Apparently, so the story goes, Pakistan is looking at purchasing a number of small coastal submarines from the French in order to patrol the shallow coastal waters found in and around its EEZ. The submarine in question is the French DCNS Andrasta.

 

You can see, probably the most up to date set of figures at this time, here:

 

www.dcnsgroup.com/files/pdf/Andrasta.pdf

 

It all seems fairly impressive. The Andrasta design is an evolution of the SMX-23, which then DCN were pushing back in 2006 at IDEAS 2006 in Karachi. I wrote a little about it for PakDef in my IDEAS2006 report:

 

www.pakdef.info/exhibitions/ideas2006/index.html

 

Contrary to what I wrote in 2006, it seems now that there is a requirement for such a submarine, because unbeknown to me, the waters around the EEZ and nearby Indian littoral, are actually quite shallow, and therefore rather difficult for larger submarines to operate in.

 

The Andrasta is a fairly compact submarine at only 49 metres long, and from the looks of the computer generated images available, looks like it would probably be a fairly manoeuvrable craft, well capable of operating in shallow waters.

 

However, there is one aspect of this which is rather more interesting however, and that is that Pakistan would like to know if the design can modified to include an AIP unit. The French claim it can. At this point alarm bells should be ringing. The Andrasta is a ‘paper design’ like the Marlin (or ‘submarine formerly known as Marlin’ – now a ‘member’ of the Scorpene family). Though it claims to have 70 percent commonality with the Scorpene, it is still a ‘paper design’, because it exists only on paper. With so much riding on its long drawn out submarine acquisition programme, (now thought to include talks for a number of Chinese submarines as well), can Pakistan risk making a mistake? The answer is obviously “NO!”, because Pakistan is a highly indebted nation (thanks to staggering financial mismanagement by the current government), and is surviving on loans because it has very little money of its own, (because the very few Pakistanis that should legitimately be paying the most taxes, have the most violent aversion to paying any taxes at all – amongst other things).

 

There is always considerable risk in buying something ‘off plan’. Ask the Greeks. They purchased the Type-209 ‘off plan’, and then did the same for the Type-214. Both of these submarine designs are superb and have been very successful, but designs need to mature, and there are always glitches that need fixing in even the best of platforms. With two Agosta-70 submarines that are approaching retirement, the Pakistan Navy cannot be allowed to be left with just three Khalid class submarines to shoulder the entire operational burden. However, if there are any more delays, that is what we are facing. Leaving aside the question of whether we will ever see the Type-214 in service, or the Chinese Type-041A Yuan class (or will it be the Type-039 Song class?), if Pakistan really is serious about a small submarine then perhaps there are alternatives. There is one very obvious one, the HDW Type-210mod.

 

Here is HDW’s official Type-210mod page:

 

http://www.hdw.de/en/class-210mod.html

 

As can be seen, it is a slightly larger design than the Andrasta, but the that should not be taken as the key difference (bar some clear performance and armament advantages in favour of the Type-210mod), because if a 6 metre AIP ‘plug’ is inserted into the French submarine, they will both be of similar dimensions. The key difference is, is that the Type-210mod is a far less risky design. The risk in fact seems to be minimal.

 

For a start it is based on an existing design, the Norwegian Ula class that has been in service for around twenty years. Here’s the Military Today page for the Ula class submarine:

 

http://www.military-today.com/navy/ula_class.htm

 

(It has a short film that shows you nothing in particular if you’re interested). Or if it takes your fancy, here’s the Wiki entry:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ula_class_submarine

 

As you can see, it is a fairly decent design with good pedigree. However, the Type-210mod takes things a step further, because it incorporates design characteristics and systems from the Type-209/1400mod, Type-212A, and Type-214. There is therefore very little that needs to be proven, as pretty much everything is not only a physical reality, but already in service.

 

The Type-210mod does not have a hydrogen fuel cell AIP unit, but considering it has a range of 5000miles, it probably doesn’t need one. This is after all a coastal submarine. Also the Type-210mod’s Permaysn motor (as I understand is fitted to the Type-212A), is apparently able to recharge the batteries quicker than would normally be the case. I’m not sure if the AIP unit will do much to increase the overall range of the Andrasta in relation to that of the Type-210mod either. The Type-210mod is clearly the superior submarine in every respect.

