While a Pakistani delegation led by Colonel Imran Khan visited Myanmar capital Naypyitaw last week to discuss military cooperation with the junta, in continuation of a series of visits from Pakistan military establishment to Myanmar since September, the junta also hosted a big Russian military delegation to assist it with communication equipment.
Jhand Fakir -17 , image courtesy Defence cafe
The Pakistani team visited Myanmar regarding technical support for JF-17 aircraft jointly developed by China and Pakistan, has further learnt.
A 10-member team from Myanmar Air Force (MAF) is currently in Pakistan undergoing training for four weeks on precision targeting in air operations and on the JF-17 jet fighter.
Myanmar bought 16 JF-17’s from China. The first batch of six aircraft was delivered in 2018, but details about the delivery date for the other 10 remain unclear. Myanmar was the first country to buy the JF-17, sources told Reuters.
In October, a senior-level Pakistani military delegation visited Myanmar to inspect a defence industry complex near Yangon and to participate in a workshop on JF-17 block II aircraft that Myanmar had purchased from Islamabad, had reported. Another Pakistani team had also visited Myanmar to provide technical assistance to manufacture weapons.
In September, a Myanmar military team had visited Pakistan to inspect delivery of bombs and bullets that it had ordered from Islamabad, according to persons familiar with the development. This team again visited Pakistan earlier this month for pre-shipment inspection of deliveries.
With coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing making regular visits to Russia with a shopping list of fighter jets, helicopters and missiles, China is concerned that it will lose Myanmar as a customer for its weapons.
Pakistan was also reportedly considering selling heavy machine guns, 60 mm and 81 mm mortars and M-79 grenade launchers to Myanmar, had earlier reported.
Pakistan was formerly a strong critic of the Myanmar government for what it alleged was a “state-sponsored campaign” against Rohingyas in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Myanmar had in the past accused Pakistan of arming and training a radical group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.
But China has played a role in bringing them closer and brokering arms deals.
