I just wanted to post a topic for an update of the situation with regard to the Al Khalid programme. It seems to have gone quiet recently.

my questions include;

1) how many have been produced to date?
2) how many are in active service?
3) how many Al Khalid based regiments have been raised/converted?
4) any updates on an estimated time for the second Al Khalid production line which I read about, when will this be ready?
5) Do we have any idea when Al Khalid MK2 will be ready?
6) Export orders- any countries who have placed fixed orders for the Al Khalid? any countries who are considering ordering it? Have any actually been exported? I read somewhere a few ended up with Sri Lanka?


answers much appreciated

Good question I was thinking about that the other day.

Lets make it a little authentic. Post the numbers with credible sources or references like 300 tanks were produced as reported by daily news etc. So if the quoting person dont know the exact link, atleast the other person can google it. It will also help other person to find out exactly how credible the numbers are.

Also include the Jf-17 figures too.

looks like no one seems to know much about it on PDF.

I did read about Pakistan providing 6 Al khalids to Sri Lanka

I've found an article in the asian tribune to verify this (http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2007/03/pakistan-replicating-its-baluch.html) though its an indian source.

this is the important paragraph

After discontent about defective and junk Pak supplies surfaced in Colombo, Islamabad reluctantly offered six Al Khalids, but at an astronomical price. Pakistan had only about twenty Al-Khalid tanks in service as of early 2002. It had received its first consignment of 15 Al-Khalid MBTs in July 2001. Heavy Industries Taxila started production of Al-Khalid in November 2000. The number of Al Khalids in Pak army has gone up since than but their number is not substantial as Pak generals want their clients to believe. In fact, they propagated the myth that Al Khalid would be exported in large numbers.[/size]

another more credible article, which is a year old (March 2007)

Al Khalid, Type 85III upgrade program

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Interesting, apparently the PA isn't satisfied with the Chinese IR imaging equipment on both the Type 85III and the Type 99.


AL-KHALID MBT UPGRADING PLAN

A source from the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) told KDR that the production of AL-Khalid MBT has been going on very smoothly. Apart from Pakistan, there are a number of other countries also interested in this MBT, including Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Indonesia. Other sources from the Pakistani Army disclosed to KDR that the Pakistani Army ordered an initial batch of 300 Al-Khalid MBTs, and a total of 200 have already been produced.

There is a plan to further enlarge the production line to the scale of manufacturing 100 Al-Khalid every year. [size="4"][/size]The Saudi Arabian delegations paid field visit twice to HIT and tested Al-Khalid. Saudi Arabia plans to have an Al-Khalid delivered in 2007 for further testing. A source from the Pakistani Army confirmed that China has participated in the promotion of Al-Khalid MBT to Saudi Arabia.

A source from French THALES told KDR that Pakistan has signed the contract of importing 900 sets of Catherine-FC thermal imaging systems to be fitted on the Al-Khalid MBTs of the Pakistani Army. Delivery of these thermal imaging systems is expected to start in March 2007. As an integrated plan, the same type of thermal imaging systems will also be used to upgrade the T85IIAP MBTs currently in service. A source from HIT told KDR that the reason they did not choose the Chinese-made thermal imaging systems was that they did not meet the demands of the Pakistani Army. Kanwa has learned that even the latest upgraded 99G MBTs use mechanical scanning thermal imaging system. Catherine-FC thermal imaging system works at 8-12μm band, weight smaller than 5.5kg, image resolution 754X576, wide field of view (WFOV) 9ºX6.7º, and narrow field of view (NFOV) 3ºX2.2º. Catherine-FC has a detection range of 10,000m for tanks, recognition range 4,500m, and identification range 2,300m.

In order to promote Al-Khalid MBTs to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has also used Matis thermal imaging system produced by French SAGEM for testing purpose, mainly because the armored forces of the Saudi Arabian Army are currently using Sagem’s thermal imaging systems. The third generation Matis thermal imaging system works at 3-5μm band, weight smaller than 4.5kg, WFOV 12ºX8º, NFOV 2.5ºX1.7º, detection range for tanks 11,000m, recognition range 5,300m. The identification range of the system is not yet revealed.