 

It could be said that after the Khalid class programme, Pakistan has the technological base to manufacture the Andrasta, whereas things would need modifying to build the Type-210mod. That is true to some extent, but not completely. Pakistan has the technological capacity to fabricate the basic hull and the pressure hull, but it lacks the capacity to completely build the entire submarine. For a start there are no presses in Pakistan to fabricate the pressure domes of the pressure hull. This is a highly specialised and costly piece of equipment. A country would only invest in such a piece of equipment if it was to have a constant need for it. Other sub-systems would also have to come from France such as the AIP module, the SUBTICS combat management system, the diesel engine, the sensors, probably even the weapon handling systems, and a whole host of other things besides. The notion therefore that Pakistan may also be able to export these submarines if it was the launch customer is rather fanciful. Everything would depend on the French agreeing to support the deal. It probably would never happen.

 

The only thing that I can think Pakistani domestic defence industry could supply would be something like the MSL Towed Array Sonar, which is a compact system optimised for the conditions found in and around the Arabian Sea. Obviously there would be other things as well, but off the top of my head, I can only think of this system.

 

There are probably more industrial benefits to be had by selecting the Type-210mod, especially if Pakistan does finally get around to signing on the dotted line for the Type-214. The two designs share a commonality in systems, and the facilities upgraded to manufacture the Type-214 would probably be entirely sufficient to manufacture the Type-210mod. HDW may even be amiable to agreeing to a lower unit price if both types are selected. It would after all be good news for HDW as they would be securing another Type-214 deal, and would have found a launch customer for the Type-210mod.

 

It is however, price that is the deciding factor here. The Andrasta is probably cheaper, (though it is French, so we cannot be entirely sure there given their track record of grossly inflating prices – let’s just assume it is the case that it’s cheaper though). Pakistan is broke, and is looking around to obtain what it can for the meagre pennies it has.

 

Let’s just hope that if it is the case that cost is a factor, it isn’t anything to do with ‘baksheesh’ though. This is after all Pakistan potentially negotiating a defence deal with the French. There is past form to consider.

 

Let’s wait and see if this is all true to start off though…

Well, it’s been a long time since we learnt that Pakistan was seeking to modernise its navy with a whole range of new platforms. Way back in 2006 in fact when I interviewed the then naval chief, Admiral Afzal Tahir, I asked him about some of the intended programmes.

 

To sum up all the naval platform programmes that we know of:

 

-         Transfer of Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates from the US

-         A new class of submarines (HDW Type-214)

-         A joint Pakistan-Turkish corvette programme

-         The F-22P/Sword Class frigate programme

-         A follow on from the F-22P Class (Type-051A Jiangkai-II Class frigate or variant thereof, OR a German design)

-         Expansion of national shipbuilding capabilities by opening of new facilities in Gwadar and Omara

 

Well, the first OHP Class frigate, USS McInerny (FFG-8), will be the subject of a ‘hot transfer’ when it is decommissioned from USN service in August, and after refurbishment is due to arrive in Pakistan around December this year. With it’s Mk-13 ‘One Armed Bandit’ missile launcher having been removed, (as in all USN OHP Class frigates), it is, at present, little more than a glorified gunboat. I’m not sure what the refurbishment will include, but considering the upgrades other operators of the class have undertaken, like Australia and Turkey, there is still life left in what is a very robust design.

  

The PN however still requires/desires six of the class. Whether this will happen and under what timeframe is open to debate. We’ve known about the transfer of McInerny now for about two years. If we consider that this how long the process takes, well, then that there has been no further OHP Class frigate which has been named as being slated for transfer is indicative of the fact Pakistan may face quite a wait. The USN after all needs the remaining OHP Class frigates for itself. Not being a charity organisation, it considers its own needs first and foremost. So it looks like Pakistan is in for a wait.

 

The F-22P/Sword Class frigate programme is on track however, and all four ships in the class are likely to be delivered on time. This, and obtaining any further OHP Class frigates, is due to two very important reasons. The Chinese, as ever, have been generous and offered Pakistan very liberal credit facilities to obtain the F-22P Class frigates. The Americans on the other hand, are transferring the OHP Class frigates free of cost under a Foreign Military Sales programme to a Major Non-NATO Ally. So at least two of Pakistan’s modernisation programmes are making progress, and the reason for that is because Pakistan either isn’t paying, or only needs to pay later.

