Pakistani armed forces have inducted very first fleet of surveillance-capable Drones / Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Pak Army and Pakistan Air Force. Pakistani made Burraq and Shahpar are part of the first fleet of strategic drones.
Pakistan already has several types of unarmed surveillance drones in operation, but ‘Burraq’ and ‘Shahpar’ are the first to be developed locally. These two drones have been developed in cooperation with NESCOM which is a civilian-controlled Pakistani scientific research organization.
An unarmed version of the Shahpar was unveiled for the first time at the International Defence Exhibition 2012 (IDEAS) in Karachi.
ISPR described the induction as a landmark and historic event, wherein a very effective force multiplier has been added to the inventory of the armed forces. In the future these UAVs could also be gainfully employed in various socio-economic development projects, as well, it added, hinting at the possibility of using drones in non-combat settings and for civilian use.
The induction ceremony was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General (Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, and senior officers from armed forces, scientists and engineers.
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Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General
(Retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai handing over a replica of indigenously developed
surveillance capable UAVs formally inducted in Pakistan Armed Forces to Chief
of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. PHOTO: ISPR
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