Weapons and Equipment

Weapons and Equipment

Small Arms

Al-Khalid battle tank

Al-Zarrar

Mohafiz armored vehicle.

Pakistan Army Mi-17s

Bell 412s

Pakistan Army Baktar Shikan Anti-Tank vehicle

• Heckler & Koch MP5 9 mm carbines and the Carbine 1A 9 mm sub-machine guns*
• Machine Gun MG3*
• SMG PK, Type 1 & 2*
• Assault Rifle G3, Types A3 & P4*
• Anti Aircraft Machine Gun 12.7 mm, Type 54*
• Steyr SSG-4 and SSG-P2 (sniper rifles) *
• M82 Barrett rifle (US - Semi-Auto Rifle - .50 BMG)
• AK-47 (currently being phased out) *
• Type 81 Assault Rifle
• M4 Carbine (in service with SF)
• AK-103 Assault Rifle
• Styer Sniper Rifle

*All Pakistani small arms are indigenously produced

Pakistan Army Inventory

Vehicle/System/Aircraft	Firm Number in Service	Status
T-80UD Main Battle Tank	320	In service.
Al Khalid Main Battle Tank	600	In Service; Currently under production
Type 85IIAP Main Battle Tank	500	In Service. Being phased out
Al-Zarar Tank Main Battle Tank	320	Currently under production
Type 69IIAP (Chinese T-59 Upgrade)	250	Being phased out by Al Khalid
T-63 & 60 Light Tank	100	Being phased out
Type 59	1200	Being phased out by Al Zarrar & Al Khalid II
M48 Patton	200	Being phased out by Al Khalid
Al-Khalid II Main Battle Tank	???	Under production.
Hamza Infantry fighting Vehicle	???	Being procured
Al-Fahd Infantry fighting vehicle	140	In Service
Talha Armoured Personnel Carrier	400+	Final number to be around 2,000
Saad Armoured Personnel Carrier	???	Currently in production
M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier	1500+	In Service
BTR-70 Armoured Personnel Carrier	169	In Service
Mohafiz Light Armoured Personnel Carrier	???	In Service & Additional APCs being procured
Scorpion Light jeep	260	In Service
Al Qaswa Logistical Vehicle	??	Being procured
M109A5 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	???	115 Ordered along with 150 A5 upgrade kits
M109A2 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	150	In Service
M110A2 203 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	40	In Service
M-7 105 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	50	In Service
T-56 85 mm Towed Artillery	200	In Service
M-56 105 mm Towed Artillery	80	In Service
M-101 105 mm Towed Artillery	300	In Service
T-60 122 mm Towed Artillery	200	In Service
T-54 122 mm Towed Artillery	400	In Service
T-59I 130 mm Towed Artillery	200	In Service
M-59 155 mm Towed Artillery	30	In Service
M-114 155 mm Towed Artillery	60	In Service
M-198 155 mm Towed Artillery	120	In Service
M-115 203 mm Towed Artillery	40	In Service
Panter T-155 mm Towed Artillery	12	Ordered from Turkey
AH-1F/S Cobra Attack Helicopter	70+	In Service
Bell 412 Huey Transport Helicopter	25	In Service
Bell 206 Jet Ranger Transport Helicopter	5	In Service
UH-1 Huey Transport Helicopter	10	In Service
Puma Transport Helicopter	25	In Service
Mil Mi-17 Transport Helicopter	46	Additional helicopters planned
Bell 407 Light Transport Helicopter	??	40 On Order
Eurocopter AS-550 Light Transport Helicopter	??	Replacing Alouette III & Lama
Aerospatiale Alouette III Light Transport Helicopter	??	Being phased out
Lama Light Transport Helicopter	??	Being phased out

Mortars

• (Type) 81 mm
• AM-ffff Series 120 mm
• Type 63-1

Anti-tank Guided Weapons

• TOW ATGM
• TOW II (recently procured)
• Bakter-Shikan ATGM

Army Air Defence

A SA-7 missile and launcher.

