REPORT
easy targets. Since the advent of the anti-ship cruise
and ballistic missile, building a massive surface fleet is
not only incredible expensive, it is incredibly stupid. No
surface vessel in existence today is capable of avoiding
a land based, air launched or sea launched saturation
missile attack – not even the most high-tech American
vessels. Put it this way, it would only take a small $50
million missile boat, carrying 4-8 primitive Harpoon style
missiles to sink an aircraft carrier worth many billions.
And if there is one thing the Pakistan Navy does not
lack, it is missiles.The Soviets knew this, and so they restricted their surface fleet and concentrated on subma-
rine warfare, and the German Kriegsmarine circa WW2
knew this too. They relied on masses of U-boats to control the seas, not expensive surface vessels that would
be more of a liability than a benefit. While the Indian
Navy has gone down the foolhardy path, the Pakistani
Naval brass have been far wiser. Knowing that they cannot match India in numbers, they have concentrated on
securing territorial waters and securing sea lanes via
high-tech submarines. The acquisition of the Augusta
90-B was a major step in the upgradation of the submarine fleet, and this is soon to be followed by the purchase
of several German U-214 boats. This type is the most
modern and sophisticated conventional diesel submarine in the world and far outstrips anything in the Indian
arsenal. This has been supplemented by the purchase
of small Chinese and possible Turkish frigates and large
numbers of anti-ship missiles of the air launched and
sea-launched variety. Pakistan is also proficient in the
building of the only vessel it makes any sense to construct these days – the small missile-launching patrol
bo