 

This is a big clue as to the non-movement of the other projects in the modernisation programme if you haven’t already spotted it, cash. Pakistan is broke, and the government is simply too busy mismanaging the economy and lining its own pockets, (or at best looking after its own interests) to care. Don’t get too excited about the ‘opposition’ either. They’re too busy doing the same, planning to do the same, or pilfering electricity at ‘anti-corruption’ rallies.

 

The Pakistan-Turkish corvette programme was supposed to involve a purpose designed corvette and deep transfer of technology to allow Pakistan to build the corvettes indigenously. The corvettes themselves would not have been the Milgem/Ada Class corvettes being constructed for the Turkish navy as has been speculated, but based on the Milgem design. A key aspect of the deal was to maximise the role and involvement of the private sector in line with, and based on the experience of, the Turkish model in defence procurement and planning. After IDEAS2008 the three member Turkish conglomerate behind the design presented it to the PN for approval, and by Summer 2009 negotiations were supposed to start in earnest leading to an agreement. What ever happened in Summer 2009, there has been no agreement, and currently the status of the programme is unknown. If it isn’t floating face down dead in the water, it’s in deep freeze.

 

Likewise the next generation submarine programme. The HDW Type-214 SSK was selected as suitable for the PN’s needs, and approval for a deal sought from the government. This was the status in 2008. At IDEAS2008 the Chief Executive of HDW, Walter Freitag, told me that they had hoped to sign a deal by the end of that year, but due to unforeseen circumstances, that hadn’t happened. By Summer 2009, a deal was expected to be signed between Pakistan and HDW, whereupon approval for the sale of three Type-214 submarines would be sought from the German federal government after the German general elections in September 2009. The government was said to be favourably disposed to the idea, despite some ill informed and prejudiced ramblings from the Green Party.

 

By December however there had been no further developments, and after a trip to China by the current PN CNS, Admiral Noman Bashir, we started to hear talk about submarine co-operation with the Chinese. It appears that the PN is now re-evaluating the selection of the Type-214, in relation to a Chinese design thought to be the Type-041A Yuan Class SSK. What would make Pakistan choose to start looking at an unproven design from a nation still struggling to catch up with every other submarine design and manufacturing nation? Cash, or lack of.

 

Yes, that’s right folks! Pakistan is broke, so the hoped for flotilla of up to 15 submarines is may take longer than hoped. The two Agosta-70 submarines that are to be replaced by the initial batch of new submarines will not last forever, but it seems they will have to soldier on. The selection of the Type-214 was supposed to allow for a greater level of ‘deep’ co-operation with Turkey due to both operating the same design. This is something which has been long neglected as I have mentioned previously, (on account of Pakistan being conned into buying dud French subs).

 

So the corvette deal is probably dead, the submarine programme is on life support, and unless the Chinese are feeling extra generous there won’t be a follow on from the F-22P any time soon either. That means the expansion of naval construction facilities isn’t going to be happening any time soon either. Especially when the government refuses to comprehensively tackle the Balochi feudal land lords who are destabilising Balochistan, (with their nonsensical claims of being ‘oppressed’ – considering they stand to lose control of their serfs if any large scale development, education, or proper democratic reforms are enacted their barking is a tad rich).

 

We’ll see what happens I guess, but without the economic situation of Pakistan improving, the safety and territorial integrity of the state is imperilled. This criminally inept government is destroying the security of the state along with everything else it can lay its hands on. For this to change however, we would need Pakistanis themselves to actually engage the brain cells they have and vote for change. Considering Pakistanis seem to be wilfully incapable of such a thing and are collectively stupid on an unimaginable scale, I won’t be holding my breath.

 

So, as we all now know, the first indigenously assembled JF-17 Thunder was unveiled on Monday just past, and a great deal of ‘woo-hoo' was made about it. Too right. It's been a long time coming, and it is a pretty good achievement by Pakistan. Given the importance of the programme for Pakistan, it simply can't be allowed to fail. Now that the aircraft everybody loved to read the obituary of is not only flying, receiving its initial operational capability, and now rolling off an indigenous assembly line, detractors have all fallen silent.