• AA guns ZU-23/33 30, 36, 37 mm
• RBS-23 BAMSE
• RBS-70
• SA-7 Grail
• FIM-92 Stinger

• FIM-43 Redeye
• Anza MKI, Anza MKII and Anza MKIII
• HQ-2b

Missiles

List of Pakistani Strategic Missiles:

Designation	Other Name	Range	Payload	Status	Inventory
	Hatf-I/IA	80/100 km	500 kg	Deployed	100+
Abdali	Hatf-II	180 km	500 kg	Deployed, Under production	Unknown
Ghaznavi	Hatf-III	1290 km	500 kg	Deployed, Under production	100+
Shaheen-I	Hatf-IV	2750 km	750 kg	Deployed, Under production	75-150
Ghauri-I	Hatf-V	1500 km	700-1000 kg	Deployed, Under production	100+
Ghauri-II	Hatf-VA	2,000km, More range with lighter payload.	1200 kg	Operational, Under production	100+
Shaheen-II	Hatf-VI	2,500km, More range with lighter payload.	1000+ kg	Deployed, Under production	200+
Babur	Hatf-VII	500 km	500 kg	Deployed, Cruise Missile	400-1000
Ghauri-III	Hatf-VIII	4,000 km	1000+ kg	unknown
M-11		300 km	500 kg	In service	Unknown
Shaheen-III		3,600+ km	1000+ kg	unknown
Tipu Sultan		5,000+ km	1500 kg	under development

Note: every missile has nuclear payload.

The M-11 Chinese missile is in service too, which is a Short-Range Ballistic Missile with a max range of 300km it uses solid fuel and can carry a payload of around 500 kg.

In addition, there exists the Shaheen-III which is under research and development and will be solid fueled like the others in the Shaheen series. It will have a range of 3600+ km and a payload of 1000+ kg. This weapon is an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile.

It has been recently reported by the Pakistani Press (Daily Jang) that Pakistan has the ability to MIRV its missiles. This has been seen as possibly the greatest achievement to date. It has also been reported that Pakistan would likely MIRV its Shaheen II missile.

Future Plans

Throughout the International Defence Exhibition & Seminar (IDEAS) at Karachi in November 2006, Pakistani firms have signed joint development, production and marketing agreements with defence firms from South Korea, France and Ukraine. These agreements include new reactive armour bricks, 155 mm artillery shells, and other developments in armour and land weaponry. These agreements all relate to the Pakistan Army's AFFDP-2019 modernization program of its armour, artillery and infantry.

A few months prior to IDEAS 2006, the Pakistan Army and Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) announced the development of the Al Khalid II Main Battle Tank (MBT). The Al Khalid II is poised to become the Pakistan Army's backbone main battle tank from 2012; thus replacing 1200 obsolete Chinese T-59 and 300 T-85IIAP. Not much is known about this tank, but it is reported that the Al Khalid II is a very extensive upgrade of the current Al Khalid. Other reports suggest that it will be an entirely new tank that is based off Western designs. Turkish press reported that a Pakistani armour firm will participate in the Turkey's new generation tank project. Turkey and Pakistan have signed many memorandums of understanding in various defence-related fields. Given that many Pakistani firms have signed joint agreements with Western firms, it is possible that a considerable part of the Al Khalid II's design will be influenced from the Turkish tank design. Nonetheless, the new generation tank is expected to form the backbone of the Pakistan Army's tank force; in the long-term.

The Pakistan Army will standardize its artillery capability to 155 mm by 2019. This can be seen by the acquisition of 115 M109A5 self-propelled howitzers from the United States, and joint production deals of 155 mm shells with French and South Korean firms. It is expected that the army will procure a range of light, medium and heavy towed and self-propelled howitzer artillery from China, Europe and the United States. These will replace all non-155 mm and older systems. The Army reportedly ordered and procured an undisclosed number of WS-1B Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS). As part of the artillery modernization program, the Army will likely procure a fair number of new MLRS systems of various ranges and shell sizes.

Modernization of the Army Aviation is underway with the procurement of new transport and attack helicopters from the United States, Russia and Europe. Finalized acquisitions include 26 Bell 412EP and at least a dozen Mi-17 medium-lift transport helicopters from the U.S and Russia, respectively. Forty Bell 407 and an unknown number of Fennec light helicopters from the U.S. and Eurocopter have also been ordered, respectively. Plans are underway to begin replacing the IAR 330 Puma, older Mil Mi-8/17, Bell Jet Rangers and older Huey helicopters; options include the Eurocopter NH-90 Tactical Transport Helicopter and UH-60M Blackhawk. The Pakistan Army has procured dozens of excess AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters since 2002; at least 20 have been brought into service to supplement the serving 18. The army reportedly has upgraded its entire fleet with AH-1Z King Cobra avionics and new weapon systems such as the TOW-2 and Hellfire missiles. Up to 30 new-generation attack helicopters will be procured to further enhance the Army's attack aviation arm; options include the Eurocopter Tiger, South African AH-2 Rooivalk and Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow.

