BEIJING, July 13 (APP): The ongoing China-Pakistan joint naval drill off Shanghai entered a live-fire phase after wrapping up the exchange phase on shore, with analysts saying that the Pakistan Navy’s China-built Type 054A/P frigate is expected to gain valuable experience from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s vessel of the same type.
Warships participating in the Sea Guardians-2 joint maritime drill, including the Type 054Aguided missile frigate Xiangtan and Type 056Aguided missile corvette Shuozhou from the PLA Navy and the Type 054A/P guided missile frigate Taimur from the Pakistan Navy, left port on Tuesday for the live-fire phase of the exercise, according to the PLA Navy.
During the two-day live-fire phase, the vessels will conduct training courses including communications, joint missile and main gun attacks against maritime targets, anti-aircraft shooting with close-in weapons system, joint replenishment, joint tactical maneuvering, joint anti-submarine warfare, air defense and anti-missile, as well as joint support on damaged vessels, the PLA Navy said.
The Type 903 comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu, an early warning aircraft, two fighter jets and a helicopter from the PLA Navy will also join the drills in the process.
The live-fire phase came after the two navies wrapped up the two-day exchange phase on shore on Monday, which featured simulations of tactics and command as well as professional exchanges between sailors from the Xiangtanand the Taimur over techniques in the use of the main gun and the close-in weapon system, the support of vessel-based helicopters, anti-submarine warfare, damage control and maritime replenishment, the PLA Navy said.
Both the Xiangtan and the Taimur are of the Type 054A-classs frigate, observers said. Pakistan is the first user of the China-built Type 054Aoutside of China, with the Taimur, the second of four Type 054A/P frigates, being delivered to the Pakistan Navy in Shanghai on June 23, and the first ship of its class, the Tughril, having joined the Pakistan Navy Fleet in January.
Exchanges between Chinese and Pakistani sailors will enable the latter, who just received delivery of the Taimur, to quickly accumulate knowledge in making the best out of the vessel, and putting them into practice in the live-fire exercises, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times.
By teaming up with Chinese vessels and aircraft, the Pakistani warship will get the chance to integrate into the PLA’s combat system and receive real-time battlefield information. This experience will help Pakistan build its own comprehensive combat system, the expert said, citing a report by the PLA Daily, which said the PLA Navy’s early warning aircraft is scheduled to provide situational intelligence and targeting data to the Pakistani vessel in the missile attack drill.
While sharing the same general design, the Pakistan Navy’s Type 054A/P is better equipped than its counterpart in the PLA Navy in some aspects, Shanghai-based news website eastday.com reported. The Type 054A/P’s radar system reportedly has longer detection range with additional anti-stealth capability, while its anti-ship missiles have faster speed and longer range.
This is because the Pakistan Navy uses the Type 054A/P as its main surface combatant that must be responsible for all anti-air, anti-ship and anti-submarine missions, while the PLA Navy uses the Type 054A as a support ship for only anti-submarine and additional anti-air missions, eastday.com said, as the PLA Navy has larger vessels like the Type 055 and Type 052D destroyers as main surface combatants.
It reflects that China’s arms industry can customize its weapons and equipment for foreign customers to suit their demands, analysts said.
Published on July 13, 2022
Source : https://www.app.com.pk/global/china-pakistan-joint-navel-drill-enters-live-phase/
China, Pakistan kick off joint naval drill off Shanghai
BEIJING:China and Pakistan launched a joint naval exercise off Shanghai to further enhance military cooperation and deepen friendship.
Chinese analysts saying that the drills target maritime security threats, including those to strategic transport sea lanes.
Based on agreements reached by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and the Pakistan Navy, the two sides will hold joint naval drill Sea Guardians-2 in maritime and aerial spaces off Shanghai in mid-July, Captain Liu Wensheng, a spokesperson for the PLA Navy, said in a statement.
An opening ceremony was held at a naval port in Wusong, Shanghai on Sunday. The drills will last until Wednesday.
The PLA Eastern Theater Command Navy sent the frigate Xiangtan, the corvette Shuozhou, the comprehensive supply ship Qiandaohu, a submarine, an early warning aircraft, two fighter jets and a helicopter, while the Pakistan Navy’s frigate Taimur joined the exercise.
Themed “jointly dealing with maritime security threats,” the exercise will feature training courses including joint strike against maritime targets, joint tactical maneuvering, joint anti-submarine warfare and joint support for damaged vessels, Liu said.
The drill’s goal is to enhance defense cooperation, conduct professional and technical exchanges, deepen traditional friendship between the two countries and the two navies, and promote the development of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between China and Pakistan, Liu said.
The exercise is a normal arrangement according to an annual schedule, and it is not aimed at a third party, the spokesperson said.
China and Pakistan face non-traditional security threats including piracy and maritime terrorists in regions like the Indian Ocean, so it has become necessary that the two countries enhance cooperation in these aspects, Wei Dongxu, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times.
The two countries also need to jointly demonstrate their capabilities in safeguarding strategic sea lanes that transport energy and goods, Wei said.
This is the second time a China-Pakistan joint naval exercise has been codenamed Sea Guardians. The first edition of the Sea Guardians exercise was held in January 2020 in the North Arabian Sea off Karachi, media reported at the time.
Wei said that the Sea Guardians drill could become routine between the two countries navies.
China and Pakistan enjoy a high level of strategic mutual trust, and the two countries’ militaries engage in all types of exchanges. Now that the Pakistan Navy has commissioned more, advanced frigates, it has gained enhanced capabilities in distant waters, enabling it to conduct more joint activities with China that can further enhance the two countries’ mutual trust and fulfill international responsibilities, Wei said.
Pakistan’s vessel in the drill, the Taimur, is the second of four powerful Type 054A/P frigates built by China. It was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in Shanghai on June 23. The first ship in the Type 054A/P-class, the Tughril, joined the Pakistan Navy Fleet in January.
The newly delivered Taimur’s participation in the drills indicates its high technical maturity, the success in the Pakistani sailors’ training, as well as the rich experience accumulated by the Tughril, Chinese analysts said.
July 11, 2022
Source: https://www.app.com.pk/global/china-pakistan-kick-off-joint-naval-drill-off-shanghai/
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