Turkey-Pakistan Friendship in Defense Industry

In 2016, Turkey and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding for the procurement of 52 PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak Initial Trainer Aircraft. Subsequently, it was decided that Turkey would produce 30 ATAK Helicopters and 4 Ada Class Frigates for Pakistan. Such projects, which are indicative of the growing relationship between the two countries in the fields of defense industry, are expected to continue.

Pakistan-Turkey Relations

The roots of friendship and brotherhood between Turkey and Pakistan go deep into history. The material and moral support provided by the Muslims of India to the Turkish nation during the War of Independence forms the basis of this bond. Strengthened by this foundation, relations between the two countries have been continuing in the framework of friendship and brotherhood since August 14, 1947, when Pakistan was established as an independent state. Since then, the Pakistani and Turkish governments have sought to strengthen relations between the two countries with a strategic perspective. This was the case yesterday and it is the case today.

I believe that the most important area that gives depth and meaning to the relations between Turkey and Pakistan is the defense industry. The military and defense industry areas constitute the most important topic in our bilateral relations with Pakistan. I will mention some of the concrete cooperation projects developed in recent years.

National Ship (MİLGEM) Production Project in Partnership with Pakistan

Turkey; In 1994, with this project, which developed around the idea of MİLGEM, Turkey has developed an amphibious assault ship (Anadolu class), frigates (Barbaros, Gabya, Yavuz and Istif classes), corvettes (Ada and Burak classes), submarines (Ay, Gür, Preveze and Reis classes), assault boats (Doğan, Kılıç, Rüzgâr and Yıldız classes), mine hunting and scanning ships (Aydın and Karamürsel classes), main landing ships (Osmangazi, Bey and Ertuğrul classes), coastal patrol ships (Tuzla class), offshore patrol ships (Hisar class) and fuel supply ships (Akar class). In this context, the project, which started to be realized in 2004, made it possible to produce many national ships in Turkish shipyards in line with the needs of the Turkish Naval Forces Command. 

Seeing Turkey's success with MİLGEM, Pakistan aimed to increase the capacity of its navy due to the ongoing border conflicts and tense relations with neighboring India. As a result of the negotiations held between the two countries in this context, on July 5, 2018, it was decided to initiate a joint shipbuilding process between Pakistan and Turkey in the perspective of MİLGEM. As part of the agreement, it was decided that Turkey would build four Ada (Pakistan called it Cinnah) class corvettes for the Pakistani Navy. The first ship was planned to be built in 54 months, with the remaining ships to be built in 60, 66 and 72 months respectively. On September 29, 2019, President Erdoğan attended the commissioning ceremony of the TCG Kınalıada, which was also marked by the steel cutting ceremony of the first MİLGEM ship for the Pakistan Navy.

It was decided that the corvettes produced for Pakistan would have features such as two surface-to-air guided missile systems with six cells each, two surface-to-air guided missile systems with three launchers each, 76 millimeter main battery cannon, torpedo launching system, close air defense system, two 25 millimeter remotely controlled stabilized gun systems (STOP), hull-mounted sonar and torpedo jamming and deception system (TKAS).

As a result, the signing of a joint corvette production project by the two countries within the scope of the MİLGEM Project, which is Turkey's pride, was important and constituted an important reference for relations in the field of defense industry. As part of this project, Turkey is leading the construction of four ships, two in Pakistan (at the Karachi Shipyard) and two in Turkey (at the Istanbul Shipyard). The MİLGEM Corvette Project, of which the main contractor is the Military Factory and Shipyard Management (ASFAT) AŞ under the Ministry of National Defense, continues as planned. According to the project schedule, four ships will be delivered to the Pakistan Navy in six-month intervals starting from August 2023 until February 2025.

Meanwhile, the Naval Supply Ship PNS Moavin, which was developed by Defence Technologies Engineering (STM) in line with the needs of the Pakistan Navy independently of the MİLGEM project, was delivered to the Pakistan Navy on October 16, 2018.

Pakistan T-129 ATAK Helicopter Program

The Pakistan Armed Forces are planning to replace its fleet of 48 aging Bell AH-1F attack helicopters with a new attack helicopter model. Pakistan had initially entered into an agreement to purchase 12 Bell AH-1Z Attack Helicopters from the US, but this deal had to be suspended due to deteriorating bilateral relations with the US. 

In 2014, Pakistan began negotiations with China to purchase the Chinese Z-10 helicopter, an attack helicopter with similar characteristics. However, the need for a high-performance helicopter came to the forefront in Pakistan, which has a highly mountainous terrain, and the need for the T-129 ATAK helicopter produced by TAI came to the fore. Mutual negotiations and flight tests conducted by the ATAK in Pakistan under difficult terrain conditions were found to meet the performance requirements of the Pakistani military aviation authorities. Following these evaluations, the T-129 ATAK officially entered Pakistan's agenda. 

As a result, Pakistan took the initiative to purchase 30 T-129 ATAK Attack and Tactical Reconnaissance Helicopters in 2018. On July 13, 2018, a contract worth USD 1.5 billion was signed for the sale of 30 T-129 ATAK helicopters manufactured by TAI to Pakistan. TAI was given the necessary orders on condition that US export authorization was obtained. However, this sale could not be realized after the US did not respond for a long time to the export authorization for the LHTEC-T800 engines that power the helicopters. 

