Pakistan

‘Shamsie airbase not under PAF control’

US military had used the “Terrain Masking Technology” in the May 2 top-secret operation in Abbottabad.

Express May 14, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) deputy chief has said that the Shamsie airbase in Balochistan is not under their control as it was funded and constructed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Briefing an in-camera session of both houses of Parliament on Friday, Air Marshal Muhammad Hassan told lawmakers that the US military had used the “Terrain Masking Technology” in the May 2 top-secret operation in Abbottabad that had killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. It was the first use of this technology that has astounded the world.

He said that the US stealth helicopters managed to evade Pakistani radars because they flew between two mountains. He added that the Pakistani military came to know about the incident after one of the helicopters crashed.

The deputy air chief said that the American helicopters had returned before the PAF scrambled its warplanes. He added that the PAF monitors the country’s airspace round-the-clock but the American helicopters evaded them due to their superior technology.Agencies

With additional input from news desk

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (52)

ishrat salim | 13 years ago | Reply We hv acquired 6 AWACS recently ( 3 from China & 3 from Sweden )...where were these ??....laying eggs...?? if these are not effective than why we acquired them at all...?? nobody seem to remember this piece of equipment...hence nobody hv put any question on this issue...?? which shows our & our leadership capability & expect to fight the Americans...??

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply @Ramesh Kaul: Yes, because Pakistan has not claimed Kashmir its part. Pakistan since day one is of the view that Kashmir is a disputed area. Constitution of Pakistan does not include Kashmir as part of Pakistan. However, there a large number of countries who issue stamped visa for People of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. If you argument is acceptable then these areas are part of Pakistan. However, China issues stapled visa for both Indian Occupied Kashmir and Arunachal Pardesh. So, by your own argument, both these territories are not part of India.

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Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply I am surprised that my comments which could clear doubts of many people were not approved. Can someone tell me the reason on my Email ?

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply It is proof enough that the military should be under civilian control like any other country. If there was no pressure and QA in the assembly, this truth would never come out. Democracy means oversight and open debate, Everything about army should be open and debated. I am not talking about their secret operations or like but the finances and what are they selling and to whom? Mirza, USA

Sami Khan | 13 years ago | Reply If operations at Shamsi air base are controlled by UAE, what about the air strip made by UAE un Rahim Yar Khan? Why we allow Arab Sheikhs to construct bases in Pakistan for their hunting? Is this not true wherever they built a strip or air base that was later provided to the US? Shamsi air base in Baluchistan and hellmond base in Afghanistan are the example made for so called hunting and then rent out

mahmood | 13 years ago | Reply Does that sound reasonable to anyone? It appears that few in Pakistan demand even a reasonable explanation let alone the truth - mind boggling.

Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply Why my comments have not been approved so far ?

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply @Ramesh Kaul: You certainly have vivid imagination to concoct such tales from the crypt; Lets hear some more but have the UAE President endorse it.

I_love_Pakistan | 13 years ago | Reply Selling mother-land to UAE Sheikh (a US puppet) resembles with Israel buying land from Palestinies in the past and the declaring a separate country. This is the same UAE who were involved in killing Chinese engineers working on Gawadar Port. What a generosity of Pakistan's decision makers. Who make such decisions? Pakistan Army or Politicians? Time to get Pakistani investment and talent back home and let them enjoy their corporation like countries alone.

Babloo | 13 years ago | Reply If Pak uses US supplied F-16's to resist drones or US forces, then US will stop supply of spare parts to F-16's and cripple Pak airforce toys, which they can play with but can't use.

Imran | 13 years ago | Reply Warrent Buffet, Bill Gates, Pakistan has its air bases for sale? Interested? :-)

Khalid Masood | 13 years ago | Reply Couple of years back I have been to this place now called as Shamsi Air Field. Haaah haaa haaa. I assure you that it is not and it does not look like something which could remotely called as airbase. Arab Sheiks come to Pakistan for hunting of Houbara Bustard every year. They use to land at Karachi or Quetta and then use to go to interior Balochistan by road for hunting and relaxing. One UAE prince thought of constructing a runway close by. He selected Kharan city initially but locals of Kharan demanded huge money as compensation for the land which belonged to provincial govt after initial work was done. An unpaved landing strip still exists outside Kharan City. Arabs got angry due to absurd demands of locals and shifted the project in deep Balochistan, in the wilderness, a place called Shamsi. A runway was constructed where a Boeing 747 could land and take off only along with a small building with 2-3 rooms. Arabs usually used C-130 and C-160 planes. I did not see even a perimeter fence at that time. Only few towers were there for watchmen. PAF neither constructed that Airfield nor needs that place. The Area belonged to Govt of Balochistan and Fedrel Govt granted permission for leasing that to UAE and construction of runway for facilitating hunting. Later USAF took over that in Mush time. PAF has nothing to do with that. Comments regarding PAF response by many people as based on ignorance.

Holy One | 13 years ago | Reply In between everyone forgot to ask was how was Osama`s Honeymoon for 5 years in Abbottabad? & for most comments here, sovereignity applies only to Americans who donate the money, but not to Militant Groups attack other countries.. May God bless Pakistan with whatever he feels is justified!!

