Karachi's Port air-defense / deterrence

[CivilianSupremacy]

Hi,

I want to ask what are our options to protect Karachi naval dockyard and the port. We know more than 80-90% Naval platforms are stationed at Karachi dockyard. With time more platforms will go to Ormara but still Karachi seems to remain the major and critical naval base for decades to come. The importance is also due to 90% of Pakistan's trade being done through the port. So my first question is what are our options to protect the base against the missile attack. The attack on 71 was done via short-range sub-sonic missiles. Now with Brahmos (air-launched, sea or ground launched) options give india the ability to launch the attack more conveniently with safe distance. Karachi port is about 180 km from the indian border. That's put it well in range of their supersonic missiles.

I know, if the tensions are high, then Pakistan Navy will call up the crew for all ships and the ships will be deployed at alert position. Finding and hitting moving warships that are ready is a different thing (that we usually discuss too here in PDF) but what if in a hypothetical scenario, the indians want to do a surprise attack? though its unlikely but not impossible.

Karachi's naval dockyard / port air-defence options?

See below picture, the red crosses are all the naval assets, crew stations, operational centers, and ships locations. These are fixed coordinates, hitting these are no problem at all. The supersonic missiles will take roughly 2 mins to reach the karachi port. So, do we have any air-defence, point defence, fixed CIWS etc installed at the port ? The airforce radars may see the incoming missiles but it will be too late to tell the navy and call the crew and move the ships, the only thing that could save annihilation of most naval assets will be an advance 24/7 active air-defense protecting the dockyard itself. Or otherwise, the structure of the naval docyard where all the ships and stations are spaced out with hardened facilities. (which is not the case obviously)

Counter Attack Capability / Deterrance

If we do not possess such air-defense than perhaps more easier option is possessing a deterrence. Means we should be capable to give similar response to the attack (so adversary may not even attempt to do something like that at first place). A similar and equal level attack would be an attack to Mumbai port that has massive naval presence as well. So what are our options or counter attack ? Mumbai is around 710 kms from Pak border. The Harbahs mounted on warships likely will not be able to reach that deep. PN warships going inside deep indian waters is also unlikely given the sheer number of Indian navy and air assets. The submarine launched babur-3 maybe the option but I am not sure even such a missile exists as we have not seen the footage of the missile coming out of the sub. Hard to believe on just ISPR statement now-a-days when they have been proved telling lies (Dismissing Cypher existence) when even state dept has now aknowledged it. Anyways the only option for counter attack maybe through the PAF strike formation carrying RAAD cruise missiles, they will have to punch through indian airspace for several Kms, release the payload and return. What are your all thoughts on this. Thanks

@Bilal Khan (Quwa) @iLION12345_1 @arslank03 @Falcon26

 

[aziqbal]

Pakistan is a nuclear state

and TTP dont operate fast fighter jest with air launched missiles

no governmental organisation in the right mind would hit Karachi in a surprise attack

wartime SOPs are totally different

 

[CivilianSupremacy]

Pakistan is a nuclear state

and TTP dont operate fast fighter jest with air launched missiles

no governmental organisation in the right mind would hit Karachi in a surprise attack

wartime SOPs are totally different

Hi,

I am not talking about TTP. I am talking about India. Ofcourse, it will be a start of fullscale war after the surprise attack on Karachi. But Pakistan will be without operational navy if indians do it perfectly and we are unable to detect or defend it.

Nations have done suprise attacks throughout the history of warfare. Sometimes its done as an excuse of "pre-emptive strike". Japanese were able to do total surprise attack on Pearl Harbour and destroyed numerous warships (just imagine if pearl harbour would have been only naval base of US, than how completely japanese would have wiped US naval power). This is not an accurate example but I am just telling that nations do not have to be in official state of war to do something like it. This could be an event to start a war. Professional forces must consider all scenarios (including the very worst ones) in their calculations.

A force never assume that such a thing can never happen. Any big terror attack or any other excuse for full scale war could trigger it. The reason Karachi & its naval base is so vulnerable is because of its proximity to indian border and the ranges of their missiles well covering it. Even if get enough time to move some assets, how we are going to protect it anyway without any proper air-defence. So to stop them doing such an escalation, we should have either enough air-defense capability to stop such attack OR we should have counter attack capability to neutralize their naval bases and their ports. I think, our limitation is our inability to hit targets farther in india. To achieve full conventional balance / deterance, Pakistan has to increase the range of its cruise missiles.

 

[Muhammad Saftain Anjum]

We have Surface -kissing cruise missiles to hit them back.
However addition of long range supersonic cruise missiles in Naval Arsenal will be a formidable capability boost.
I say just reverse engineer CM 302 and we will be fine.

Pakistan has to increase the range of its cruise missiles.

Now we have indiginous engines for our cruise missiles,Range will certainly increase with every improvement in engine.