December 19, 200817 yr From ARES Pakistan Inks AWACS Deal with China? Posted by Graham Warwick at 12/18/2008 1:00 PM CST The Pakistani press is reporting that Islamabad has stuck a deal with China for airborne warning and control system aircraft - believed to be KJ-2000s, a Chinese version of the Beriev A-50 Mainstay. If true, it would give Pakistan an approximate equivalent to the Israeli-equipped A-50EIs on order for arch rival India. Photo: Chinese internet, via sinodefence.com According to sinodefence.com, the KJ-2000 is based on the Russian-supplied A-50, but with a Chinese electronically scanned array radar and mission system developed after the U.S. blocked the sale of Israeli-equipped A-50Is in 2000. India's A-50EI, meanwhile, is equipped with the Elta Phalcon active phased-array radar. Three A-50EIs are being outfitted in Israel, but delivery is delayed. Although yet to be officially confirmed, the report of a deal with China is in keeping with Pakistan's policy of having multiple sources for its major defence purchases, to mitigate the impact of any embargo. The air force is receiving five Erieye radar-equipped Saab 2000 AEW&Cs from Sweden, while the navy is to get three P-3s equipped with Hawkeye 2000 mission systems from the U.S. Although India's A-50EIs are based on airframes built by Beriev in Russian, any aircraft suppied to Pakistan by China are likely to be modified Ilyushin Il-76 transports. Islamabad is already taking delivery of four Il-78 Midas aerial-refueling tanker variants of the Il-76 purchased from the Ukraine.
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