The Chinese tank experts told KDR that Pakistan has made rapid progress in tank design. The Chinese side is also very impressed by the new Integrated Battlefield Management System (IBMS) fitted on Al-Khalid. This IBMS is designed and produced by the Pakistani Integrated Defense Systems, and the system is already installed on some Al-Khalid command MBTs in effective service. With this IBMS, the battlefield situations between the two sides of confrontation can be transmitted through the video camera and unmanned aerial vehicle. This transmission system is capable of processing data and transmitting command orders as well as displaying different 3D topographical images and maps. The designer of the system stressed that they have also planned to connect the IBMS with satellite in the future.

An upgrading plan for Al-Khalid MBT is in the making. The first step will be replacing the engine system. Experts from HIT say that they are right now considering using the German-made 1,500hp engines to replace the Ukraine-made 6TD2 engines. (As good as the German engines may be, one has to consider the wisdom of using a more expensive, more sanction prone engine for our front line tank, but then we're considering U-214 as well!) For this purpose, Al-Khalid’s engine compartment has reserved a 1m space for the installation of greater power engine. Meanwhile, Pakistan has decided to outfit active protection system on Al-Khalid, similar to the Russian Shtora system. Pakistan has obtained at least one such system respectively from Ukraine and China for testing purpose. The Ukrainian version Shtora has already been tested on one Al-Khalid MBT. This system is composed of the laser detection and IR detection subsystems. In addition, Pakistan has also designed independently a laser detection system for Al-Halid for exercises and training. This system can perform laser beam detection and is composed of 8 units of laser detectors which are fitted on the two sides of Al-Khalid turret and on the front as well, providing a 180 deg forward-coverage.

Pakistan does not have a plan to fit gun launched ATMs on Al-Khalid MBT at the moment. The source also said that the plan of installing new engines and gun launched ATMs will be determined by the demands of respective clients, and Pakistan has the capability to undertake such upgrading for the clients.

Other sources from the Pakistani Army say that the plan of installing gun launched ATMs on the tanks of the Pakistani Army will be first tested on T80UD. Nonetheless, the Pakistani Army has much greater expectation for Al-Khalid MBTs than for T80UD. General Ehsan-ul-Haq, Chairman of Joint Staff of the Pakistani Military, says that Al-Khalid’s performance is much better than T80UD.

As it was mentioned above, the upgrading plan of T85IIAP is related to the installation of Catherine-FC thermal imaging system produced by Thales Company on Al-Halid MBTs. A source from the Pakistani Army stresses that in addition to outfitting thermal imaging system on T85IIAP, there are no other major upgrading plans. Pakistan once considered using the T serial tank upgraded thermal imaging system produced by the British Maconi Company. Since 2001, Pakistan has conducted winter and summer tests of the above two systems and Maconi eventually lost to Thales.

The upgrading of Al-Zarrar MBT has been going on very smoothly. A source from the Pakistani Army says that up to the present, they have finished upgrading 300 of them. The Army plans to upgrade a total of 611 T59 tanks so that they can reach the standard of Al-Zarrar. The direction of future upgrading of these T59 tanks will be the same as that for T85IIAP and Al-Khalid MBTs, i.e. to further upgrade the fire control system. For the A1-Zarrar upgrading project, Pakistan has chosen the THETIS thermal imaging system produced by Italian Galileo Avionica Company. A source from Galileo Avionica told KDR that THETIS thermal imaging system originated from ARES gunner sight system, but THETIS did not include the laser range finder. The fire control system of Al-Zarrar is still made by China in order to lower cost, and Pakistan has only selected the Italian thermal imaging system. As a 2nd generation thermal imaging system, THETIS works at 8-12μm band and uses digital signal processing system. Other technical details of this system have not been revealed. The source told KDR that Galileo Avionica has delivered to Pakistan 10 sets of THETIS thermal imaging systems for testing purpose, a total of 200 such systems will be delivered, indicating that not all Al-Zarrar tanks will be fitted with THETIS. The full upgrading plan will start in 2007.
As for the engine system, Al-Zarrar is powered by the 730hp diesel engines. This 730hp engine can give a power to weight ratio of 18.3hp/t and a maximum speed of 55km.