They're not even crowing about the ‘non-availability' of the Klimov RD-93 engine anymore, because it obviously is very much available, and will continue to be as long as it is required. It's a good engine, (even if it is Russian). In fact, I was told by someone involved in the test programme that the PAF is quite happy with the engine, and they may not switch to another. They did approach Rolls Royce and had a general exchange of views on an alternative engine, but not a specific one. The only candidates that spring to mind are the Spey, which is basically pretty old now and if it was ever to be fitted to a PAF aircraft it should have re-engined the Mirage-III/5s, and replaced the antiquated SNECMA Atar-09C, which is basically a descendant of the WWII German BMW 003. Hitler's cast off hand-me-down's definitely had a very long life. Sadly, the Spey-powered Mirage is an avenue that the PAF never went down. I think they should have so as to end up with an aircraft with performance akin to the South African Cheetah, but it's all water under the bridge now. (As a slight aside Rolls Royce did in the 1980s offer the Panavia Tornado's Turbo Union RB199 for the Sabre-II programme - minus the thrust reverser I presume, and I still wonder what an RB199 would do to an F-7PG if installed - which is another ‘what if?' or ‘could have been', when it comes to aircraft that could have flown in PAF colours).

I guess that leaves the EJ-200, which would definitely have given the JF-17 more of a kick. It's still an intriguing possibility, and I'd say the only Western engine that could be a candidate, (ironically it's also been mentioned with regards to the Tejas - more on that shower of **** later). Previously the SNECMA M-53 that powers the Mirage-2000 series was mentioned as a candidate, and indeed many claim that it was this engine which was supposed to power the Super Seven, as it was then. Tough luck to the French though, because it's not exactly a brilliant engine, and if the Spey is old news, then the M-53, (whatever variant), is too. Perhaps the French would therefore propose the M-88 which powers the Rafale? Why? It's underpowered and I don't see why Pakistan should settle for it. The UAE would like a more powerful variant of the M-88 for the Rafale if they decide to buy it, (it would be their loss going for the overpriced and overrated Rafale considering the Typhoon is a far better aircraft and will be in service with the RSAF meaning they could co-operate between them and reduce running costs, but I guess this is politics, and the UAE - despite Dubai's well publicised financial woes - still has money to burn). The French would gladly sell a variant of the M-88 to make even some money out of the Rafale programme, but it won't happen.

I was told that if anything a more powerful variant of the RD-93 called the RD-93M would be considered if any new powerplant was. Whether that engine is a concept at present, whether it is testing or about to leave the drawing board, whether it is thrust vectoring I don't know. I wasn't told anything more about this engine. I suspect if it is to be eventually be born however, it will probably be a variant of the RD-33MK, which powers the MiG-35. It certainly fits the bill. After all, the major difference between the RD-93 and the RD-33, from which it was developed, is the repositioning of the gearbox to below the engine. I have also heard past word about the PAF looking into TVC for the JF-17, so I guess the case becomes stronger. To me at least the RD-33MK looks like a very good engine, and if the RD-93M is a variant of this powerplant, I think everyone will be very happy.

Anyway, the JF-17 is now rolling off the production lines. What about exports? That is after all one aspect of the programme that is frequently mentioned. I think the prospects are very good. The JF-17/FC-1 isn't a stealth fighter or anything like that. It's a single-engined medium technology aircraft (albeit with an increasing number of modern characteristics), which is slated to be targeted for export to the developing world's air forces. From what I hear, from reliable sources, is that there is a great deal of interest in the JF-17, especially from African countries. Some potential customers have even asked if they can fly the aircraft.

The Aircraft Manufacturing Factory at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex isn't going to start churning out JF-17s in all manner of foreign colours for export however. The need for the PAF is simply too big at present, and it is the air force which is running the programme. So they're in a position to give the final word on what does and what doesn't happen. The AMF is making 50 percent of the airframe at present and will move incrementally to a full hundred percent in due course. As the programme is a 50:50 Sino-Pak venture production will also be split thus, but I suspect the Chinese, with their vastly more capable production capabilities will handling the bulk of any export order.

