Air Weapons Complex Explained

Type:	State-owned Enterprise
Industry:	Aerospace, Defence
Founded:	18 February 1992
Hq Location:	Hassanabdal, Punjab, Pakistan
Hq Location Country:	Pakistan
Area Served:	Pakistan
Owner:	MoD
Parent:	NESCOM

The Air Weapons Complex (AWC), operated under the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM), is a Pakistani research and development entity. Established in 1992 by the Pakistan Air Force, it specialises in advancing airborne applications of explosive engineering.^{[1] [2]}

The AWC plays a pivotal role in developing and integrating aerospace war-fighting technologies, catering specifically to the needs of the Pakistan Air Force. Notable achievements include the design and development of air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) and collaborative efforts with leading defence contractors like NESCOM, DESTO and the NDC.^{[3] [4]}

Products

Airborne systems

• Airborne Video Tape Recorder (AVTR) system
• Airborne Digital Data Recorder system
• Infra-red search and track (IRST) system
• GPS navigation system
• Mechanical gyro and iFOG-based inertial navigation system (INS)
• MOHAFIZ counter-measures dispensing system
• Laser guidance for Mk.80 series bombs (license-manufactured design from the US)^[5]

Air-launched weaponry

• Practice bombs (6 kg, 11 kg)
• 250 kg Pre-fragmented bomb
• 250 kg Mk.82 general-purpose bomb
• 500 kg Mk.83 bomb
• 1000 kg Mk.84 bomb
• Mk.80 series general-purpose bomb tail units (low drag or high drag speed-retarding devices)
• HAFR-1, HAFR-2^[6] and RPB-1 anti-runway weapons^[7]
• H-2 SOW
• H-4 SOW
• Ra'ad ALCM^[8]
• Ra'ad-II ALCM

Electronics

• Air Defence Automation System (C4I system) - given to Bangladesh, installed by AWC engineers circa 2005.^[9]
• Electronic fuses for air-launched weapons (impact and proximity fuses)
• Real-time ACMI system
• Voice/Fax/Data encryption system

Other

• Multi-Spectral Camouflage Net - camouflages against night-vision, infra-red, radar and millimeter wave sensors as well as visual detection. Stated to reduce an object's radar cross-section (RCS) by 86% on average and reduce average detection range by 43.8%.^[10]

Technical Expertise

• Software Development for Mission Critical Systems
• Nondestructive Testing Software and Mechanical Support
• Electronic System Design and Production
• Prototyping and Production of Specialized Mechanical Assemblies
• Mechanical Components Precision Manufacturing
• TQM Practices
• Mil-Spec Qualifications
• CAD/CAM Support^[1]

UAV project

The Air Weapons Complex embarked on a project for the indigenous development of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) in mid-1998. The Sky Tracker and Sky Navigator software suites were developed for the ground-based tracking of UAVs. The software retrieves the GPS position data from the UAV via a radio data-link 17 and uses it to show the position of the UAV as a 2D plot along with other essential data such as, speed, altitude, heading, etc. This plot can be overlaid onto area maps as well. This information is used by the pilot for flying the UAV from the ground-based command station.^{[11] [2]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kamra . Federation of Atomic Scientists .
2. Web site: Kamra - Pakistan Special Weapons Facilities. John. Pike. www.globalsecurity.org.
3. Doug Richardson, “Pakistan tests Hatf 8 air-launched cruise missile,” Jane’s Missiles and Rockets, 1 September 2007; “Pakistan missile test,”
4. Web site: Air Weapons Complex (AWC) Facilities NTI . www.nti.org . NTI Air . 21 August 2020.
5. Web site: Air Weapons Complex, Pakistan . articles.janes.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110811212737/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Radar-and-Electronic-Warfare-Systems/Air-Weapons-Complex--AWC-Pakistan.html . 11 August 2011 .
6. Web site: Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's - IHS. articles.janes.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110811211353/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Air-Launched-Weapons/Air-Weapons-Complex-AWC-Pakistan.html. 11 August 2011.
7. Web site: Hafr-1 and -2 RBP-1 Runway Penetration Bomb, Pakistan. 11 May 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110617075828/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Air-Launched-Weapons/Hafr-1-and-2-RPB-1-Runway-Penetration-Bomb-Pakistan.html. 17 June 2011.
8. News: Pakistan tests ballistic missile . BBC News . 29 April 2011.
9. Web site: Bangladesh adopts Pakistan-made air defence system . Pakistan Times (pakistantimes.net) . 27 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090107102020/http://pakistantimes.net/2005/03/18/top6.htm . 7 January 2009 .
10. Web site: Article 4 . 30 April 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140728000323/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_4.shtml . 28 July 2014 .
11. Web site: Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's - IHS. articles.janes.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120402185130/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicles-and-Targets/AWC-Mk-I-and-Mk-II-Pakistan.html. 2 April 2012.