The Pakistan Navy's high professional standards and qualitative edge make it a much more potent threat to the Indian Navy than it is usually given credit for. Under the BROWN LAW, we may get the additional Harpoon missiles and the 3 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft that Pakistan had paid for.

Here's the profile of the Pakistan Navy:

     PAKISTAN  NAVY                

Personnel: 24,000                   
Air-craft Carriers: 0             
                                    
Destroyers/Frigates:  17            
(including the Type-21 frigates purchased from the Royal Navy as replacement 
of the 8 leased American frigates)                  
                                    
Submarines:    6  French            
(3 AGOSTA Class boats with AIPS (Air independent propulsion system) are  
on order with France                                                    
                                    
Corvettes/Missile boats:   9         
                                    
Mineswweepers:    3  (2 on order)   
                                    
Maritime Patrol Aircraft:  5        
(P-3 Orions stopped due to Pressler amendment)                 
                                    
Fleet Tankers:   2          

PAKISTAN NAVY; ORGANISATION

The Pakistan Navy is commanded by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) who exercises his command through the following authorities:

Commander Karachi             (COMKAR)
Commander Pakistan Fleet      (COMPAK)
Commander North Navy          (COMNOR)
Commander Logistics           (COMLOG)

COMPAK has destroyer and submarine commands under him.

EQUIPMENT

FRIGATES/DESTROYERS:

The 8 American Frigates (Garcia Class) whose lease expired in 1993 were returned to the USN, sans the Depth Charging/Sonar equipment and missile launchers which are owned by Pakistan. 6 Type-21 Frigates have been purchased from the Royal Navy. All of them have been commissioned in the PN. These are quite capable ships. Brief details are :

Displacement: 3,800 tons      Length: 130m
Max Speed: 30.5 knots 
Crew complement: 250          Can be retrofitted with EXOCET or HARPOONS

IN, has mostly old Russian WWII vintage frigates with russian not-so-smart missiles.

SUBMARINES:

The PN currently operates 6 submarines. 2 AGOSTA Class boats, which are newer, quieter and generally pack a greater punch than the 4 older DAPHNE class. Interestingly, the DAPHNEs are still quieter than most of the INDIAN subs --- old Russian KILOs and FOXTROT class boats.

One of the Pakistan Navy Augusta class subs.

All of our submarines (and some frigates) are fitted with the proven HARPOON (RGM-84) anti-ship missile. It has an effective range of about 100 KM. One missile can cripple a frigate and two can DISABLE the small Indian Carriers. It is a VERY SMART weapon, with on-board computers guiding it towards the target. As compared to the Russian missiles, it is very difficult to 'fool' it by using electronic countermeasures.

One of the Pakistan Navy daphne class subs.

The major target of our Harpoon-armed boats shoud be IN's two aircraft carriers. Early in the battle, this devastating move would break the backbone of the IN. After sinking 'em, our subs should hunt down their Indian counterparts. Which should not be too difficult, given the noisy SOUND SIGNATURE of the Russian made boats and our SONAR's ( SOund NAvigation and Ranging) qualitative edge.

Remember that in 1965, Pakistan had 1 submarine, PNS Ghazi, while India had none. That boat instilled such a fear in the heart of the IN that it stayed in port throughout the War.

NAVAL AIRCRAFT:

Currently, Pakistan has 5 Seakings armed with depth charges and sonobouys + special F-27 Fokkers. We had the excellent P-3 ORIONS on order from America and they were due to leave for Pakistan just three days before the Pressler Amendment was enacted and Aid to Pakistan Stopped. Armed with Harpoons, they would have given the PN a considerable qualitative gain. The last Indian Naval Chief, Admiral L. RAMDAS, is rumoured to have thanked his angels when he got the news that we aren't getting the P-3s.

We also have a squadron of MIRAGE IIIs, armed with EXOCET anti-ship missiles dedicated to Naval strikes.

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