Pak Navy enhancing visibility, reach: Pak Navel Chief
Islamabad, Oct 7 (PTI) Pakistan's navy is enhancing its visibility and reach beyond boundaries to provide leverage to national, diplomatic and security interests, the country's outgoing Naval Chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah said today.
Pakistan Navy's participation in Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan and successful conduct of maritime diplomacy through flag-showing and its presence from China in the East to the US in the West was part of its new policy, he said at a farewell meeting here.
The country's navy today stand out as an effective and efficient arm of the Armed Forces, fully capable of protecting its maritime interests and maintaining deterrence, he said.
Karimullah, who has been appointed as Ambassador to Saudi Arbia, has been succeeded by Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir.
Taking over command, Tahir said Navy's responsibilities at sea have increased manifold with the passage of time and with the turn of events in this part of the world.
"We must be fully prepared to fight and prevail through the attributes of superior training, professional excellence and above all faith in our cause," he said. PTI
Pak Navy team to visit US for training to fly P-3C Orions
Islamabad: A team of Pakistan navy pilots, engineers and technicians is scheduled to leave shortly for the United States for advanced training to fly P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft, a media report said here today.
Pakistan's Independent wire service, INP quoted defence sources as saying logistic services international (LSI) will impart training to Pakistani contingent which has been awarded a contract amounting to 30.3 million dollars.
But, Pakistan will not be paying the trainers as the US government will cater for it from the 3 billion dollars aid announced recently by US for Pakistan, Rear Admiral Shafi, the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) said.
''Pakistan Navy deals directly with its American counterpart under FMS Program and is so far not in picture regarding the contract with LSI,'' the Admiral added.
The US had announced to sell eight P-3Cs to Pakistan free of cost last November in recognition of the latter's role in the ongoing war against terrorism.
''The aircraft are being provided free of cost by the US Navy and the expenses for modification of aircraft avionics systems will be met mostly from the US military aid,'' he said.
With the induction of eight P-3Cs, the existing fleet of PN P-3Cs will grow up to 10 , sources in the Navy said.
The training and support is designed to meet Navy training standards. Another contract worth 100 million US dollars for imparting training is being negotiated with the Army.
Three-fourths of the work for the new contract will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida with the rest to be done in Karachi, the sources added.
The contract is expected to be completed in November 2010.
Three P3C-II3/4 Orions were inducted into the Pakistan Navy on January 22, 1999 after numerous delays by the US due to arms embargo. one of the three crashed on October 29, 1999.
Earlier this year, Portugal’s OGMA was subcontracted by Lockheed Martin to make the remaining two airworthy.
Pakistan becomes first Muslim state to lead US coalition task force
Manama - The Pakistan Monday became the first Muslim and non-NATO country to command the maritime Coalition Task Force 150 (CTF 150) in the global war on terror.
In a ceremony held in a Manama port aboard the Netherlands destroyer HNLMS De Zeven Provincien, the command of CTF-150 was handed over from Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Hank Ort to Pakistan's Navy Rear Admiral Shahid Igbal.
The De Zeven Provincien served as the command ship for the task force. The ceremony was attended by US, Pakistani, Dutch, British, Saudi, and Bahraini officials, among others.
CTF 150 - which conducts what is known as Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea - is considered one of the key components of the US war strategy to deny terrorists maritime access in the Gulf region.
US Naval Forces Central Command and US 5th Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Patrick M Walsh said Pakistan had played a strategic role in CTF 150, adding that Pakistani participation was central to the collective efforts of the coalition.
The Chief of the Office of Defence Representative to Pakistan, Brigadier General Charles H. Davidson IV, also praised the progress Pakistan made in the war on terror and efforts to root out the al- Qaeda terrorist network.
'The war on terror is a long war and we have to measure our progress in increments,' he said. 'What we had today in Pakistan taking command of this significant responsibility is a perfect example of that incremental progress.'
Davidson said the recent tape from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was noteworthy but added that Pakistan, which was in the eye of the storm in the war on terror, was an energetic and valuable ally in fighting al-Qaeda.
Davidson added that the key to rooting out the suspected al-Qaeda elements from the Pakistani-Afghani border could only be achieved if the Pakistani military was given the freedom to move in that area.
The Pakistani army is aggressively procuring that end, he said.
Ort, who lead the task force for the past four and a half months, said security cooperation had been one of the key areas of their focus.
'No one nation can think of realizing security on its own,' he said. 'We need the international coalition but, even more importantly, we need the cooperation of the regional nations.'
Ort added that the fact that Pakistan was in a position to take command of the task force was a sign of progress in that area.
Rear Admiral Igbal described his country's command of the task force as 'a historic day' that showed the important role his country and navy played in the region.
Pakistan's Navy Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Mohammad Haroon said that since April 2004 Pakistan has continued to deploy a frigate and helicopter to support the operations of the task force.
'To date we have contributed 12 ships for this duty even at times by compromising on our national tasking,' he said.
The task force, which was established in December 2001 under UN resolution 1373 in response to the September 11 attacks, operates under the command of the US 5th Fleet but is not linked to US-lead efforts in Iraq.
The task force is primarily made up of NATO ships from the US, Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, and Canada with Pakistan and New Zealand being the only two non-NATO ally members participating in it.
A German commander is expected to assume command of CTF 150 from Pakistan in August, with two German ships taking part in that effort.
