Defence Uncut – Details, episodes & analysis

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Defence Uncut

Quwa

News

Frequency: 1 episode/14d. Total Eps: 28

Defence Uncut by Quwa is the first English-language podcast zeroing in on Pakistan’s defence scene. Each bite-sized episode dissects current procurements, strategy shifts, and security events, connecting the dots so listeners gain a clear, data-driven big-picture view. Hosted by Bilal Khan, Defence Uncut turns dense news into precise, engaging analysis for professionals, enthusiasts, and anyone who needs to stay ahead of Pakistan’s rapidly evolving military landscape. Learn more about Quwa at https://quwa.org

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Pakistan's Drone & Cruise Missile Surge — Copying Ukraine? | Defence Uncut S2E10

Season 2 · Episode 10

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 • Duration 01:06:41

Pakistan has quietly started building the unglamorous parts of modern warfare — the engines, munitions and cheap cruise missiles that win a long fight. In this episode, Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan open with the Alsons Group's reveal of Pakistan's first home-built UAV engines at Eurosatory 2026 (via its new AKAL division), then dig into why the private sector is now central to Pakistan's loitering-munition push, and how the global move toward low-cost strike — the MBDA Crossbow, Russia's Banderol, the Powered JDAM — lines up with Pakistan's Fatah, Babur, Uzab and Khaem programs.

In the solo Q&A, Bilal answers listener questions on how fast Pakistan can field robotic ground vehicles like the NRTC Heather UGV, the Western-insurgency vs Eastern-front split, and why Army Aviation might be Pakistan's most under-used branch — with a look at the Turkish Aerospace T625 Gökbey.

In this episode:

Alsons / AKAL UAV engines and the licensing-vs-indigenous debate
Why Pakistan's military is roping in the private sector for drones and munitions
Fibre optics, solid fuel and the case for mass over prestige projects
The low-cost cruise-missile shift, from Crossbow to Fatah-4
NRTC Heather UGV and the limits of the Ukraine robotics model in Pakistan
Army Aviation, the T625 Gökbey, and low-altitude cruise-missile strike

Got a question for a future solo cast? Email contact@quwa.org or podcast@quwa.org.Read more analysis at https://quwa.org

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Pakistan's $10.76B Defence Budget 2026 Decoded: PNS Hangor, Army Aviation & FCAS Collapse

Season 2 · Episode 8

Wednesday, June 17, 2026 • Duration 01:03:20

Pakistan's defence budget for FY2026-27 has hit a record ~$10.76 billion — a near 18% increase and the largest in real dollar terms (almost 3 trillion rupees). But the headline number hides the real story: where is the money actually going, and why is it NOT the J-35 purchase everyone keeps asking about?

In this episode of Defence Uncut, Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan decode the budget, the arrival of the first Hangor-class submarine, the quiet neglect of Pakistan Army Aviation, and the collapse of the Franco-German FCAS programme — the kind of in-focus analysis you won't get from a news headline.

In this episode:

- Why roughly 60-70% of the budget increase is likely heading into indigenous munitions and the Rocket Force, not big-ticket platforms — and why the rupee figure matters more than the dollar one.

- The "physical assets" line jumping 39%, the tri-service split, and how acquisition vs operational budgets really work.

- PNS Hangor arrives: the first of eight submarines from China, the YJ-18, torpedo economics, UUV/AUV programmes, and Pakistan's drive to indigenize naval weapons.

- Pakistan Army Aviation's identity problem: the MI-17 loss, the collapsed T129 ATAK deal, the Z-10ME, and the case for consolidating the fleet into one 9-10 tonne utility platform.

- Listener question: how Pakistan's electronic warfare actually works — threat libraries, jamming, and lessons from May 2025.

- Listener question: how the Pakistan Navy can build a credible coastal missile force against the Indian Navy — supersonic/hypersonic missiles, over-the-horizon targeting, USVs, and satellites.