Ozymandias | 13 years ago | Reply Wow. I bought the land for my house, does this mean I can make a military base there?

Massileaks | 13 years ago | Reply Thank you america for killing a man who declared war against our country but to punish america for violating our air space..lets give the parts of destroyed stealth helicopter to china!!

sanjith menon | 13 years ago | Reply Look at the Chrssada attack on FC cadets, its telling something, It says that the Taliban is not buying the version of the Army and ISI on OBLs death. It was a direct hit on Pakistans army. The army knew an attack on a high end target was coming, but did not know against whom. There was complicity between the Pak military and the US. Yes there will be a big hue and cry, like in Davis case, but IMF and Kerry Lugar money will come in june, and its monday as usual.

FactCheck | 13 years ago | Reply @TightDhoti: Pakistan fighters are US supplied. The absurdity of using F16's to shoot down low helicopters is beyond imagination. F16's cannot fly as low as helicopters, they are designed long range bombers especially the one's supplied to Pakistan. On the other hand F16 Raptors are designed to be multirole aircrafts, may do the job but, Pak doesn't have them. In this instance, even if you used them with your missiles, you would have caused hell of lot of collateral damage by attacking low flying helicopters. US planners knew this well. The real question you should ask is why wasn't there any anti-aircraft guns? Typically, there is anti aircraft batteries around radar and military installations, US knew this too.

Gul | 13 years ago | Reply @Ramesh Kaul: What are you talking about? I belong to GB and have lived in the UAE for many years now. There is nothing of the sort that you talked about. STOP THE LIES!!!!

FactCheck | 13 years ago | Reply @sajid imran khan: Get the technology with what?

Ba Ha | 13 years ago | Reply Well the Courts must reverse this ASAP

S. Ali Raza | 13 years ago | Reply Well, we know where Shamsie Air base is... why not kill it?

Faraz | 13 years ago | Reply @Ramesh Kaul: Actually the UAE does not do that. It seems you have your facts wrong. In fact that's what China does to people coming in from IOT (Indian Occupied Tibet) and IOK (Indian Occupied Kashmir).

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan may not control the airbase, but it does control the airspace, who allows the drones to fly in and out of there?

sharjeel | 13 years ago | Reply @Ramesh Kaul: the same thing china does with you, ut issues stapled visa to not only indian occupied kashmir but also to people of south tibet( arunachal pradesh),,,what is your point of having fun and watching the great game unfold,,,,,

maestro | 13 years ago | Reply Stop inviting arabs here! Pakistanis are treated like animals in every arab country. They are not our friends but in fact our worst enemies. Ignorant bedouins with some oil so they don't have to work one day, marry 50 wives and have 30,000 children. That is not Pakistan. Without our PAF help, Israel would have decimated all of them in 6 days. I can imagine an arab trying to fly an F-16 - uh, what does this lever do? Eject - idtiot! LOL!!

SAAwais | 13 years ago | Reply Wow! Shamsie with the UAE (read USA). When are we selling Sargodha's off to Indians? would be worth a lot of money, what say our dear "Shaheens"?

meekal ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply These helicopters were a highly modified version of the well-known Black Hawk with "stealth" capability. Stealth means it is invisible to radar. Not only was this the first time it was used, it was the first time the world became aware of its existence -- thanks to the wreckage left behind. The major powers, including China, have stealth bombers, not stealth helicopters except, as we now know, the US.

M Ali Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Meanwhile, the PAF will proudly announce the acquisition of another piece of overhyped but useless junk from China called the JF-17 next week to let its teenage fanboys coo over our PAF's 'impregnable defence' Thanks for your commitment boys!

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply The helicopter crashed and then it took a further 40 minutes for the helicopters to exit Pakistani airspace. PAF fighters could not get to Abottabad in 40 minutes time? Btw, when is PTI launching a Dharna against the UAE for allowing drones to take off from "their" airbase? Are patriotic Paksitani's going to shun Dubai?

Kazmis | 13 years ago | Reply Gen Retd Musharraf gave permission to US to bring forces in Pakistan anytime on pretext of Al-Qaida, Gen Musharraf gave (rather sold) Shamsi Air base to someone who rented to someone and started killing people. Gen Musharraf allowed CIA operative mounting to 7000 in Pakistan to kill Pakistanis. Musharraf was Army chief of Pakistan not of India. What type of command we have?

imran | 13 years ago | Reply What do u say? are u still in favor of cutting down defense forces budget????

Hammad Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Are we trying to free ourselves from the blame by saying UAE was responsible for controlling that airbase? What a lame excuse to hide incompetence and failure ! It's like burying our heads in the sand.

s.g. jilanee | 13 years ago | Reply So UAE can also allow rebels and insurgents to mount attacks against Pakistan installations from Shamsie. Incredible!

