Pak Navy to acquire early warning aircraft and UAVs

Karachi, Jan 30 (ANI): Pakistan's Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir has said that the navy will soon acquire Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to strengthen its air fleet.

Speaking on Thursday at a ceremony marking the induction of a Fokker aircraft and commissioning of the T-56 Engine Test Bench at the Pakistan Navy Aviation Base, PNS Mehran, Admiral Bashir described the induction of Z-9 helicopters, AEWs, UAVs and P-3Cs as a "force multiplier" for the navy's fleet of aircraft.

To enhance the "subsurface defence capability", he said a contract would be signed soon for the German-origin Type-214 submarines.

The Commander of the Naval Aviation, Commodore Adnan Nazir, said the Fokker, being a versatile aircraft, would serve to augment the operational capabilities of the fleet.

The setting up of the T-56 Engine Test Bench was a step towards self-reliance as it would be used for overhauling and maintaining P-3C aircraft, The Dawn quoted him, as saying.

Admiral Bashir, who is also Pro-Chancellor of the Bahria University, formally launched the varsity's medical and dental college.

The college is affiliated with the PNS Shifa hospital and is recognised by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. The college will initially admit 100 students on merit. (ANI)