- The FCAS collapse: could France now pivot to India to co-develop a sixth-generation fighter — and how India's three defence-industry camps shape that.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:26 Pakistan's record FY2026-27 defence budget

03:05 Indigenous munitions, the Rocket Force & the J-35 question

12:00 PNS Hangor arrives + the submarine programme

Pakistan Has a Strategy Problem, Not a Money Problem

Monday, June 8, 2026 • Duration 01:31:08

Is India really buying the Russian Su-57 "Felon"? Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan open by unpacking why the India–Russia FGFA program collapsed after nearly two decades, why Moscow's new offer is suddenly so generous, and why the Su-57-vs-Rafale fight is driven by industrial revenue-share politics as much as by capability.

The conversation then widens into the real lesson of the JF-17 — the RD-93 engine, dependence on China, the PLAAF order that never came, the markups that forced Pakistan to build its own munitions, the true cost of CPEC, and why Ukraine is the partnership model Pakistan should have pursued years ago. It closes on the strategic stakes of India's looming nuclear breakout and a look ahead to Woot-Tech's rocket-assisted-takeoff test.

⏱️ Chapters00:00 Is India actually procuring the Su-57?00:30 The FGFA saga: two decades of Russia–India fifth-gen failure17:06 Why Russia needs India now (Ukraine, sanctions, co-production)20:30 Rafale vs Su-57: the IAF vs Indian-industry split23:30 What Pakistan should do: Beijing, Moscow & rare-earth leverage24:30 Russia vs Ukraine, from first principles26:19 The JF-17 / RD-93 engine and Pakistan's Ukraine workaround29:34 China isn't charity: who really profits from the JF-1736:05 The 200-jet PLAAF order that never came42:29 Egregious markups: the Range Extension Kit & MFD shakedowns45:00 NESCOM, the Air Weapons Complex & the Azb/Raad family46:18 CPEC, debt servicing and where Pakistan's money goes53:26 The China that used to help — and why it changed1:01:43 Ayub Khan, the 1960s nuclear fuel cycle & the mindset trap1:09:11 Ukraine's hidden industrial base and Firepoint1:19:49 Prioritising Ukraine without antagonising Russia1:22:14 India's nuclear breakout and global strike1:29:33 Next week: Woot-Tech's RATO test & Pakistan's private rocket sector

📖 Mentioned: Mansoor Ahmed, Pakistan's Pathway to the Bomb.🔗 More analysis at quwa.org

Defence Uncut is the first dedicated English-language Pakistani defence commentary podcast. New episodes weekly.

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Russia’s Air Defence Deal With the Taliban — and Pakistan’s Policy Failure | Defence Uncut

Sunday, May 31, 2026 • Duration 01:12:30

Russia has reportedly agreed to supply and help maintain air defence systems for the Afghan Taliban. But as Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan explain, the real danger isn't to Pakistan's fighter jets — it's the proliferation of MANPADS across the region, and the policy failures that allowed it.

This episode unpacks the reported Russia–Taliban air defence deal, why loose MANPADS are a bigger threat than any S-400, and how Pakistan's tightrope act between Russia and Ukraine cost it a reliable defence partner. The conversation then moves through the latest PAF developments — Saab 2000 / Erieye AEW&C, the PFX Alpha program and JF-17 AESA roadmap, the air-cooled vs liquid-cooled KLJ-7A debate, NESCOM's FAAZ missile family, and loyal wingman UCAVs — before closing on the case for a national-interest foreign policy, including a hard look at Iran.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:23 Russia's reported air defence deal with the Taliban

06:28 Why MANPADS proliferation is the real regional threat

10:57 Pakistan's Russia-vs-Ukraine policy failure

24:31 MANPADS, the TTP/BLA, and Chinese export controls

26:37 Red lines, national interest & the Gulf energy play

30:03 PAF Saab 2000 update & a domestic AEW&C ambition

35:41 PFX Alpha program & the JF-17 OCU upgrade

37:53 Air-cooled vs liquid-cooled KLJ-7A

43:10 NESCOM's FAAZ air-to-air & surface-to-air missile programs

52:52 Loyal wingman UCAVs — answering the audience pushback

1:01:28 Your comments: Kızılelma and the Iran question

1:03:46 Why Iran is treated as an adversary, not an ally

1:09:03 Closing argument: pursue the national interest

Will the PAF Buy the Kızılelma? Baykar, Engine Risks, and Pakistan's UCAV Roadmap

Season 2 · Episode 6

Monday, May 25, 2026 • Duration 01:34:15

Pakistan Air Force Chief ACM Zaheer Babar Sidhu visited Baykar Technologies in Turkey and was photographed with the Bayraktar Kızılelma — a jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) that could reshape how the PAF approaches deep strike, loyal wingman operations, and force structure planning.