• Pakistan Army (PakA)
• "Pakistan army is deep into business", Marketplace, November 6, 2007

Military of Pakistan
Pakistan Army | Pakistan Navy | Pakistan Air Force

Rank Structure and Uniform Insignia

Rank Structure and Uniform Insignia

Pakistani Officer Ranks
Rank	Field Marshal (5-Star)	General (4-Star)	Lieutenant General (3-Star)	Major General (2-Star)	Brigadier (1-Star)	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	2nd Lieutenant
NATO equivalent	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1	OF-1
Uniform insignia

Pakistani Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and Enlisted Ranks
Rank	Subedar Major (JCO)	Subedar (JCO)	Naib Subedar (JCO)	Battalion Havildar Major	Battalion Quartermaster Havildar	Company Havildar Major	Company Quatermaster Havildar	Havildar	Naik	Lance Naik	Jawan
NATO equivalent	None	None	None	OR-9	OR-8	OR-8	OR-7	OR-5/6	OR-4	OR-3	OR-1/2
Uniform insignia											No Insignia

Nishan-e-Haider

The Nishan-e-Haider (Urdu: نشان حیدر) (Sign of the Lion), is the highest military award given by Pakistan.

Recipients Nishan-e-Haider recipients receive an honorary title as a sign of respect: Shaheed meaning martyr for deceased recipients and Ghazi meaning victor for living recipients.

1. Captain Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed (1910–July 27, 1948)
2. Major Tufail Muhammad Shaheed (1914–August 7, 1958)
3. Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed (1928–September 10, 1965)
4. Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed (1938–1971)
5. Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas Shaheed(Air Force) (1951–August 20, 1971)
6. Major Shabbir Sharif Shaheed (1943–December 6, 1971)
7. Jawan Sowar Muhammad Hussain Shaheed (1949–December 10, 1971)
8. Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz Shaheed (1944–December 17, 1971)
9. Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed (1970–July 5, 1999)
10. Lalak Jan Shaheed (1967–July 7, 1999)

Special Forces

Main article: Special Services Group

The Special Service Group (SSG) is an independent commando division of the Pakistan Army. It is an elite special operations force similar to the British Special Air Service and the United States Army Special Forces (Green Berets). Official numbers are put between 2,500 to 3,000; however the actual strength is classified. It is estimated to have been increased to 4 Battalions, with the eventual formation of 2 Brigades of Special Forces (6 Battalions).

Minorities

Minorities

Recruitment is nationwide and the army attempts to maintain an ethnic balance but most enlisted recruits, as in British times, come from a few districts in northern Punjab Province and the adjacent Azad Kashmir and the North West Frontier Province. Pakistan's Officer Corps are also mostly from Punjab and the North West Frontier Province and of middle-class, rural backgrounds. This has caused some resentment to the other ethnic groups in Pakistan especially when the Army conducts operation in those areas where Punjabis are not a majority. The army has been criticized by the locals for lacking ethnic sensitivity. Efforts have been undertaken to recruit more ethnic groups such as Sindhis, and Balochis into the Pakistani Army.

Minorities in Pakistan are allowed to sit in all examinations, including the one conducted by Inter Services Selection Board however the proportion of religious minorities in the Pakistan army is still considerably very less. The first Sikh officer was recently inducted into the army and is expected to set the tone for future recruitment for minorities.^[21] The Pakistan army also recruited a Hindu for the first time in its 60-year-old history. ^[22] The army sees itself as a national institution and thus many non-Muslim officers (including Qadiyanis) have achieved high ranks within the army^[23].

Women and Minorities in the Army

Women and Minorities in the Army

Female cadets of Pakistan Military Academy stand guard at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum.

Women

Women have served in the Pakistani Army since its foundation. Currently, there is a sizable number of Women serving in the army. Most women are recruited in the regular Army to perform medical and educational work. There is also a Women's Guard section of Pakistan's National Guard where women are trained in nursing, welfare and clerical work and there are also women recruited in very limited numbers for the Janbaz Force. Only recently has Pakistan began to recruit women for combat positions and the Elite Anti-Terrorist Force recently graduated women candidates to be Sky Marshals for Pakistan based airlines.^[18] In addition recently eight of the 41 cadets from the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul became the first women guards of honour.^[19] Pakistan is the only country in the Islamic world to have women Major Generals in the Army.^[20]

Relief Operations and Economic Development

Relief Operations and Economic Development

Pakistani Soldiers carry tents away from an American Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter October 19, 2005

In times of natural disaster, such as the great floods of 1992 or the October 2005 devastating earthquake, army engineers, medical and logistics personnel, and the armed forces played a major role in bringing relief and supplies.

