Wednesday, March 15 2006 09:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Pakistan is acquiring two types of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from Europe to enhance surveillance capabilities while continuing with its indegenous development efforts, a defence weekly reported today(Mar 15,2006).

The Pakistan army has finalised an order from Germany for the EMT LUNA short-range battlefield reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition UAV, according to the Jane's Defence Weekly.

Three or four systems are likely to be obtained in total, it said adding that details were not yet known.

Pakistan Air force is acquiring from Italy the Galileo Falco medium-altitude endurance tactical UAV, with delivery due in December. Four systems are involved in the deal at an unknown cost, the report said.

These systems are intended to enhance monitoring of border areas, with the movement of armed groups across frontiers with Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir causing particular concern.

The UAVs may also be used in Pakistan's campaign against militants operating in its tribal areas: the mountainous region adjacent to Afghanistan where over 80,000 troops are currently deployed.

The European system appears to offer an alternative to the US systems originally envisaged.

Pakistan sought to buy the RQ-1A Predator or other UAVs from the US in 2002 but the recent selection of European UAVs suggests that the US is as yet unwilling to provide the required export licences.