In this episode, Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan go deep on what this visit signals and — more importantly — what comes next. We break down the Kızılelma's capabilities and limitations, compare it with TAI's Anka-3, dig into the Ukrainian engine supply chain problem (AI-25 / AI-322), and explore whether Baykar's Pakistan subsidiary could co-develop a sovereign sensor and datalink stack with NASTP.

We also examine the gap nobody is filling: the 2–3 ton attritable UCAV class that the US (MQ-Next, XQ-58 Valkyrie), and potentially NESCOM, are pursuing. Plus — could the Pakistan Navy one day operate its own UCAV-based strike wing?

Other topics: Akinci UAV shoot-down in Sudan, Saab's LoyalEye AEW pod on MQ-9B, PFX as a potential unmanned fighter program, and why the PAF's "original solutions" doctrine matters for long-term sovereignty.

New episodes weekly. Full articles at quwa.org.

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Fatah IV Air Burst Test, JF-17 Block 4 & Why PAF Training Matters More Than J-35s | Defence Uncut S2E05

Season 2 · Episode 5

Monday, May 18, 2026 • Duration 01:23:45

Pakistan's Army Rocket Force Command tested the Fatah IV ground-launched cruise missile with an air burst warhead and new imaging infrared seeker — the latest step in Pakistan's conventional deterrence build-up.

Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan unpack what the Fatah IV's evolution from the Harba series means for mass production and scalability, then dive into the Z-10ME attack helicopter's millimetric wave radar evaluation and what it signals about Army Aviation's procurement timeline.

The episode also covers JF-17 Block 3 production realities, the case for Block 4/PFX Alpha as the JF-17's final evolution, and why the PAF's ageing T-37 and K-8 training pipeline may be a more urgent priority than fifth-generation fighter procurement.

In the Q&A segment: the Link 17 data link controversy (can AWACS guide PL-15 missiles?), BrahMos countermeasures, whether Pakistan should repurpose the JF-17 as a LIFT platform, the J-35 timeline, and the future size of the PAF fighter fleet.

Published by Quwa (quwa.org) — the first English-language Pakistan defence analysis publication.

Questions: podcast@quwa.org

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Pakistan's New Missiles, Drones & Fighter Jets — One Year After the India Conflict

Season 1 · Episode 4

Monday, May 11, 2026 • Duration 01:10:51

One year after the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, Pakistan's military procurement picture has fundamentally changed. In this episode, Bilal Khan, Arslan Khan, and Aseem break down the full scope of Pakistan's post-conflict military modernization — from the FATA-3 supersonic cruising missile to Shahed-style drone factories, the Army Rocket Force Command, PAF fighter fleet expansion, satellite reconnaissance, and the decision-making challenge that will determine whether any of it matters.

Topics covered:

— FATA-3 supersonic cruising missile and its HD-1 connection

— Army Rocket Force Command: structure, mandate, and multimodal strike concept

— FATA missile family breakdown (FATA-1 guided MLRS, FATA-2 tactical ballistic, FATA-3 supersonic cruiser, FATA-4 cruise missile)

— Pakistan Navy supersonic missile requirements (CM-302, SMASH)

— Shahed-style loitering munition mass production strategy

— Jet-powered vs piston-powered drones: why simplicity wins

— Turkish drone industry critique and Baykar in Pakistan

— Pakistan Army counter-UAS programs and electronic warfare investment

— Z-10ME attack helicopter and the future of army aviation

— PAF fighter procurement: J-10, JF-17, and the J-35 question

— Fifth-generation fighter timing: J-35, TFX/KAAN, and the KF-21 dark horse

— RAAD cruise missile reconfiguration for conventional strike and anti-ship roles

— Pakistan's satellite and ISTAR buildup (EO, SAR, hyperspectral)

— Kill chain closure: satellites vs munitions stockpiles

— Lessons learned: decision-making speed, pre-delegated authority, and Pakistan's shift from defensive to offensive posture

