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| India-Pakistan |
| Chinese "AWACS Killers" Might be Sold to Pakistan |
| 2003-10-24 |
| Confirming China’s acquiescence to support Pakistan in dealing with the strategic challenge posed by Indo-Israel military collaboration, reliable European defence experts have claimed that Chinese "AWACS Killers" would concrete Pakistan’s defense reciprocally. I can’t blame the Chinese for trying to develop a weapon called "AWACS Killer". They know they are our enemies. FT-2000 commonly known as "AWACS Killers", surface to air missile (SAM), designed by Chinese experts are considered to be the most appropriate option, if the USA refuses to provide the same kind of "AWACS" to Pakistan which are being sold to India by Israel under the approval of Washington. Ah, trying to blackmail the United States into selling AWACS to you. Then you will buy the FT-2000’s from China anyway. Indian clarification that it will use the Phalcons in only ’Kargil type of intrusions’ has failed to assuage authorities in Beijing, who believe that the India-Israel-Russia Il-76-Phalcon deal is deleterious for regional peace as Phalcons are force-multipliers and would dramatically alter the conventional weapons balance in the region. The Chinese Communists in Beiljing consider AWACS to be "force multipliers." I wonder whether they tell that to the rank-and-file of the Party. The European experts indicate that Pakistan may take the same option followed by China when the USA vetoed the Israeli decision to provide AWACS to China. China had warned Israel that its decision to cancel the sale of an advanced airborne radar system could hurt bilateral relations. But Israel bowed to American pressure in July 2000 and scrapped a $250m deal to sell China a Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). Ehud Barak’s decision to sell AWACS to China back in 2000 was absolutely despicable. Yet another reason to love Israel’s Likhud Party. The US administration, according to the defence source, have indicated that they would help Pakistan in countering the conventional weapons imbalance affected in the region by India-Israel Phalcon deal only if the congress agrees to such a proposal. Analysts here believe that the US congress seems to be in no mood, however, to assent to any of such proposal tabled by the administration. A little bias, or ignorance to be generous, from the PakTribune. The US administration CANNOT sell AWACS to Pakistan unless Congress approves. (And selling AWACS to Pakistan would guarantee such technology would fall into Chinese hands.) |
| Posted by:Sorge |
| #5 From height a lockdown aircraft like several AWACS style aircraft could be well away from Pakistan and still have coverage of such an elongated land mass. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-10-24 6:07:46 PM |
| #4 If the range is in fact 100km against high-altitude targets, then the FT-2000 is in fact overrated. It seems Pakistan is trying a pathetic scare tactic on us, more than anything else. |
| Posted by: Sorge 2003-10-24 4:56:21 PM |
| #3 The 400 KM range of the system is at high altitude against B-52s. At mid-altitude against a Mig-23 it might be 150 km.... Once it get close enuf the missle might be able to use an active seeker. But I'll bet the whole FT-2000 thing is over sold. Course now I was wrong about the SA-6.... |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-10-24 4:09:22 PM |
| #2 If it is effective, the "AWACS Killer" at least reduces the range and coverage of AWACS. A 100 km anti-aircraft missile seems to me quite a stretch. What would it home on ? Turn off the AWACS while the missile is in flight and the thing would not have a powerful enough active radar to find a target. Turn the AWACS on again after the missile passes. Am I mistaken ? |
| Posted by: buwaya 2003-10-24 1:43:56 PM |
| #1 According to StrategyPage.com, the FT-2000 has a range of only 100km, while the Phalcon has a range of 400km. Using the FT2000 as an AWACS killer is "literally a long shot". |
| Posted by: Joel 2003-10-24 1:26:01 PM |