This means the engines will still be coming from Russia, and the avionics and weaponry will be Chinese. Pakistan has plans for an alternative avionics fit for the second block of 50 JF-17s, but I don't think they will be exporting the radar they eventually choose. There doesn't seem to be any indigenous research and development going into radars at present, just assembly and some production at PAC Kamra. I think that will be the case for the new radar too, after all the PAF is talking about an AESA radar which may potentially come from a Western source. The current KLJ-7 will probably be used in any export models as well. It is by no means an incapable radar from what we know of it, and I think it will stand up pretty well until the Chinese come up with something better. AESA radars are all the rage at present because it's new technology which offers less probability of intercept, greater track-while-scan capabilities, and is more capable in the air-to-ground mode. There's still room for radars based on older technology though, and I don't think any export customers will be disappointed with what they have. In terms of weaponry, avionics, and general performance of the aircraft, they'd be getting a very good deal, especially at that price.

As I mentioned the JF-17 is a medium technology aircraft. It doesn't really have any competitors. The Russians are only offering twin-engined fighters, (the Flanker and Fulcrum series), which are either more high tech and therefore more expensive in the case of the Flanker, or twin-engined and expensive to obtain and operate in the case of the Fulcrum. Europe is offering three fighters, the Typhoon, Rafale, and the JAS-39 Gripen. The Typhoon is undoubtedly the best by a considerable margin. It's probably the best thing flying behind the F/A-22 Raptor, (which is way out in a league of its own and needn't be mentioned again as a result - I'm obviously also not going to mention the F-35 in this scenario either). The Rafale is less capable than the Typhoon, but overpriced and overrated. Anyone who wants to buy it is welcome, but for the price they'd be paying they may as well opt for a Super Flanker variant from the Russians that would give the same capability for less, or come to their senses and buy the Typhoon if they desperately wanted a twin-engined Euro-canard fighter. That said, the French are desperate to sell to anyone at all, and they could drop the price, but knowing them they'd screw the customer for spares and support later, (just ask the Taiwanese about the running costs of their Mirage-2000s). The Gripen is definitely in the general performance bracket of the JF-17, but is at present at least, considerably more high tech. It also has an American engine, so the Yanks have a strangle-hold over who can and who cannot buy it. This coupled to the Swedish habit of sanctioning people also discounts the Gripen for a lot of customers; it's both expensive and comes with a multitude of chains attached, (it's a bloody nice nippy little aircraft though!).

The Yanks only have one basic aircraft on offer the F-16. I'm discounting the F-15 because that won't be being offered to anyone thinking of buying the JF-17. It's a magnificent aircraft, and it will be for a long time yet. It is still the benchmark of what a heavy fighter should be decades after it entered service, and if the ‘Silent Eagle' is ever selected by a customer, it will be around for a considerable time yet. Similarly the F/A-18 Hornet/Super Hornet isn't going to wind up being considered by someone who may opt for the JF-17 either, (it's in a different league and if you can get hold of Super Hornet why would you even mention the JF-17? - though I'd be surprised if the Super Hornet failed to win more exports other than from Australia, which only bought a small number as a stop-gap anyway). The F-16 is a contender however. The more recent variants are a good deal more capable than the JF-17 by a considerable margin, and even upgraded older airframes can ‘cut the mustard' as the Yanks would say. Though obviously more expensive and more capable the F-16 may be considered as an option for some countries the JF-17 would be targeted at for one reason and one only, the Yanks have so many of them they can afford to give them away for very little or even for free. How else do countries like Jordan and Morocco get hold of them, let alone Egypt? It's military aid. However, they come with political chains attached. Just ask Pakistan. The whole sorry F-16 saga was something which gave added impetus to the development of the JF-17 programme. It's no use having F-16s if you're under sanctions and can't get hold of the spares to get them in the air. They're as good as useless if grounded through lack of spares and support. That's the whole point with American military aid though; Washington gets to keep its ‘underlings' in line by yanking on the chains if they get ‘uppity'. Some countries which the JF-17 is targeted at wouldn't even be able to obtain them in the first place though. Does anyone think the Yanks would sell F-16s to Zimbabwe even at massively inflated prices under current circumstances? Of course not! Mugabe can opt for the JF-17 however, (though it would be nice if he didn't and actually used the money to feed his people or something).

