Pakistan has premiered its fighter drone “Shahpar-III” having capability of firing missiles striking at a range of 250kms during the IDEAS Defence Exhibition being held at Expo Centre in Karachi, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Developed by Global Industrial Defence Solutions (GIDS), a state-owned Pakistani defence conglomerate, Shahpar-III represents the third generation of the Shahpar series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the latest edition is capable of carrying a payload of up to 500 kilograms, which enables it to transport a variety of heavy weapons.
The “Shahpar-III” drone is capable of flying 35,000 feet into the air and carrying heavy weapons such as bombs, cruise missiles and torpedoes, with the head of the company that manufactured the drone describing it as a “game changer” in battlefield.
“It is a main game changer in a battlefield with the kind of weapons it can carry,” Asad Kamal, Chief Executive Officer of GIDS, said and added the drone would soon be inducted into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
The Shahpar-III is a successor to the Shahpar-II drone which could fly up to 20 hours at a maximum altitude of 23,000 feet in the air, according to GIDS website. The Shahpar-III can fly up to 35,000 feet for 30 hours and carry a payload of up to 500 kilograms.
GIDS, which has been selling its products to around 14 countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, introduced Shahpar-II in 2021. The drone’s impressive endurance and high-altitude capabilities make it a formidable asset for military operations.
“This has a more strategic value to an armed force in comparison to Shahpar-II,” Kamal explained. “Shahpar-III is a natural step up when you’re making UAVs drones.”
Kamal said the drone can see targets at night and “take on the enemy” with heavy weapons.
“That means that from your own borders, you can launch a cruise missile from an unpiloted plane,” he said. “That cruise missile has a range of 250 kilometers. So, it can give any force a lot of firepower value by having this sort of a weapon in its arsenal,” he added.
Pakistan, China signed MoUs
An agreement has been signed between Pakistan and China regarding defence equipment and in this regard MoU has been inked by both countries at IDEAS Exhibition 2024.
The MoU was signed by Mr Ding of China and Brigadier Nadeem Ahsan of Pakistan.
The agreement was signed between Pakistani company Heavy Industries Taxila and Chinese company Norinco.
The second contract was signed with Chenab Engineering Works and Foundries.
The MoU was signed by Brigadier Nadeem Ahsan of Pakistan and Ahmad Hassan of Chenab Company.
Reporter: Ashraf Khan