India-Pakistan: March 28, 2001

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After the Clinton Administration refused to extend the leases on eight old US frigates rented by Pakistan, the Pakistanis began negotiating with China to buy new warships. Current plans are to buy one Jiangwei-II guided missile frigate and build three more of them under license. Pakistan has never built a surface warship but is convinced that with Chinese help it can do so. The Jiangwei-II carries eight C-801 anti-ship missiles (or six C-802s), one octuple HQ7 (French Crotale) anti-aircraft missile launcher, two 100mm guns, and two helicopters. Other than the US frigates they were forced to give up, Pakistan's Navy has only two major surface warships (ancient British-built Leanders).--Stephen V Cole