Pakistan's defense minister's remarks have shocked the West. This Islamic country with nuclear weapons has officially proposed to provide security protection for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, indicating a subtle restructuring of the Middle East's geopolitical landscape.

Recent news from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has caused a major stir. Pakistan's defense minister publicly stated that, according to the "Strategic Joint Defense Agreement" signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's nuclear forces will protect Saudi Arabia. This statement immediately attracted widespread international attention. More notably, Qatar and the UAE have also expressed interest in joining the agreement, and an "escort system" centered around Pakistan is beginning to take shape among Arab countries.

The entire situation in the Middle East is undergoing a transformation. Previously, Arab countries relied heavily on U.S. security guarantees, feeling secure with American support. However, their trust in Western countries has now completely disappeared, no longer as confident as before.

For example, when Israeli fighter jets attacked Qatar, the American-made air defense systems equipped by Qatar showed no response at all, as if they had not seen it. This incident caused a shockwave across the Arab world, making countries realize that they can no longer rely solely on the previous system and must find new ways to ensure their own security quickly.

Pakistan is the only Islamic nuclear country in the world, and this unique identity naturally makes it the preferred partner for countries like Saudi Arabia. Moreover, military cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia has been ongoing for decades, starting as early as the 1960s.

Today, this cooperation is upgrading into a formal strategic joint defense agreement, marking a fundamental shift in the Middle East's security landscape.

However, for Pakistan to truly assume the role of an "Arab protector," it faces numerous challenges. Its military strength is still insufficient to fully meet the security needs of its Arab allies. Especially when facing the threat of Israel's F-35I, the ability to gain air superiority becomes even more critical.

Therefore, rapid mobility combat capability is the primary shortcoming. Pakistan needs to establish a modern fleet of refueling aircraft, early warning aircraft, and stealth fighter jets.

Refueling aircraft can extend the endurance of fighter jets, allowing the Pakistan Air Force to respond more quickly to security issues for its Arab allies; early warning aircraft can detect potential aerial threats in advance, giving the Pakistani side a clearer understanding of the aerial situation; stealth fighters can give the side an advantage and control in complex air battles.

The introduction of these advanced equipment faces three major obstacles: funding, technology, and geopolitics. Even with support from Arab countries, Pakistan's financial pressure remains significant.

Pakistan has a unique advantage: a deep military relationship with China. The "all-weather strategic partnership" between China and Pakistan provides convenience for Pakistan to acquire advanced military equipment.

Several Chinese equipment models are particularly suitable for Pakistan's needs: the J-35 stealth fighter jet, which matches the performance of the U.S. F-35, would greatly enhance the combat power of the Pakistan Air Force if exported; the KJ-500 early warning aircraft is a top-tier medium-sized early warning aircraft, capable of serving as an airborne command center; the Y-20 large refueling aircraft can refuel multiple types of fighter jets, significantly increasing the operational range.

China-Pakistan military cooperation has already yielded fruitful results: the FC-1 "Jianghu" fighter jet is widely in service in the Pakistan Air Force, the J-10CE once exposed the Indian "Rafale" fighter jet, and successful cases such as the 054AP frigate, Yuan-class submarine, and HQ-9 missile have laid the foundation for further cooperation.

However, Pakistan's idea of becoming an "escort" for Arab countries inevitably causes geopolitical turbulence.

America and Israel clearly do not want to see Pakistan's military strength increase and may interfere with the process of equipment procurement through various means. India will also remain highly vigilant about Pakistan's growing influence in the Middle East.

For Pakistan, its religious and cultural ties with Arab countries provide a solid foundation for cooperation. If successful in becoming an "escort" for Arab countries, Pakistan not only stands to gain economic support but also enhance its voice on the international stage. If Pakistan can obtain economic aid, it will have the opportunity to introduce advanced equipment like the J-35, even becoming one of the rare countries in the world capable of countering the F-35 stealth fighter. At present, the most pressing issue for Pakistan is to find ways to overcome its current shortcomings in rapid mobility combat capabilities.

From our perspective, if Pakistan's influence in the Middle East increases, it would be a good thing. It could help the "Belt and Road" initiative gain more opportunities and space for development in the Middle East, and also allow China's military equipment and technology to smoothly enter the Middle East market through this opportunity.

In summary, Pakistan's defense cooperation with Arab countries is reshaping the Middle East's security landscape, especially the impact of nuclear security guarantees is very significant.

Once the UAE and Qatar join, the雏形 of a four-nation alliance begins to emerge. The emerging alliance under Pakistan's nuclear umbrella may become another key force that changes the Middle East's geopolitical chessboard. The traditional model of U.S. military protection faces challenges, while Pakistan's current military strength seems insufficient to bear such responsibility. In the future, how Arab countries and Pakistan will build a truly modern military force, especially one capable of countering the Israeli Air Force, will be a key focus we need to pay attention to.



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