Quwa

Update! I'm excited to announce that we are launching Quwa Market Intelligence (MINT): https://lnkd.in/g659tA9b Today, Quwa MINT delivers 2-4 briefs a week about Pakistan's defence industry, ongoing or nearing procurement requirements, and emerging requirements (drawn from analysis mapped to multi-year news reporting, feedback/insights from field-level users, and other inputs). Starting Q4, however, we will also launch an actual *platform* that analysts, industry professionals, armed forces personnel, journalists, and researchers can plug their AI of choice (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, etc) into our repository. That repository draws on 2,400+ individual pieces of research, specification sheets, interviews we ran at trade shows, RFPs/RFIs/tenders, archival/library research we had consulted, and, not least, real information that disappeared from the web for one reason or another. We've converted *every single piece* into machine-readable format (e.g., MD) and also translated, transcribed, and categorized multimedia sources (e.g., news, speeches, documentaries, etc.). We will keep updating MINT following each trade show/exhibition; e.g., every question we ask, or small interview we run, spec sheet we get, and individual news item (big or small) we report will feed back into MINT. We will grow our network of on-the-ground correspondents globally to make this happen at scale; it will be as though you have your eyes and ears everywhere. Starting Q1, customers can build for themselves curated newsfeeds about systems, topics, issues, countries, etc., of their choice and receive automated updates about each drawn from our reporting. So, for example, every time our correspondents update MINT, MINT will send you articles about their reports, interviews, and so on. Starting Q2, we will start expanding our database (and our own defence news reporting and analysis that draws on it) to MENA. Not only that, but we have also begun consciously segmenting between 'contexts' -- i.e., buyer states versus sellers (e.g., China) -- so that our customers can act on the info rather than passively read it. For example, Western OEMs will know exactly where to look for potential Chinese market capture in Algeria (among other markets). There's a lot more I can talk about, but for now, I'll limit it to the functions we have already built, tested, and are now preparing for launch. Interested? Get started here: https://lnkd.in/g659tA9b And feel free to DM me with any questions!

EXCLUSIVE: #Ukraine's Fire Point is in talks with a #Pakistani private sector company re: collaboration on drones. Fire Point is also marketing its FP-1 and FP-2 strike drones (with ranges of 2,600 km and 200 km, respectively) to the Pakistan armed forces, with the messaging, "Strategic depth is no longer an advantage." https://lnkd.in/gC95psYW #DroneNews #Pakistan #MilitaryNews #DefenseNews #Drones #UAS

It's too early to judge the efficacy of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. However, I think there's some real potential -- with some urgency -- in the agreement for one key thing: capacity building across all 3 members. Basically, none of these 3 powers wants to embroil itself in the security problems of the other. #Pakistan's got some issues that force it to temper its approach with Iran. Saudi Arabia has commercial interests in India. The Turks vowed back in the early 20th century not to oblige themselves beyond their borders. However, I don't think any one of these powers is asking the other for active help (i.e., troops, forces, presence, etc.). Rather, I believe each one wants the help of others to build capabilities for their own security. Pakistan needs fiscal grants and financing mechanisms to support its defence procurement. #SaudiArabia seeks a scalable and dependable supply of munitions, industrial growth, & its power projection. #Türkiye wants secure, large-scale markets for its growing defence industry, collaboration partners for its major programs, and investment. Therefore, if each of these countries can build defence capacity, they can defend themselves. In my view, this might be the actual intent of this agreement. If there is a genuine 'step one' in this agreement, I argue it should be for establishing a mechanism similar to the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe), i.e., a program to facilitate both financing for arms and capital investment for defence and upstream critical industry growth. There are many scientists and engineers across all three countries, but it's really only the ones in Türkiye who have an opportunity to build something domestically. With a SAFE-type system, businesses can unlock that same type of potential across Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. For example, Pakistan indigenously built the entire nuclear fuel cycle, and today, PAEC supplies CERN with manufactured inputs. So, clearly, at some narrow level, the capacity to engage in advanced industrial work is there. But Pakistan lacks funding to unlock and diffuse that expertise across key nuclear-adjacent sectors, such as alloys, chemicals, RF fabrication, etc. Likewise, nothing should be stopping Saudi industrialists from leveraging that know-how to expand steel and alloy production in their country. In fact, given its position as a fuel exporter, Saudi Arabia is uniquely positioned to help lower the costs of critical industrial goods and, in turn, generate downstream cost reduction in both defence and civilian manufacturing domains. This feeds back into Türkiye, which can then leverage the lower cost upstream inputs, expanded industrial facilities, and multi-national talent pool (across the partner states) to accelerate its defence product development. https://lnkd.in/ejzYswfY

#Türkiye invited #Pakistan into KAAN from 2016. Pakistan chose Project AZM instead. On this episode of the Pulse Check podcast, Bilal Hussain Khan and Syed Aseem Ul Islam work through what that decision cost the PAF ahead of its 2040 F-16 replacement. https://lnkd.in/ew2msSNz

