Agency.
Express 24/7 correspondent Iftikhar Firdous reported that security forces regained control of the Bara Mokha, Sarkai and Mano Zangal villages after a successful operation in which 11 militants were killed.
Three men from the lashkar and one security official were also killed in the operation against militants. Officials said that the death toll is likely to rise.
Updated from print edition (below)
15 killed in cross-border attack in Bajaur Agency
Several hundred militants crossed the border from Afghanistan to Bajaur Agency on Thursday, resulting in hours of clashes that killed 15 people.
The dead included nine militants, three lashkar volunteers, a soldier and two women, sources said. However, government official Muhammad Ilyas Khan told AFP that 17 people had been killed, including three women, while three children had been injured.
The attack, close to Afghanistan’s Kunar province, occurred when around 300 militants attacked three villages at around 4:00am. “Tribesmen from the local lashkar (militia) joined paramilitary forces and the army artillery pounded shells,” Khan said. Following the attack, security forces were deployed in the area.
The militants eventually fled and the firing stopped around 1.00 pm, local government and security officials said. Security sources put the number of attackers around 200.

Pakistan would become fourth largest nuclear state at the end of this decade

Pakistan would become fourth largest nuclear state at the end of this decade, A US website, The Huffington Post reported.

The website claimed that the world's five original nuclear weapons countries have all suspended production of fissile materials for new weapons and are negotiating cuts in their nuclear arsenals. But Pakistan is steadily building more nuclear weapons, adding production capacity to produce plutonium and enrich uranium, and building new missiles to deliver nuclear warheads.

It further claimed that the nuclear risks in Pakistan are three-fold: its non-proliferation record is poor, there are concerns about the security of sensitive nuclear materials, and there is no sign of a slowdown in its nuclear weapons drive. A global response needs to be calibrated to address all three of these potential threats.

Former UN weapons inspector David Albright, reported that Pakistan appears to be building a fourth plutonium reactor at the Khushab complex, and is expanding plutonium separation capabilities at another site. 

Another report, from a US think tank, says Pakistan now has 70 to 90 nuclear warheads, more than its rival India. This puts Pakistan on track to command the world's fourth-largest nuclear weapons arsenal by the end of the decade.

The evidence suggests that Pakistan is trying to develop a second-strike nuclear capability. Pakistan has tested cruise and other missiles that can carry strategic warheads from land or even from submarines.
North Korea and Pakistan also continue to partner each other such as in matters of missile and uranium enrichment technologies.

Pakistan is not party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT. In other words, the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide comprehensive safeguards is limited. 

The existing three Pakistani nuclear reactors at Khushab require more than 40 tons of uranium annually.

Pakistan’s recent testing of NASR or Hatf-9

Pakistan’s recent testing of NASR or Hatf-9 short range missile, coupled with its rapidly growing stockpile of low-intensity nuclear weapons,

suggests that it is actually preparing to cross the nuclear threshold in case ofa conflict with India. One of world’s most authoritative voices on
Pakistan’s nuclear strength and American nuclear expert Hans Kristensen said that a nuclear-tipped NASR seemed more like a weapon intended for use against Indian forces advancing into Pakistani territory. “While that wouldn't threaten Indian survival in itself, it would of course mean
crossing the nuclear threshold early in a conflict, which is one of the particular concerns of a short-range nuclear weapon,’’ said Kristensen, who is also Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project director. While the 60-km short range of the nuclear capable missile doesn’t threaten the security of any major Indian city, it certainly makes the Indian army and security forces vulnerable in case India

does try to implement its much talked about Cold Start Doctrine, which entails making deep and precise incursions into Pakistani territory in the event of another Mumbai-like attack. 

 

Pakistan clearly seems to be raising the game considering that India will indeed be under pressure to destroy terror camps in Pakistan in the event of another state sponsored terror attack on India. “A NASR would have to drive all the way up to the Indian border to be able to reach important targets in India. Amritsar would be one candidate, as would several smaller cities along the border.

But that would also expose the missile to counter attack,’’ Kristensen said as he emphasized that with its rangeof only 60 kilometres, the multi-tube NASR system is not intended to retaliateagainst Indian cities but be used first against advancing Indian Army in abattlefield scenario. Kristensen had earlier described Pakistan’s production of Hatf-9 as a worrisome development for South Asia and for efforts to prevent nuclear weapons from being used.