The point is, that all other options are either too expensive to operate or obtain, too high tech, or too susceptible to being the target of sanctions if politics allows them to be obtained in the first place. The only other option as mentioned briefly, was the HAL Tejas. I have to admit, I liked the Tejas. It seemed to be to be an attempt to make a latter day Folland Gnat. I think it would have been a good aircraft, but spectacularly piss poor project management ruined it entirely. It should have been in frontline service years ago, but it will now probably never fulfil its potential. Even if the Indians retrospectively iron out its flaws and manage to get it into frontline service in numbers I don't think it will be winning export orders like the JF-17 could. The Indians may give some away for free, or have them as part of a wider deal, but for clowns who made a song and dance about the supposed ‘non-availability' engine for the JF-17 (a non-issue they fabricated in its entirety), it's the Tejas not the Thunder that can't get off the ground. Now the ‘Light Combat Aircraft' is being spoken of as a technology demonstrator for the ‘Medium Combat Aircraft', but if the same set of morons are running/ruining the show, the MCA will quite likely become a ‘technology demonstrator' for the ‘Heavy Combat Aircraft'. Going on current performance it's not unfeasible.

So, not wanting to jinx it, but I think the JF-17/FC-1 has a fairly rosy export outlook, not just because it's a good, affordable aircraft which will get better, but because it's a good aircraft from reliable suppliers who are not going to attach a load of political chains to it. If a country requires new multi-role combat aircraft with modern capabilities for its air force, but doesn't have too much money to spend on purchasing them or operating them, doesn't really have very good relations with Western countries, isn't really adept at maintaining high tech aircraft if it could afford them, then the JF-17/FC-1 is the only option really.

There doesn't really seem to be any other competitors do there? It's pretty much an open field at present.

No, I haven’t started ‘batting for the other side’. Just hear me out.

 

I know this is primarily a blog where I waffle on about military topics, because that is where my general interest lays, and where I do most of my work. I guess anyone reading this would have similar interests as well, otherwise you wouldn’t really be reading this.

 

Anyway, I think therefore you’d understand when I mention the concept of there being a ‘warrior ethic’, basically a code by which the ‘noble warrior’ would conduct himself. I’m talking about helping and protecting non-combatants; perhaps making this his (we are primarily talking about males of course) main reason to pick up arms in the first place; respecting the laws of war in letter and spirit; being magnanimous in victory to his defeated foe; and so on and so forth.

 

What happens when he goes home though? After protecting women on and around the battlefield, does he beat up his wife for not cooking dinner on time? Or does he lend a hand, perhaps even cooking it himself? Does he sit on his arse all day while his wife runs around cleaning the house and looking after the kids, or does he pull his weight here as well?

 

Some may consider this seriously heavy stuff, which is mainly the preserve of feminists. Well, it is something you’d expect a feminist to get a bee in her bonnet about, but that shouldn’t conjure up images of a bra-burning, dungaree-clad, boot-wearing, man hating dyke with a full on Saddam Hussein moustache. That’s because I want to turn this on its head. I don’t think many would disagree with the above description of a warrior. You may even add things I’ve missed to it, but I want to widen the notion of what makes the noble warrior what he is, and look at what makes a man a man. How do you define what a ‘real’ man is?

 

You can define it by age, but then you can end up with a child trapped in a man’s body. You can define it by appearance, but then what standard do you adopt for this? The ‘Marlborough Man’ used to be someone, (admittedly someone who didn’t actually exist other than a notion or an ideal), portrayed as a ‘real man’, but I wonder how many of the guys in the poster were actually gay; (we don’t want to go there). Is the real man what the British at least used to define as the ‘gentleman’? Are we going to hark back to the ‘age of the gentleman’? Do you define a real man by attitudes, beliefs, patience, maturity and or behaviour? Does he exhibit stoicism, nobility, or any other such characteristics? Does he lead by example?

