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In the midst of heightening India-Pakistan tension, China has stepped up its defence and military supplies to Pakistan, which included unassembled brand new combat aircraft, spares and related equipment for 'strategic assets', The News reported on Tuesday.
The daily said China dispatched five ships to Karachi in the span of about 10 days last month to step up the supply of new aircraft and spares.
The ships were loaded with cargo ranging from cartons of unassembled brand new combat aircraft and a variety of airforce-related weapons and equipment, it said quoting senior officials.
The brand new aircraft were believed to be F-7MG aircraft, which Pakistan had ordered earlier.
Pakistan had ordered two squadrons, about 40 aircraft, to beef up its aging fleet.
In addition to this, the newspaper said China made a 'speedy delivery' of spares and related equipment for its 'strategic assets' through Karakoram highway, mountainous pass connecting both the countries.
Strategic assets meant nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
The newspaper said that Pakistan's extensive missile defence system has now been raised with an active support of the Chinese government.
The officials were quoted as saying that as a 'gesture of friendship to Pakistan', the Chinese government had sent the ships loaded with defence goods to Karachi even before President Pervez Musharraf met Chinese President Jiang Zemin during his visit to China in December last year.
Musharraf again met Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji on January three while on his way to SAARC summit in Kathmandu and also returned through Beijing.
On more than one occasion during Musharraf's visit to China in December, the Chinese leadership reiterated that China's friendship with Pakistan "was deeper than the oceans and higher than the mountains', it said.
According to the newspaper, the timely delivery of new planes from China enhances the capability of Pakistan Air Force by 'several squadrons of brand new Super-7 and F-7 fighter aircraft' narrowing a 1:2 ratio of airforce planes between India and Pakistan.
According to Janes Defence Weekly, India has about 800 combat aircraft against Pakistan's present strength of 355. The new deliveries increases PAF strength to 400
The Pakistani daily said that officials declined to give PAF strength in the light of new arrivals from China for security reasons.
It said the PAF has developed increased capacity as a result of the new arrivals to interdict Indian naval and cargo vessels in the Indian ocean, besides devoting more resources to strike Indian military targets in its key cities and cantonments.
F-7 MG is a single-seat, single engine light aircraft, which was considered to be a relatively well-equipped modern fighter jet. It was being fitted with the new Grifo airborne radar system called 'Pulse Doppler Frequency Agility Radar' made in collaboration with Italy.
The Grifo radars have the ability to track and scan, look up and down at the enemy aircraft.
Mainly used for bombing, F-7MGs has the capability to provide air-defence and ground support as well as capability to intercept. It has an operational range of 850 km.
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