Pakistan’s Defense Industry goes UAV

Updated Jan 2010! Courtesy: South Asia Investor Review and Pakistan Daily

U.S. Army Gen. William Westmoreland is reported to have said: “On the battlefield of the future, enemy forces will be located, tracked and targeted almost instantaneously through the use of data links, computer-assisted intelligence and automated fire control. … I am confident the American people expect this country to take full advantage of its technology–to welcome and applaud the developments that will replace wherever possible the man with the machine.” It seems that this vision from the 1970s is being realized today. One manifestation of it is the development and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles by many nations, including Pakistan.

Pakistan’s indigenously developed unmanned aerial vehicle, Uqaab, whose final flight was tested and successfully conducted in March 2008. All design parameters were successfully validated, and the performance of Uqaab can be compared to any modern state of the art UAV, according to an army statement. Flight test was preceded by a series of trials in 2007 and is a reflection of Pakistan’s technical prowess in the field of UAV technology.

The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has handed over one dozen Predator-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), PAC Chairman Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry said in January 2009. He said Pakistan had acquired the capability to manufacture UAVs and had initiated indigenous production.  “We will manufacture more UAVs indigenously, keeping the PAF’s requirements in mind”. [Link]

  

Pakistan’s Motorways, Highways and Roads

Compiled by: Mirza Rohail B

Pakistan’s Transport Sector 

• Contributes                              11% to GDP
• Accounts for                            12-15% of PSDP
• Consumes                               35% of Total Energy 
  

  ISB-PSH Motorway

   

   

Electricity: Solutions and Ongoing Projects

By: Afreen Baig

History

Mirani Dam Inaugurated

Yahya Khan in the 1960’s, our governments failed to conceive and initiate major electricity projects.

 The inept governments of PML-N and PPP, that still consider themselves vital to democratic dialogue within the provinces, failed to create dialogue within provinces, on the most important issue facing Pakistan’s energy survival – the Kalabagh Dam. Their governments failed to plan for the future growth and energy requirements. Recently the government of PPP has scraped the project altogether.

 

Unexpected Economic Boom & Energy Consumption in the last 10 years

 Pakistan’s $75 billion economy boomed into a $160 billion economy, with the consumption of gas, electricity and coal increasing YEARLY to an average rate of 7.8 percent, 5.1 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively.

 The number of electricity consumers grew from 15.9 million in 2005-06 to 16.7 million in 2007, showing a growth of about 70 percent over the last 10 years.

 The major Energy consumption sectors of the country are: Industrial (38.3 percent), Transport (32.8 percent), Residential and Commercial (25 percent), Agriculture (2.5 percent) and others (2.2 percent).

 As regards Electricity, the Household sector has been the largest consumer over the last 10 years, on average consuming 44.8 percent, followed by Industrial sector (29.4 percent), Agriculture (12.2 percent), Commercial sector (5.9 percent), Street lights (10.6 percent), the officials say.