Hangor Submarine Commissioned, Fatah-II Training Launch, and Pakistan's EO Satellite Constellation Completed

Season 2 · Episode 1

Monday, May 4, 2026 • Duration 01:22:52

The Pakistan Navy commissions PNS/M Hangor — the first of eight Hangor-class (S26) AIP submarines derived from China's Yuan-class (Type 039B). We trace the programme from the collapsed Type 214 deal with TKMS through to the current dual-submarine strategy, and discuss how the fleet will reshape Pakistan's maritime posture in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

We also cover the Babur-class corvette and Jinnah-class frigate armament debate, the SMASH anti-ship ballistic missile and Taimoor AS cruise missile tests, the Army Rocket Force Command's first Fatah-II training launch, the Pakistan Army's emerging precision-fire and precision-strike doctrine — including the Nishana PGK, PAKFIRE, and the new Integrated Battlefield Management System — and SUPARCO's PRSC-EO3 satellite completing Pakistan's electro-optical imaging constellation.

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Islamabad Talks Collapse: Pakistan's Role in the Iran-US War and the Gulf Security Premium

Season 2 · Episode 2

Monday, April 13, 2026 • Duration 01:07:08

The Islamabad talks between the US and Iran ended without an agreement after 21 hours — but the breakdown reveals more than the headlines suggest.

In this episode, Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan analyse what the Islamabad negotiations mean for Pakistan's position in the Iran-US war. They examine why the US wanted to establish contact with the IRGC's post-decapitation leadership, why the nuclear issue was only part of the sticking point, and why Pakistan's proposal for joint naval patrols of the Strait of Hormuz could reshape the region's security architecture.

The episode covers Iran's asymmetric cost strategy and what Pakistan's military can learn from its mosaic defence doctrine, the case for devolving combat authority down to corps and brigade level, Pakistan Navy's geographic advantage in the Arabian Sea, and the argument that Pakistan has been systematically undercharging the Gulf for its security services.

Bilal and Arslan lay out a detailed framework for how Pakistan could position itself as the region's primary security guarantor — from joint F-16 squadrons stationed in Saudi Arabia and Pakistani-operated drone interceptor production lines, to Chinese surplus air defence stockpiles channelled through Pakistan to Gulf buyers. They also discuss the structural failure of the Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Defence Agreement and what needs to change to make it operational.

Defence Uncut is the first dedicated English-language Pakistani defence podcast. New episodes weekly.

Website: quwa.org | Twitter/X: @quwagroup

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What the US-Iran War Reveals About Loitering Munitions, Ballistic Missiles, and Pakistan's Naval Future

Season 2 · Episode 1

Friday, April 3, 2026 • Duration 01:08:20

Defence Uncut is back for Season 2. In this premiere episode, Bilal Khan and Arslan Khan examine the operational lessons emerging from the US-Iran war and what they mean for Pakistan's defence planning.

The discussion covers three interconnected areas: the proven value of low-cost Shahed-class loitering munitions — including why the design succeeded where more complex systems have failed, and what Pakistan's own drone industry can replicate. The more limited returns from Iran's ballistic missile investments — where the 'fear factor' is real but the physical degradation has been minimal. And the naval dynamics of the Strait of Hormuz crisis — particularly what Iran's failure to get its submarines and warships out of port before they were destroyed signals for the Pakistan Navy's own submarine and surface fleet strategy.

We also discuss the counter-drone problem — from high-powered microwave emitters to Ukraine's kinetic Sting interceptors to an unconventional concept involving low-cost experimental jet UAVs for persistent airborne patrols. And we close with the case for a multinational missile consortium among Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia — what Arslan calls an 'Eastern MBDA' — to solve the production scale and stockpile depth challenge that this war has made impossible to ignore.

For deeper analysis beyond the podcast, subscribe to Quwa Plus at https://quwa.org/quwa-premium/plus — two South Asia-focused defence analysis articles per week, 10 years of the Quwa Premium archive, and our new Pulse Check podcast on the institutions and policy behind Pakistan's defence decisions.

Questions or topic suggestions? Email contact@quwa.org

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Defence Uncut – Details, episodes & analysis

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Defence Uncut – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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