In summary, the basic technologies of the Pakistani tank industry indeed came from China, but in the course of constant upgrading, Pakistan is now enjoying much greater independence. More western fire control systems have been fitted on the Pakistani tanks.

http://www.pakdef.info/forum/showthread.php?t=9043

When is this article from? because it keeps referring to 2007 as the future.

its from March 2007

so we know at least

• 200 AK's have been made (probably another 50 since the article, as annual production is about 50), bringing the total to 250 completed MBT's.
• 5 countries showed interest in purchasing the Tank, though I remember there was some interest from Turky also, they wanted our help to build a tank more suited to Turkish requirements?
• at least 1 (Sri Lanka) actually received 6 AK's

what remains unclear is schedule of production increase, and ETA for Al Khalid Mk2

I hope it is true ... that we will be able to produce 100 tanks in a year.

why they use so much different Items for example for Al-zarrar they want upgrade 600 Tanks but buy only 200 THETIS thermal imaging 200 and the rest will have french or chinese Systems why ?

Wing Commander: Thank you for posting such informative articles, it is much appreciated brother! I was wondering though, that perhaps if the indication is that 300 AKs are just the initial order, that we would see an increase in the number of the tank type in the foresable future. If so, could it be that there is a possibility in streamlining all PA armory with AKs & T-85s?

it will probably not happen for a decade at least the al zarrar program is designed to extend the life of our T55 tanks. I guess they probably give better value for money. eventually though streamlining is inevitable given that Al Khalid is the only indidgenous program. As the older stuff is phased out, everything will be replaced by Al Khalid's and Al zarrar's. Eventually I guess even the Al Zarrar's will be replaced by perhaps an Al Khalid Mk2 or 3, though we are talking decades in advance.

does anyone know how long the Al Zarrar configuration is supposed to extend the tank life by?

This tank is set to be replaced by AK-II from 2012.

Green Beret, Al Khalid are with V and XXXI corps reserve right?

Aoa



brov, AK-II? Any information on that?

w/salaam

yes thats correct.

Nothing concrete as yet.all speculations.

roughly how many Al Khalid's are in each core?

also location wise where are these 2 corps based?

Aoa



Is it going to be based on the current design thing or something completely different?

Speculations are good enough... lolz

w/salaam

V and XXXI corps reserve are armoured divisions.

310 tanks each.

Green Beret why are these (and IV Corps reserve) called corps reserve rather than armoured divisions which they infact are.

ok I checked from pakdef as i find it a better source online than other ones.Al Khalid tank is of three types: Alkhalid,Alkhalid-1 and AlKhalid-2.
AK-1 is upgraded version of AK.
AK-1 as in more efficient-upgraded version of Al-Khalid is on trials & would soon be on production.
AK-1 will have alot of upgrades on the current design, especially in Transmission.AK-1 is considered to be a better tank than PLA's T-99MBT.The engine will be exported.
Ak-2 is of different league,state of the art, hight tech & 5th generation Tank

Al-Khalid-1 will be in production till 2015.
Al-Khalid-2 is in R&D & will go into production in 2019.

A Pakdef member gave this information who met HIT Chairman.

There are 44/45 tanks in each regiment.If the above information of 250 tanks is correct,means PA has atleast 5 regiments of AK.Both the corps have independant armored brigades(IAB) .IAB has two armored regiments and one mechanized infantry regiment usually.
V Corps is based in karachi.XXXI Corps in Bahawalpur.But these are just the Corps HQ.The troops(divisions,brigades,units) maybe present at some distance in other cities, from Corps HQ.

Pakistan has two armored divisions.1st armored division is under 2 Corps.6th armoured division is under 1st corps.


V and XXXI Corps are not reserve formations,however they may be having reserve divisions amongst them.Reserve divisions are put into combat for Providing depth defense and are available for exploitation and counter-attack.

These(5 and 31) Corps have independant armourd brigades under their command not armoured divisions.

Sparten did u read the Corps reserve thing from wikipedia?

yes.

**blushes**

Can't wait to see AK-1...wonder how many they will aim to produce until 2015. I also wonder if it will draw from the K2 Black Panther or rather the Turkish MBT currently under development. Just hope it has a 1500hp engine, lighter & stronger composite armor, ATGM capability, etc.

I wonte be suprised abt armor and if u remember few years ago at IDEA Pakistan and France did sign some agreement to produce some form of armor jointly. I cant remmebr if it was Explosive reactive armor or composite. however, im more than certain we did sign an agreement, though cant say if we did really worked together or not.

Maybe based on their role and location, different units have different specialized requirements. Many vehicles are operated in multiple configurations by the same force.