Adeel | 13 years ago | Reply hahahaha joke of the year

Mirza Farhatullah Baig | 13 years ago | Reply Is no clearance required for the aircraft to operate ffrom Shamsi? If yes than how it is possible that any operation with out the permission of Pakistan can be carried out from there. Pleace dont hide the truth. Time is come we face the world unitedly. This can be done if we have trust in ourself. Pakistan Zindabad. US betrate Pakistan. We are proud of our army and sure soon they show their existance.

Blithe | 13 years ago | Reply Get back control of Shamsi NOW!

Aftab Badruddin | 13 years ago | Reply Shamsie air base with UAE, others with US, UK etc, tell us what is ours

tax payer | 13 years ago | Reply This does not impress us at all Mr Air Marshal Muhammad Hassan , however, must have impressed the Parliamentarians with Fake degrees. So what is the point of covering your incompetence with US having a superior technology. How the hell you will protect Pakistan if India gets this technology. Whatever, your excuse is, it is sheer nonsense. Yes please tell us what US does not have and our Gvernment adn Millitary will handover in no time and w/o shame

Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply Take that base back from UAE / USA without any delay

Ashamed Pakistani | 13 years ago | Reply Did Pakistan sold its sovereignty along with sale of 250 acres of land to UAE!!! Is sovereignty a purchasable item and can it be sold. It will be good case for hearing in the supreme court. Will some good lawyer take up this case in the court of law. What a charade excuse.

Ramesh Kaul | 13 years ago | Reply U.A.E issues stapled visas to people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan - i.e U.A.E considers there areas under Pakistani control as "disputed". But Indian Kashmiris get visas stamped on Indian passports - which means U.A.E does not consider Indian Kashmir a disputed territory. Have fun - watch the great game unfold.

Khan | 13 years ago | Reply We are with our ARMY/AIRFORCE/ISI to help them to get their diginity back fm this shamed incident happend in abbotabad. But they should also realized to tell TRUE story instead of making fool NATION and PARLIMENT.. This is 21st Century and how can any one beleived that for 40 MINTUES, American were doing Operation and all of us were sleeping.. It will be great to accept that our army /air force has not make any attempt or try to to face them to avoid any possible wars... just like we doing in response of DRONE ATTACK as every one know we are not capable to fight with AMERICA.. so better to accept this bitter Truth instaed of making foolish EXCUES....................

Ahmer Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.This is not a surprising and amazing news for the nation because our corrupt and beggars leaders have sold their own,Pakistan's and the whole nation's honor,grace,dignity,ego,courage,sovereignty,integrity and self-respect to USA and IMF just for $$$$$$$$.Shamsi airbase is only little piece of land.

Khalid Rahim | 13 years ago | Reply Tell us what is not under Washington DC's control in Pakistan? And we will hand that too.

Chilli | 13 years ago | Reply Explanation and functions of Shamsi Airbase are a slap on Pakistan's face. We cannot control or monitor an installation with in our own country even if it serves against our interest??? We have to seriously think of Army's role in all wrong doings.

Aristo | 13 years ago | Reply @Sue: Hollowman technology.

Aristo | 13 years ago | Reply And the so called impregnable Fortress of Islam myth stands exposed in front of all the Muslims of the world. Now who will protect the Palestinians, Kashmiris and the Chechens?? those who could not protect their own so called sacred airspace, where were the angels, who are presumably protecting each and every nook and corner of the Land of the pure. No offense to the angels intended what so ever. Stealth or no Stealth, had Pak been a true Fortress of Islam, it's airspace would have been impossible to be violated. Come out of your wild figment of imaginations fellow countrymen and women and start living in the 21st century and learn to LIVE on your own resources for a change.

sajid imran khan | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan should try to get this technology, moreover pakistan should look over matters relating to drone attacks, Air bases, Agents etc....... Pakistani people are now against the govt policies, i think Pakistan should not show loose hand to Coward Americans....Oil beggers....Americans are cruel from all.... Quaid e azam zindabad Pakistani paindabad

Khair Buksh | 13 years ago | Reply Difficult to believe that PAF could not intercept during about one hour operations of American helicopters.Before,one helicopter crashed the deafening sound of helicopters flying over Kakul and Abootabad was already heard by locals.More investigations required,pl.

IZ | 13 years ago | Reply Um. Terrain Masking is a flying technique that has been used since the invention of radar in the 1940s. Equipment such as Terrain-following radar better helps aircraft to terrain mask and that has been used in various iterations for a while now. This was not a 'first use' of this type of technology. Was there a real point in making this briefing in-camera? Now we seem to be getting garbled versions of what was said anyway. Why not do something absolutely revolutionary and actually be up front with the people of Pakistan and tell them what happened instead of trying to "manage" the facts? On another note I'm hoping that the military will finally realize that they cannot hope to compete against technologically superior nations on purely military terms and that we are better off trying to use diplomacy and 'soft power' to secure Pakistan from external threats while using economic and social development to secure it from internal threats. Surely any rational attempt at furthering Pakistan's security and National Interests must come to this conclusion?

Sue | 13 years ago | Reply Mr. Bin Laden was living next door to a major army/ISI college! What kind of technology was he using?

@Jaleibi | 13 years ago | Reply wait a second ... so this is like someone rents out a room in my house to someone third... thats absurd!

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