Native name | Urdu: پاکستان آرڈیننس فیکٹریاں |
---|---|
Company type | State-owned company |
Industry | Firearms, Defense, Machinery |
Founded | 1951 |
Headquarters | , |
Area served | worldwide |
Key people | Lt General Syed Tahir Hameed Shah (Chairman) |
Products | Pistols, Rifles, Submachine gun, Machine gun, Shotguns, Munitions, Explosives, Machine tools |
Owner | Pakistan Ministry of Defence |
Number of employees | >27,000 |
Website | www.pof.gov.pk POF Youtube Channel |
The Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) is a major firearms and a defence contractor headquartered in Wah Cantt, Punjab, Pakistan. [1] Described as "the largest defence industrial complex under the Ministry of Defence Production, producing conventional arms and ammunition to the international standards" by the Government of Pakistan. [2]
The POF was founded by the Government of Pakistan with early collaboration from the former British Royal Ordnance Factory in 1951. The POF engineers, develops, produces, manufactures, and promotes a wide range of different types of infantry and special-purpose weapons, explosives, ammunition, mortars, rockets, and the military gear for Pakistan's military. [3] The POF is owned and sponsored by the Ministry of Defence Production whose corporate leadership comes from a deputation by the Army GHQ of the Pakistan Army. [4] The POF is the earliest and one of the largest military corporations in Pakistan, and later influenced many other military corporations in the Pakistan Armed Forces. [5]
The POF produces ammunition that meets requirements set by NATO specification. [5] Apart from military works, the POF also serves the civilian law enforcement agencies, Civil Armed Forces, and private security markets nationwide. [1]
During their colonial rule, the British built sixteen ordnance factories in the British Raj, most of which were inherited by India. Pakistan's first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, issued a directive within four months of the formation/creation of Pakistan to establish an ordnance factory in collaboration with British Royal Ordnance Factory to manufacture 0.303 calibre rifles. In December 1951 Pakistan's second Prime Minister, Khawaja Nazimuddin, inaugurated the first four POF workshops in the small town of Wah Cantonment. [6]
Located 45 km from Islamabad and with main manufacturing facilities at Wah Cantonment, POF is a sprawling complex of fourteen production units and six subsidiaries producing conventional arms and ammunition. Research and development projects have been undertaken to minimise dependence on foreign suppliers. Efforts have been made towards self-reliance through innovation and indigenisation, for achieving the following:
1. Optimal utilisation of surplus capacity of POF.
2. Generation of funds to supplement budget grant.
3. Participative collaboration with the private sector.
4. Enhancing exports.
POF uses technology and equipment that has been acquired from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and China. The factories in POF employ some of the latest state of the art processes, including computerised numerical controlled machines and flexible Manufacturing systems for the production of precision components.
A Stamp was also issued by Pakistan Post on the occasion of golden jubilee of POF (Dt. 28 December 2001) to honour the country's largest defence manufacturing unit's services. [7]
POF has been awarded standards by the International Organization for Standardization. These include ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management, and ISO 17025 for meeting the general requirements for Competence of Test and Calibration Laboratories. In 2005, P.O.F was also awarded with safety and health environment standard OHSAS 18001.
During a visit to POF, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz made the following tribute:
POF produce approximately 70 major products for supply to the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force. The main products include automatic rifles, Pistols, light/medium/heavy machine guns, a wide range of mortar and artillery ammunition, aircraft and anti-aircraft ammunition, tank and anti-tank ammunition, bombs, grenades, land mines, pyrotechnics, small ammunition, rockets, military & commercial explosives & propellants and signal stores. [8]
POF Eye is a special-purpose hand-held weapon system similar in concept to the CornerShot that can fire weapons around corners. It was first revealed at the 5th International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS 2008), held at the Karachi Expo Centre in November 2008. It is designed for SWAT and special forces teams in hostile situations, particularly counter-terrorism and hostage rescue operations. It allows its operator to both see and attack an armed target without exposing the operator to counter-attack.