Saab completes world-first Quantum Timing radar trial. By integrating Saab's Giraffe 1X radar with Aquark's AQlock quantum timing technology, we successfully demonstrated a distributed military radar network operating without GPS timing. Believed to be a world first, the UK trial showed that geographically separated Giraffe 1X radars could continue combining tracking data into a single, accurate air picture using independent quantum timing sources, even when satellite-based timing was unavailable or compromised. Delivered in collaboration with Aquark Technologies, the Royal Navy DCTO and QinetiQ, the trial marks an important step towards more resilient defence capabilities.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine and US-Iran wars have propelled 3 types of weapon systems right to the top in importance: 1. Loitering Munitions 2. Conventional Ballistic Missiles 3. Drone Platforms for air and sea (UAS and USV) It so happens that these are exactly the 3 areas #Pakistan's defence industry has geared up to produce at scale. Quwa's been following the trajectory of the Pakistan Navy's (PN) anti-access and area-denial (A2/AD) efforts for 10+ years. Prior to 2020, the PN's focus for A2/AD centered on fielding a large submarine fleet -- headlined by 8 new Hangor-class (Type 039B) boats -- new-generation long-range maritime patrol aircraft, and other major platforms. There'll be no changes to the platform procurement pipeline, but I do expect the munitions track to rapidly adapt to emerging trends. In other words, I think the PN's A2/AD will heavily steer into: 1. Coastal-based long-range anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) 2. Coastal-based supersonic-cruising missiles (SSCM) 3. Loitering munitions (note: HIT's D-248 can reach 3,000 km) 4. UAS for maritime patrol and anti-sub/surface warfare (via Shahpar-3) 5. USVs for extending patrol coverage + one-way attack It's possible that the PN could be among the first to field both emerging tech and traditional platforms together for A2/AD.

This article unpacks an emerging shift in how the world’s navies buy warships: faced with billion-dollar cost overruns and years-long delays on ambitious, clean-sheet surface combatants, a growing number of fleets are walking away from those programs in favour of proven, already-in-service designs that are cheaper, faster to field, and easier to scale. Germany’s June 2026 cancellation of its F126 frigate in favour of the in-service MEKO A-200 is the latest example, following the United States (Constellation-class to a cutter-based FF(X)) and Australia (Hunter-class cut in favour of Japan’s Mogami). This piece traces the common thread running through them, along with the cost-control levers that make designs like the European Patrol Corvette, Denmark’s Iver Huitfeldt, and Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 attractive: lighter or proven hulls, commercial or re-certified build standards, reused subsystems, and capability deferred in phases. https://lnkd.in/gMd6JJPQ

The Pakistan Army’s Rocket Force Command (ARFC) has emerged as the service arm to execute the military’s surface-based precision-strike capabilities. The ARFC uses multiple types of surface-to-surface missiles (SSM), including guided artillery (Fatah-1), quasi-ballistic missiles (Fatah-2), supersonic cruise missiles (Fatah-3), and subsonic cruise missiles (Fatah-4). Of these, the ballistic missile sub-family – i.e., Fatah-2 and its anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) variant, the SMASH – may welcome another member through a “Fatah-5.” https://lnkd.in/ejPz3naE

Saab delivered its first GlobalEye to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April 2020. The GlobalEye is the Swedish vendor’s airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. Since then, Saab has worked through a growing list of new and prospective customers. Sweden, the domestic user, has ordered three S106 GlobalEye aircraft under its 2025–2030 defence resolution. That order builds on an earlier pair already placed on contract. France followed with a December 2025 agreement for two aircraft, plus two options. The new French fleet will replace its ageing Boeing E-3F Sentry aircraft. https://lnkd.in/dEuEC5zM

When you dig into it, #Pakistan's #Shahpar 3 #UAV represents more than just a drone, but an end-to-end ecosystem. NESCOM -- via Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS) -- now provides almost every key piece: the aircraft, sensors, EW/ESM, and munitions, including stand-off range weapons (SOWs). However, there's so much more to all this than what the front-facing products or solutions show. For example, to achieve these configuration options, NESCOM had to design, develop, and integrate every key piece -- i.e., software, avionics, the weapons management suite, tactical data-links, etc. In other words, NESCOM had to build the Shahpar 3's 'platform', so to speak, to have end-to-end control in configuring or arming it. It's a huge contrast to just 10 years ago, when Pakistan could not even think of arming a drone with a laser-guided air-to-ground missile without approvals or support from the foreign OEMs. Today, NESCOM is that OEM, and GIDS is making the benefits of all that work available to the world, especially those in the Middle East and Africa that may not have access to certain capabilities (e.g., long-range strike). However, as importantly, all that work that had gone into enabling NESCOM to build the Shahpar 3 'platform' will be critical for Pakistan's next-gen UAS tech, such as loyal wingman drones or jet-powered strike UCAVs. I unpack the journey that led to the Shahpar 2 and Shahpar 3 in my latest Quwa Pro article here: https://lnkd.in/g3b5XHUG