As a "third party", the US had to approve the sale of the engines and gun systems used in the helicopter by Turkey. Initially, Pakistan aimed to overcome the political obstacles put in its way by the US and obtain this third-party export certificate. However, in time it became clear that this would not be possible. As a result of this negative development, Pakistan had to decide to discontinue the ATAK project as of January 5, 2022, and the sale of TAI-produced ATAKs is unlikely to take place in the near term.

Turkey's Procurement of Super Mushshak Trainer Aircraft from Pakistan

The Italian Agusta Westland (Leonardo) built SF-260 D aircraft, on which pilot candidate lieutenants graduating from the Air Force Academy receive initial flight training as part of their pilot training, needed to be replaced with a new training aircraft of the same class in the 2010s due to their obsolescence. In this context, Pakistan Aviation Company (PAC) won the tender opened by the SSİK (Defense Industry Executive Committee). 

Subsequently, in 2016, Turkey and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding for the procurement of 52 PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak Trainer Aircraft. At the International Defense Industry Fair IDEF 2017, TAI and PAC Kamra signed a cooperation agreement in the field of aviation within the framework of the contract signed on May 10, 2017 for the purchase of 52 Super Mushshaks from Pakistan to be used in the training of Turkish Fighter Pilots.

Initially, it was planned that the Pakistani aircraft would be assembled at TAI and the system-ground-flight tests would be carried out in Turkey. In this way, the plan was to use materials at the standards expected by the Turkish Air Force, to subject the aircraft to production processes, to guarantee quality assurance by TAI, and ultimately to transform the aircraft into an aircraft at the highest level in terms of flight safety. However, as a result of the negotiations, it became clear that the establishment of such a production line in Turkey might cause problems for Pakistan, and the Turkish side did not insist on this idea on technical grounds.

In this context, while the deliveries of the aircraft to be produced for the Turkish Air Force under the responsibility and control of Pakistan were expected to start at the end of 2020, the first delivery was postponed to the end of 2022 due to various technical problems. In this context, the first Mushshak Trainer Aircraft started flight test activities at the TAI campus in Ankara. The first batch of Pakistan-made MFI-395 Super Mushshaks is expected to be delivered to the Turkish Air Force Command towards the end of 2022.

The Swedish Saab MFI-15 Safari, considered the ancestor of the Super Mushshak, made its first flight in 1971. Produced for use by civilian flight schools, this aircraft was also offered to the market in a military version called the MFI-17. In the 1980s, Pakistan also ordered the MFI-17, which was preferred by the Danish and Norwegian Air Forces. Pakistan started the first production of the MFI-395 Super Mushshkak, an even more advanced version of the MFI-17 Mushshak, in 1995. Azerbaijan, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are among the countries that currently use these Pakistani-made aircraft.

Conclusion

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world with a population of more than 210 million and has been in Turkey's sphere of interaction in terms of history, ideas, ideology, economy, development and democratization since Muhammad Ali Jinnah. After gaining its independence in 1947, Pakistan has frequently been on the world agenda due to its border disputes with India, particularly over Kashmir.

In recent years, the US, which has been engaged in a war of influence with China over North Korea in Far Asia and does not want to lose its position in South Asia, has unilaterally canceled its military training activities with Pakistan and announced that it was cutting its $300 million military aid support, while developing its strategic partnership with India in recent years. The severing of ties between Pakistan and the US has led Pakistan to seek new partners in the defense industry. In this context, Turkey, which attracted attention with its upward trend in the defense industry, stood out as an important supply country for Pakistan. 

The rapidly developing bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries in the defense industry continue with the Super Mushshkak, MİLGEM and a few other projects. If Turkey manufactures the ATAK helicopter engine itself, the sale of 30 helicopters to Pakistan, which has been on the shelf, could be realized in the future.

Reference:

Muhammet Nazım Taşcı, 4th MİLGEM corvette produced by Turkey for Pakistan put on the slipway, Anadolu Agency, November 5, 2021, https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/bilim-teknoloji/turkiye-tarafindan-pakistan-icin-uretilen-4uncu-milgem-korveti-kizaga-konuldu/2413057

Ahmet Gözütok, Record exports from the Turkish defense industry: 4 corvettes to be sold, Donanım Haber, July 5, 2018, https://www.donanimhaber.com/Turk-savunma-sanayiinden-rekor-ihracat-4-korvet-satilacak--101216

SavunmaSanayiST.com, Pakistan ATAK Program continues, 5 January 2022, https://www.savunmasanayist.com/tusasin-kritik-tesislerinin-acilisi-gerceklestirilecek/

Presidency of the Republic of Turkey, Military and defense industry areas constitute the most important topic in our bilateral relations with Pakistan, 14 February 2020, https://www.tccb.gov.tr/haberler/410/116662/-asker-ve-savunma-sanayii-alanlari-pakistan-ile-ikili-iliskilerimizde-en-onemli-basligi-teskil-ediyor-

Savunmasanayi.org, On Turkey's Side in Every Matter: Pakistan, March 15, 2020, https://www.savunmasanayi.org/her-konuda-turkiyenin-yaninda-pakistan/

Savunmasanayi.St, Turkish Air Force Prepares for Super Mushshak Delivery, February 5, 2022, https://www.savunmasanayist.com/turk-hava-kuvvetleri-super-mushshak-teslimatina-hazirlaniyor/

Muhammed Ayyıldız, Super Mushshak Sounds at TAI, October 19, 2022, https://www.savunmasanayist.com/tusasta-super-mushshak-sesleri/