ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy plans to build a 500 ton missile fired vessel with Chinese assistance to add more teeth to its striking power. Commodore Mo hammed Ilyas, Pakistan’s assistant chief of naval staff (aviation), has said.
Talking to a group of reporters at the naval headquarters here, Commodore Ilyas, however added the Indian navy, which was nine times stronger than Pakistan’s had the capability to pose a serious threat to Pakistan.
But the Pakistan navy was cap able of defending its territorial integrity despite the numerical superiority of its adversary. He added, “we have the potential to hit back at any aggression.”
When questioned as to how long the Pakistan navy would last in a war with India, he said, “the navy can last as long as the air force and the army, but I can assure you that what happened in 1971 will not be repeated.”
Commodore Ilyas said he felt that a strong Pakistan navy at that time could have averted the “east wing debacle.”
Responding to a question, he said Pakistan navy was not in a pathetic state. Since 1975, it was in a better position since the navy had acquired a number of warships.
He said a 25 year plan for modernizing the navy had been approved which would enable it to face any future challenge.
The commodore said, the nu clear submarines acquired by India from the Soviet Union had given it a long hand. “The need more aerial support to face this threat.” The induction of the P3 Orion aircraft would strengthen the naval position considerably, he added.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 1, 1989
