China's deficiency in military weapons undermines its operational capabilities: Report

Questions about operational capability, durability, after-sales service and maintenance have plagued Chinese made military weapons, making buyer nations vulnerable. According to the HK Post, deficiencies in China’s weapons system and other critical equipment have undermined its operational capabilities. While citing the example of Chinese-built maritime patrol ships bought by Pakistan, the media outlet noted the operational troubles and said that it has raised a big question mark about the ship’s operational capability and Pakistan’s over-reliance on Chinese-made military hardware. 

As per reports, commissioned into Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) in May 2017, the patrol vessel, named PMSS Dasht, is one of the six ships constructed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The vessel was hailed as a symbol of deepening Sino-Pak relations. Pakistan even invested over $150 million in the project. 

Chinese-built vessels riddle with defects 

PMSS is tasked to secure Pakistan’s maritime zone, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). HK Post reported that the main weapon aboard the ship is a single-barrelled 30mm semi-automatic naval gun to protect the ship in a direct engagement with an adversary craft. However, the gun in its present state was almost a dud as it had failed tests during its harbour acceptance trials at Xijiang Shipyard, Liuzhou, China. The media outlet said that China is yet to rectify the issue. 

Another important component of the naval ship is the communication system and the PMSS Dasht is equipped with a 500W HF TX/RX (communication) set. But, as per the media outlet, the set was found defective a few months back. It has not been repaired or replaced by China. 

Moreover, the fault alarm system onboard PMSS Dasht has been found defective. It often sends out “general fault” and “internal fault” alarms without any reason. It even sometimes automatically rests, creating a serious operational issue for the vessel. Another fault is the ship engine. As per reports, the main engine of the ship has been leaking fuel because of an improper fitting of cylinder no. 5 fuel line. The ship’s leaking fuel is a potential cause for a blast, especially during its operations on the waters. 

But China has not yet repaired any of the problems in the ship. HK Post even said that PMSS Dasht is not the only Chinese-built vessel that has invited criticism from Pak Navy officials. PMSS Zhob, which was commissioned in August 2018, is also riddled with a set of defects that are yet to be rectified by Chinese engineers. 

(With inputs from ANI)