KARACHI, Sept 16: A Mushak trainer aircraft manufactured by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra was handed over to representatives of a South African company, Uni Group Holdings (Pvt) Ltd , at the Ideas 2004 on Thursday where they also signed a contract for four additional aircraft.
The PAC, which is also manufacturing Karakoram 8 and rebuilding French and Chinese aircraft in the service of the PAF, had concluded a sales contract for a Mushak aircraft with the South African company on Aug 7 this year.
Earlier, the South African private sector representatives signed a sales contract of four Mushak 17-1 (MSK 17-1) aircraft. The handing over ceremony took place at the Expo centre's static display area where other weapons manufactured by Pakistan are exhibited.
The aircraft is manufactured primarily for Pakistan Air force and Pakistan Army as a primary trainer aircraft. Certain foreign countries, including Iran, Oman and Syria, are also flying this aircraft for military training purposes. Delivery of 20 such aircraft to Saudi Arabia would commence towards the end of the year.
NAVAL PLATFORMS: Meanwhile, Pakistan has offered naval platforms and support services for sale. This was stated by officials during a conducted tour of the dockyard for journalists.
They were informed that several delegations had visited the facility to see the products navy could offer. The navy chief had on Wednesday stated that Oman, Qatar and some other countries had expressed interest in the fast attack patrol craft which the PN had constructed at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
The newsmen were told that over the decade, Pakistan Navy had emerged as a credible maritime force fully poised for self-reliance, especially in the construction of surface and subsurface platforms and was among a few navies in the world capable of building submarines, missile craft and Mine Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs) by utilizing indigenous resources. Pakistan Navy was now on the verge of constructing these platforms on a commercial scale for selling to other navies.