 

The reason I’m even writing this, (even though I’ve been pondering what a real man is and how to define one for sometime), is because a while ago I was given this report to read:

 

Masculinities: Male Roles and Male Involvement in the Promotion of Gender Equality

    

It’s pretty interesting with regards what I have outlined above. As you can see it’s a report by the ‘Women’s Commission for Refugee Women & Children’.  It’s a long read but I think it’s worth reading. As you can see it ties in with the concept of the ‘warrior ethic’ or the ‘noble warrior’, because some of the examples it gives concern situations caused by various conflicts in which our ideal would find himself. Men have a role, wider than that which they would readily perceive, in helping reverse situations as mentioned in the report. This is why I widened the topic to define what a man is, and by extension, masculinity.

 

Basically, if truth be told, most men turn off when women start talking about gender equality and women’s rights. It’s a sad truth, but it shouldn’t be. I think it’s precisely the type of thing a man should be thinking about. What is his role in something which effects half the global population?

 

Personally, I think a real man would have the qualities of the ‘noble warrior’, but many more such as the positive ones outlined above, and he would consider gender equality as a serious issue in which he had a part to play.

 

However, for young males at least, the greatest agent of social conditioning is likely to be his father, then, if not his brothers, his friends, and they may not always be positive role models. Males after all ‘learn their trade’ off male role models. How do you therefore instil in a young male mind what qualities he should aim to exhibit if he is not learning these in the usual places? I think if young males were asked at school, to define what makes a man a ‘man’, and how he should behave, you might stand a chance of influencing how he thinks and behaves.

 

It would probably have to be done in a single sex format (no girls), where you could ask the questions, and let them respond in whatever manner they wished; even if it was outrageous. The last point is probably the most important, because if they aren’t allowed to say anything they like, they won’t really say what they believe, and if they aren’t saying what they believe, then it won’t be possible to break down any ‘erroneous’ misconceptions they have, and build new ones.

 

Perhaps people think this is moving away from the idea of the warrior ethic, but I don’t think it is. Even the noble warrior has to form his opinions which govern his behaviour somewhere and somehow.

 

Read the report.

So, it seems the military has finally moved into Terry’s (the Taliban’s) lair, in South Waziristan, and after a few weeks it all seems good news. The army have secured the heights around the battlefield, Terry is running everywhere he is encountered, and the boys will be home in time for Christmas. Well, not quite. Not least because I suspect Christmas doesn’t mean much at all to an awful lot of people taking part in the fighting in South Waziristan bar the odd Christian Pakistani soldier.
 

The Pakistani military knows from bitter experience that this is the easy part. In fact it knows that Terry may already have largely fled leaving only cannon fodder behind. That is the standard operational procedure for Terry after all, when they’re faced with someone who can fight back. Hakimullah Mehsud, the new leader of the TTP (after the ‘tragic’ and ‘untimely’ demise of killer, liar, and general low life brigand - it seems this is all the Mehsud tribe have ever been since time immemorial; a bane on their neighbours and everyone else - Baituallah Mehsud at the hands of drone fired missile whilst he was getting a rooftop leg massage from his latest wife), has done a ‘Scarlet Pimpernel’, and is nowhere to be found, yet, (we live in hope). So have much of the rest of Terry’s leadership. The big fish seem to have disappeared. They could equally have slipped into North Waziristan or have made across the virtually unguarded frontier into Afghanistan.

 

There are a number of reasons why this is entirely feasible. There was plenty of time taken in the build-up to the operation to allow them to do so, and even now the Pakistan Army is woefully under-equipped in terms of helicopters. Helicopters, as we know, allow for the rapid transport of men and material to and around the battlefield enabling any escape routes to be cut off. Though the army seized heights and passes in the area of operations I suspect it may not have been done quickly enough for this very reason, lack of helicopters.

The mainstay of the Pakistani battlefield transport effort is the Mi-17 ‘Hip’, which is a fairly powerful and highly versatile machine. People who claim Russian/Soviet products are not up to scratch or inferior to Western equipment really need to get acquainted with it. It may not be as sophisticated, but it is rugged and reliable. It’s what’s required under the circumstances. In fact more of them are required. A few have come from rather unusual sources. The Americans have provided a few, and the latest have come from the Czech Republic.