Islamabad, Oct 7 (PTI) Pakistan's navy is enhancing its visibility and reach beyond boundaries to provide leverage to national, diplomatic and security interests, the country's outgoing Naval Chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah said today.
Pakistan Navy's participation in Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan and successful conduct of maritime diplomacy through flag-showing and its presence from China in the East to the US in the West was part of its new policy, he said at a farewell meeting here.
The country's navy today stand out as an effective and efficient arm of the Armed Forces, fully capable of protecting its maritime interests and maintaining deterrence, he said.
Karimullah, who has been appointed as Ambassador to Saudi Arbia, has been succeeded by Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir.
Taking over command, Tahir said Navy's responsibilities at sea have increased manifold with the passage of time and with the turn of events in this part of the world.
"We must be fully prepared to fight and prevail through the attributes of superior training, professional excellence and above all faith in our cause," he said. PTI
Pak Navy team to visit US for training to fly P-3C Orions
Islamabad: A team of Pakistan navy pilots, engineers and technicians is scheduled to leave shortly for the United States for advanced training to fly P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft, a media report said here today.
Pakistan's Independent wire service, INP quoted defence sources as saying logistic services international (LSI) will impart training to Pakistani contingent which has been awarded a contract amounting to 30.3 million dollars.
But, Pakistan will not be paying the trainers as the US government will cater for it from the 3 billion dollars aid announced recently by US for Pakistan, Rear Admiral Shafi, the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) said.
''Pakistan Navy deals directly with its American counterpart under FMS Program and is so far not in picture regarding the contract with LSI,'' the Admiral added.
The US had announced to sell eight P-3Cs to Pakistan free of cost last November in recognition of the latter's role in the ongoing war against terrorism.
''The aircraft are being provided free of cost by the US Navy and the expenses for modification of aircraft avionics systems will be met mostly from the US military aid,'' he said.
With the induction of eight P-3Cs, the existing fleet of PN P-3Cs will grow up to 10 , sources in the Navy said.
The training and support is designed to meet Navy training standards. Another contract worth 100 million US dollars for imparting training is being negotiated with the Army.
Three-fourths of the work for the new contract will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida with the rest to be done in Karachi, the sources added.
The contract is expected to be completed in November 2010.
Three P3C-II3/4 Orions were inducted into the Pakistan Navy on January 22, 1999 after numerous delays by the US due to arms embargo. one of the three crashed on October 29, 1999.
Earlier this year, Portugal’s OGMA was subcontracted by Lockheed Martin to make the remaining two airworthy.
Pakistan becomes first Muslim state to lead US coalition task force
Manama - The Pakistan Monday became the first Muslim and non-NATO country to command the maritime Coalition Task Force 150 (CTF 150) in the global war on terror.
In a ceremony held in a Manama port aboard the Netherlands destroyer HNLMS De Zeven Provincien, the command of CTF-150 was handed over from Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Hank Ort to Pakistan's Navy Rear Admiral Shahid Igbal.
The De Zeven Provincien served as the command ship for the task force. The ceremony was attended by US, Pakistani, Dutch, British, Saudi, and Bahraini officials, among others.
CTF 150 - which conducts what is known as Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea - is considered one of the key components of the US war strategy to deny terrorists maritime access in the Gulf region.
US Naval Forces Central Command and US 5th Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Patrick M Walsh said Pakistan had played a strategic role in CTF 150, adding that Pakistani participation was central to the collective efforts of the coalition.
The Chief of the Office of Defence Representative to Pakistan, Brigadier General Charles H. Davidson IV, also praised the progress Pakistan made in the war on terror and efforts to root out the al- Qaeda terrorist network.
'The war on terror is a long war and we have to measure our progress in increments,' he said. 'What we had today in Pakistan taking command of this significant responsibility is a perfect example of that incremental progress.'
Davidson said the recent tape from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was noteworthy but added that Pakistan, which was in the eye of the storm in the war on terror, was an energetic and valuable ally in fighting al-Qaeda.
Davidson added that the key to rooting out the suspected al-Qaeda elements from the Pakistani-Afghani border could only be achieved if the Pakistani military was given the freedom to move in that area.
The Pakistani army is aggressively procuring that end, he said.
Ort, who lead the task force for the past four and a half months, said security cooperation had been one of the key areas of their focus.
'No one nation can think of realizing security on its own,' he said. 'We need the international coalition but, even more importantly, we need the cooperation of the regional nations.'
Ort added that the fact that Pakistan was in a position to take command of the task force was a sign of progress in that area.
Rear Admiral Igbal described his country's command of the task force as 'a historic day' that showed the important role his country and navy played in the region.
Pakistan's Navy Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Mohammad Haroon said that since April 2004 Pakistan has continued to deploy a frigate and helicopter to support the operations of the task force.
'To date we have contributed 12 ships for this duty even at times by compromising on our national tasking,' he said.
The task force, which was established in December 2001 under UN resolution 1373 in response to the September 11 attacks, operates under the command of the US 5th Fleet but is not linked to US-lead efforts in Iraq.
The task force is primarily made up of NATO ships from the US, Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, and Canada with Pakistan and New Zealand being the only two non-NATO ally members participating in it.
A German commander is expected to assume command of CTF 150 from Pakistan in August, with two German ships taking part in that effort.