Naval Strategic Forces Command (Pakistan)

Before 2000, the Pakistan Air Force had an effective and operational controls over the deployment, target selections, intelligence, computers and interoperability of the nation's strategic deterrence through its own strategic formation.{{cite news|last=Staff|title=Pakistan to retain minimum nuclear deterrence, PM says|newspaper=The News International|date=7 January 2003}} Protecting Pakistan's maritime border became a realization after the short-lived border conflict with India in 1999 when Pakistani war strategists working at the Joint Staff HQ in Rawalpindi pointed that if the conflict would have entered in conventional scale, it would put Pakistan under serious disadvantage.{{cite book|last=Musharraf|first=Pervez|title=In the line of fire : a memoir|year=2006|publisher=Free Press|location=New York [u.a.]|isbn=0-7432-8344-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/inlineoffirememo00mush}}

As early as 2001, the Pakistani military strategists began to explore the idea of sea-based "Second strike" under navy rather than air force's control.{{cite journal|last=Khan|first=Cdr. Muhammad Azam|title=Options for the Pakistan Navy: The Navy and the bomb|journal=USNWC, United States Naval War College|year=2010|access-date=4 October 2013|url=http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/cc6209f2-7f01-4bb7-ac24-8c301c62f015/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005141522/http://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/cc6209f2-7f01-4bb7-ac24-8c301c62f015/|archive-date=5 October 2013}} The Navy HQ worked with the Army GHQ in Rawalpindi on establishing the sea-based deterrence and decided to commit greater resources for its development; consequently, tactics and strategic planning of Navy also underwent a shift.{{cite news|last=Umm-e-Habiba|title=Transforming role of Pak Navy: A consistent response to challenges|url=http://www.thefrontierpost.com/article/45188/|access-date=5 October 2013|newspaper=Frontier Post|date=2 October 2013}}

In 2000, the work on establishing the formation was started under the watchful guidance of Adm. Shahid Karimulla, who was then-Chief of Naval Staff, and strongly advocated for the pursuit of idea of "Second strike".{{cite news|last=NTI|title=Submarine capabilities of Pakistan|url=http://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/pakistan-submarine-capabilities/|work=The Nuclear Threat Initiatives Inc.|publisher=Nuclear Threat Initiatives|access-date=4 October 2013}} Admiral Karim rationalized that "since the Navy had been considering the deployment of nuclear weapons aboard its submarines-- it had to keep pace with developments in India."{{cite news|last=Staff correspondents|title=Pakistan may install nuclear missiles on its subs|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=23 February 2001}} Although, Admiral Karim later left the option open, saying that the country had no plans to deploy nuclear weapons on its submarines, and that it would do so only if "forced to".{{cite news|last=Staff|title=Pakistan navy chief denies plan to equip submarines with nuclear warheads|newspaper=Times UK|date=26 January 2003}}

In 2004, the formation was established within the Navy which was based on the army's strategic forces command, and inaugurated its first headquarters in 2012 with Vice-Admiral Tanveer Faiz becoming its first commander.

The military media command, the ISPR described the NSFC as the "custodian of the nation's 2nd strike capability, will strengthen Pakistan's policy of Credible Minimum Deterrence and ensure regional stability."{{cite web|last=Military correspondents|title=Naval Chief inaugurated the headquarters of Naval Strategic Force Command|url=http://www.ispr.gov.pk/front/main.asp?o=t-press_release&date=2012/5/19|work=Pakistan Mil.|publisher=Inter-Services Public Relations|access-date=4 October 2013}}

File:YJ-62 Anti-ship missiles.jpg

Besides the Pakistan Army's strategic formation, the Naval Strategic Forces Command is the only military formation that maintains and controls the employment of the transporter erector launchers, which is a primary ground-based delivery system for coastal defenses only.{{cite web |last1=www.webspider.pk |first1=Web Spider (pvt) Ltd |title=Pakistan Navy Launches Land-based Anti-ship Missile |url=https://www.hilal.gov.pk/eng-article/detail/NjM=.html |website=www.hilal.gov.pk |access-date=11 November 2023 |language=en}} The Naval Strategic Command is distributed among the Pakistan Navy's missile regiment and the air defense battalions of the Pakistan Marines, focusing on the southern border.{{cite web |last1=Review |first1=Asian Military |title=Zarb cruise missile boosts Coastal Defence |url=https://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/2019/01/zarb-cruise-missile-boosts-coastal-defence/ |website=Asian Military Review |access-date=11 November 2023 |date=11 January 2019}}

The Navy's strategic formation is largely viewed as second-line capabilities that complement the principal land-based systems operated by the Army Strategic Force Command.{{cite web |last1=Telles |first1=Ashley |title=Striking Asymmetries: Nuclear Transitions in Southern Asia |url=https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/07/18/pakistan-pub-87398 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721233218/https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/07/18/pakistan-pub-87398 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2022 |access-date=11 November 2023}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Pakistan Navy}}

{{Strategic forces}}

Category:Military units and formations established in 2004

Category:2004 establishments in Pakistan

Category:Commands of Pakistan Navy

Category:Strategic forces of Pakistan