 

They’re not the only helicopters available to the army, but they are the only ones in the class available in numbers. The overall status of the fleet of IAR-330L Puma helicopters, which are nowhere near as capable as the Mi-17s, but would still be useful nonetheless, is rather uncertain. They were supposed to be being returned to operational status with the help of Eurocopter, but that hasn’t happened yet. Instead it still looks like the ones flying are in the air due to the cannibalization of the rest of the fleet. If money was no object then it would do the army well to enter into an agreement with the South Africans to upgrade them Oryx standard, but that’s simply not the case. If money were no object I rather fancy the Pakistanis would be buying more Mi-17s. The Pumas have served for decades and have had a hard life.

 

The present reality is that Pakistan is trying to get the Americans to provide more helicopters through military aid, and would like Chinooks, Blackhawks, and Apaches. I guess Pakistan is not the only one with this ‘wish list’, because helicopters of all types, especially medium/heavy transports, are in a shortage worldwide, (well, for those who actually want to use them that is; plenty of countries - even those which are supposed to be part of the Western effort in Afghanistan - are sitting on sizable fleets but are busy malingering, shirking, and generally falling over themselves to avoid combat of any kind whatsoever, whilst still making up the numbers on paper, but cowardice and malingering are just national character traits which simply won’t ever change for some cheese eating surrender monkeys).

 

Pakistan will have to make do therefore with its small numbers of Mi-17s and Bell 412s, and even smaller number of hard-pressed AH-1F Cobras for rotary wing close air support.

 

Those of you with eyes like hawks will also have noticed that surface transport around the battlefield is a rather more mixed picture. Sadly, the mainstay here seems to be the Mitsubishi Triton/L200 pick-up/ute. It moves men and material, but with the favourite weapon of Terry, the one that causes the most casualties in Afghanistan, being the ‘humble’ mine, or the much feared IED, it’s dreadfully inadequate and offers no protection at all. A lot of effort has been expended in giving Western troops a vehicle better equipped to survive an IED explosion than a ‘Snatch’ Land Rover Defender. Mine resistant vehicles cost a pretty penny though, and seeing Pakistan has no money, it won’t be getting any unless they’re ‘donated’. As mine resistant vehicles are in desperate shortage and are required for Western troops though, no one should hold their breath.

 

Arguably however, if there were more helicopters available in Afghanistan, if those nations with large numbers sat doing nothing in Europe realised there was a war on in which everyone must play their part, not so many mine resistant vehicles would be required in the first place. I guess the same goes for Pakistan, but South Waziristan is part of Pakistan, and as of yet, the picture isn’t as bad as Afghanistan, so there would still have to be a fair degree of movement by road anyway.
 

Other less expensive options could be considered. I wrote a while ago about Pakistan requiring some 8x8 or even 10x10 vehicles which would suffice admirably here. It transpires, there has been such a requirement since the early 1980s, but nothing has been done about it. Had there been I guess we wouldn’t be seeing so many Tritons rumbling about. So they’re going to be in use for the duration of the operation I fear.
 

I can’t really say how long this operation will last. I don’t think anyone can. Terry may simply be drawing the army into fighting a costly guerrilla type conflict which the army isn’t best equipped to handle. If the ground captured is to be kept free of Terry however, the army will have to stay, and if the army stays and it wants to deny South Waziristan to Terry in the long run, then there will have to be a massive development programme to ensure jobs and opportunities are provided to the locals to wean them away from Terry’s malign influence. They have to be given a stake in the system.

 

That should have happened a long time ago, but successive governments just put it in the ‘too hard’ basket, and left a lot of the Frontier area to its own devices. That was a mistake, as we now know. Basic education, infrastructure, health, women’s rights, small and medium enterprise support, plus a whole lot more needs to be addressed in the entire Tribal Areas. For this there would have to be rule of law, and the tribes will have to accept the supremacy of national law over their tribal laws. This won’t be easy as some would stand to lose pretty much everything not to mention their iron grip over their underlings. It’s much the same in Balochistan, but if they want development, (which they sorely need), then they’ll have to accept the power and authority of the state.

 

The first step to all of this is the army’s operation to weed Terry out, and that will take time to do properly. Therefore, I think we should get used to the army being in South Waziristan for a long time yet.