Pakistan’s Directorate General, Munitions Production, Ministry of Defence Production and China’s Aerospace Long March International Trade or ALIT have just signed a multi-million deal for the delivery of an additional 140 FN-16 shoulder-fired air-defence missiles. The deal involves the supply of FN-16 missiles, battery and cooling units and launch mechanisms.

These will be purchased by Pakistan in knocked down condition and assembled by the Munitions Production Directorate. The missile is considered effective against ground attack fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs or drones and attack helicopters. They have an effective altitude of 4,000 metres and a range of 6,000 metres. 

This is a follow-on contract. Earlier, Long March had supplied Pakistan armed forces with about 300 FN-16 missiles. Shoulder-fired missiles for air-defence were used with great effect by the Mujahideen against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the early 1980s.

At that time, the American government had sent stingers via Pakistan. Whether Pakistan will now arm the Taliban with SAMs remains to be seen.