The army also engaged in extensive economic activities. Most of these enterprises, such as stud and dairy farms, were for the army's own use, but others performed functions beneficial to the local civilian economy. Army factories produced such goods as sugar, fertilizer, and brass castings and sold them to civilian consumers.

Several army organizations performed functions that were important to the civilian sector across the country. For example, the National Logistics Cell was responsible for trucking food and other goods across the country; the Frontier Works Organization built the Karakoram Highway to China; and the Special Communication Organization maintained communications networks in remote parts of Pakistan.

Personnel Training

Enlisted ranks

Most enlisted personnel used to come from rural families, and many have only rudimentary literacy skills, but with the increase in the litracy level the requirements have been raised to Matriculate level (10th Grade). Recruits are processed gradually through a paternalistically run regimental training center, taught the official language, Urdu, if necessary, and given a period of elementary education before their military training actually starts.

In the thirty-six-week training period, they develop an attachment to the regiment they will remain with through much of their careers and begin to develop a sense of being a Pakistani rather than primarily a member of a tribe or a village. Enlisted men usually serve for eighteen years, during which they participate in regular training cycles and have the opportunity to take academic courses to help them advance.

[edit] Officer Ranks

[[Image:Pakofficerexercise.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Pakistan Army officer conducting helicopter assault exercise with US Army at Fort Benning ]]

About 320 men enter the army bi-annually through the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul in Abbottabad in the North West Frontier Province; a small number--especially physicians and technical specialists--are directly recruited, and these persons are part of the heart of the officer corps. The product of a highly competitive selection process, members of the officer corps have completed twelve years of education and spend two years at the Pakistan Military Academy, with their time divided about equally between military training and academic work to bring them up to a baccalaureate education level, which includes English-language skills.

The army has twelve other training establishments, including schools concentrating on specific skills such as infantry, artillery, intelligence, or mountain warfare. A National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has been established which has absorbed the existing colleges of engineering, signals, and electrical engineering. At the apex of the army training system is the Command and Staff College at Quetta, one of the few institutions inherited from the colonial period. The college offers a ten-month course in tactics, staff duties, administration, and command functions through the division level. Students from foreign countries, including the United States, have attended the school but reportedly have been critical of its narrow focus and failure to encourage speculative thinking or to give adequate attention to less glamorous subjects, such as logistics.

The senior training institution for all service branches is the National Defence University. Originally established in 1971 at Rawalpindi, to provide training in higher military strategy for senior officers, the school house was relocated to Islamabad in 1995. It also offers courses that allow civilians to explore the broader aspects of national security. In a program begun in the 1980s to upgrade the intellectual standards of the officer corps and increase awareness of the wider world, a small group of officers, has been detailed to academic training, achieving master's degrees and even doctorates at universities in Pakistan and abroad.

Pakistani officers were sent abroad during the 1950s and into the 1960s for training in Britain and other Commonwealth countries, and especially to the United States, where trainees numbering well in the hundreds attended a full range of institutions ranging from armored and infantry schools to the higher staff and command institutions. After 1961 this training was coordinated under the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, but numbers varied along with vicissitudes in the United States-Pakistan military relationship. Of some 200 officers being sent abroad annually in the 1980s, over two-thirds went to the United States, but the cessation of United States aid in 1990 entailed suspension of the IMET program. In 1994 virtually all foreign training was in Commonwealth countries. However, after the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan again has begun sending officers to US Army schools. Today there are more than 400 officers serving in foreign countries.

Officers retire between the ages of fifty-two and sixty, depending on their rank.

Fauji Foundation

Fauji Foundation (established in 1954) is a charitable trust, operating on a completely self sustaining basis, channeling approximately 80% of the profits from commercial ventures into social protection programmes that serve a beneficiary population representing approximately 7% of the country’s population. ^[16]

Spending more than Rs. 21 billion since inception on welfare, the Foundation provides services in the areas of healthcare, education, educational stipends, technical and vocational training.

• Over 2.1 million patients treated per year through the FF Healthcare System
• Approximately 38,000 students enrolled in the FF Education System
• Approximately 70,000 educational stipends dispersed each year
• Over 6,000 individuals trained annually through the Vocational & Technical Training Centres

Considered the most sustainable social protection mechanism in the country, Fauji Foundation provides welfare services to approximately 10 million individuals on a completely sustainable basis. Running autonomously for over 50 years, the foundation has been providing healthcare, education, vocational and technical training to over 7% of the country’s population through 294 welfare projects. [