Sea Sultan Long-Range MPA | Updates & Discussion

[Qureshi]

12 is a huge number especially for a country like Pakistan.

Dear, we already have 12 (8 Erieye & 4 ZDK)...

 

[studsmart]

Dear, we already have 12 (8 Erieye & 4 ZDK)...

10 with radar on them

6 saab
4 KE

 

[Qureshi]

10 with radar on them

6 saab
4 KE

Nope, 08 SAAB with Erieye & 04 Y9 with ZDK configurations.

 

[Ali_Baba]

it does make sense, realistically, SAAB is still offering globaleye to Pakistan, logically the next step for the PAF will be globaleye(hopefully lol) so it would be nice to get that commonality

I think the Global Eye makes no sense for Pakistan - it is a jack of all combining multiple roles into one and Pakistan doctrine needs more specialisation as it is a large military. However, an upgrade for the ER-Sensor does though !

 

[Aziqbal]

it was a good decision and much cheaper and more financially viable for Pakistan to use commercial liner which is custom converted

however PN needs probably the full 10 to cover the P3C Orion's

 

[Qureshi]

however PN needs probably the full 10 to cover the P3C Orion's

Well that's the plan since the inception of "Sea Sultan Project"... But fingers crossed to get the specified ten aircrafts.

 

[GriffinsRule]

I think Portugal is just upgrading its Orion's and work will be done by 2035. There is no rush to replace all the P-3Cs nor the capacity. Sea Sultan project will take a decade to complete easily.

 

[Corax]

This program may end up being dead in the water due to economics and the P-3s may soldier on with some halfway retrofits on and off.

I would agree with you. Besides, if the plan is to have a "western" platform for an MPA to replace the Orions, why not simply acquire one rather than using a completely new civil platform to convert to an MPA, which would turn our more risky and expensive. Instead, an existing MPA has already been mostly derisked, in service, and all the required integration work has been done. Completely baffling.

 

[arslank01]

I would agree with you. Besides, if the plan is to have a "western" platform for an MPA to replace the Orions, why not simply acquire one rather than using a completely new civil platform to convert to an MPA, which would turn our more risky and expensive. Instead, an existing MPA has already been mostly derisked, in service, and all the required integration work has been done. Completely baffling.

I dont understand where the 'risk' is, could you explain?

What is risky about buying off the shelf systems and putting them on an airframe? Where is the risk? There is none to acquire... P8 or smaller systems are all that exist, P72 etc, but guess what, theyre all off the shelf systems added to an airframe

 

[Corax]

I dont understand where the 'risk' is, could you explain?

What is risky about buying off the shelf systems and putting them on an airframe? Where is the risk? There is none to acquire... P8 or smaller systems are all that exist, P72 etc, but guess what, theyre all off the shelf systems added to an airframe

You've answered your own question. Existing MPAs have already done the integration and testing, and are operational, therefore lower risk. The Embraer platform to my knowledge has not been used before as an MPA, and therefore would require extensive testing and evaluation after the modifications, including structural changes to the airframe. That's added risk, time, and money.

 

[Dreamer]

You've answered your own question. Existing MPAs have already done the integration and testing, and are operational, therefore lower risk. The Embraer platform to my knowledge has not been used before as an MPA, and therefore would require extensive testing and evaluation after the modifications, including structural changes to the airframe. That's added risk, time, and money.

And which "existing MPA" is realistically available for Pakistan? Can you provide a list?

 

[Corax]

And which "existing MPA" is realistically available for Pakistan? Can you provide a list?

Sure, some obvious contenders:

ATR72 MPA (already familiar with PAF/PN).
CASA/Airbus CN-235/295 (again, already some familiarity with the airframe).
SAAB Swordfish MPA (already existing relationship with SAAB).

The PAF/PN could readily use these existing airframes/MPAs as a basis for any incremental changes to suite their own needs. Most of the work with these has already been done.

 

[Qureshi]

Sure, some obvious contenders:

ATR72 MPA (already familiar with PAF/PN).
CASA/Airbus CN-235/295 (again, already some familiarity with the airframe).
SAAB Swordfish MPA (already existing relationship with SAAB).

The PAF/PN could readily use these existing airframes/MPAs as a basis for any incremental changes to suite their own needs. Most of the work with these has already been done.

All of the aforementioned platforms are turboprops in the MPA league, and Lineage 1000, which is jet-powered, was chosen with the PN requirement for the SEA-SULTAN project being LRMPA in mind.

Furthermore, the platform is customized to meet PN requirements, therefore Pakistan will benefit from this agreement.

These days, even Leonardo projects this system for other clients.

 

[Dreamer]

Sure, some obvious contenders:

ATR72 MPA (already familiar with PAF/PN).
CASA/Airbus CN-235/295 (again, already some familiarity with the airframe).
SAAB Swordfish MPA (already existing relationship with SAAB).

The PAF/PN could readily use these existing airframes/MPAs as a basis for any incremental changes to suite their own needs. Most of the work with these has already been done.

First 2 options you mentioned are simply ridiculous. Because PN already has ATR-72 Sea Eagle, so it obviously needs something beyond that. How hard is that to understand? C-295 isn't much different either. Besides I asked for realistically available options and C-295 is an airbus offering and IMO that can be a problem also. Anyways neither are alternates for sea sultan LRMPA.

Now SAAB swordfish, also ridiculous. Because again my question was is it realistically available to Pakistan? And I think it had US influence. But more to the point, does it even exist? Is it an "existing MPA" ? Who operates this? Was all the integration work really done for this package?....as this was your main point. As far as I know it was only a concept and was never made. You can correct me if I'm wrong.

So you actually gave zero options.

 

[arslank01]

You've answered your own question. Existing MPAs have already done the integration and testing, and are operational, therefore lower risk. The Embraer platform to my knowledge has not been used before as an MPA, and therefore would require extensive testing and evaluation after the modifications, including structural changes to the airframe. That's added risk, time, and money.

There is ZERO risk.

its 2024, none of this is particularly complex.