Unpacking the Pakistan Army's New Rocket Force Command

In this laser-focused episode of Defence Uncut, we dive deep into the establishment of the Pakistan Army's new Rocket Force Command. We analyze the strategic drivers behind its creation, exploring the pattern of escalating conflict with India and the need to build a robust conventional deterrence below the nuclear threshold. Hosted by Bilal Khan with guest Aseem ul-Islam, we discuss how this new force signals a doctrinal shift towards preemption and developing an organic strike capability independent of the Pakistan Air Force. We also tackle the critical question of industrial capacity: can Pakistan's production base, traditionally geared for a small number of strategic assets, scale up to produce the thousands of missiles required for sustained conventional conflict? We argue that the only path to success lies in a radical overhaul, moving mass production to a competitive private sector while state-owned entities focus on pure R&D. Plus, we round up the week's key defence news, including India's latest order for Tejas fighters, Japan's testing of Turkish drones, and a look at a new Chinese helicopter that bears a striking resemblance to the S-97 Raider.