In addition to meeting the demands of Pakistan Defense Forces, POF products are in service with over 40 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. Ammunition and rifles have been exported to countries such as Iraq, Croatia and Afghanistan for their respective military establishments.
POF specializes in the manufacturing of commercial explosives, hunting ammunition and possesses extensive facilities for the manufacture of brass, copper and aluminum ingots. A state of the art garments factory, manufactures military uniforms and can also cater for the needs of the civil sector. [18]
As of post 2010s, Pakistan has been aiming to push ahead with its export market but facing difficulties due to international guidelines enforced by the United Nations. [19]
In 2017, the POF announced it will be opening a branch in the United Arab Emirates and targeting Middle Eastern markets where it will cater not only the needs of the host country, but throughout much of the Middle East where demands are high. [20] [21]
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, POF alleged to have provided arms and ammunition to Ukrainian Military's. The various type of ammunition provided are 122mm Yarmuk HE-Frag rockets, [22] [23] 122mm howitzer shells, [24] 155mm artillery shells, M4A2 propelling bag charges, M82 primers, PDM fuses, [25] M44A2 120mm HE mortar bombs, [26] 130mm shells, 40mm RPG7 HEAT ammo, 12.7×99 MM armor piercing cartridges, 12.7×108 mm bullets, and 7.62×54mm bullets. [27]
On 21 August 2008, POF's industrial complex was the target of twin suicide bombings by the Tehrik-i-Taliban; 68 people were killed and 81 injured in the attack. [28]
The Lee–Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century, and was the standard service rifle of the British Armed Forces from its official adoption in 1895 until 1957.
The Heckler & Koch G3 is a select-fire battle rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO developed in the 1950s by the German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned firearms manufacturer CETME. The G3 was the service rifle of the German Bundeswehr until it was replaced by the Heckler & Koch G36 in the 1990s, and was adopted into service with numerous other countries.
The Defence Industry of Pakistan, established in September 1951, mainly falls under the purview of the Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP). It aims to foster collaboration and oversee the diverse range of military production facilities that have emerged since Pakistan's independence. The MoDP comprises specialized organizations, each dedicated to various aspects of the defence industry, including research and development, production, and administration.
Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), consisting of the Indian Ordnance Factories, now known as Directorate of Ordnance, was an organisation, under the Department of Defence Production (DDP) of Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India.
The Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation, established in 1950, is a reorganization of government-controlled group of factories in Turkey that supplied the Turkish Armed Forces with military products.
In India, the Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Pune, it is the main DRDO lab involved in the development of conventional armaments.
The Ministry of Defence Production abbreviated as MoDP, is an executive ministry of the federal Government of Pakistan with objectives of development and production of ordnance and machinery for the Pakistan Armed Forces.
The 2008 Wah bombing was a double suicide attack on the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) in Wah, Pakistan, on 21 August 2008. The attack, which killed more than 100 and wounded over 200 is the deadliest on a military site in Pakistan's history. Both bombers detonated themselves at the factory's gates while workers were changing shifts.
Bangladesh Ordnance Factories (BOF) is the largest industrial supplier of the Bangladesh Army. Situated in Gazipur, it produces arms, ammunition, and equipment for the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
The 7.62×51mm NATO is a rimless, straight walled, bottlenecked rifle cartridge. It is a standard for small arms among NATO countries.
Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli (OFT), also called Ordnance Factory Trichy, is a small arms factory operated by Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited based in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, which was previously part of Ordnance Factory Board of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The company is headed only by an IOFS officer called General Manager (ex officio Additional Secretary to Government of India) who is the chief executive officer, responsible for the overall management of the company.
The Gilgit−Baltistan Scouts, are a federal paramilitary force in Pakistan, tasked with law enforcement in the nominally autonomous territory of Gilgit-Baltistan and border guard duties. The force was formed in 2003 under the control of the Interior Ministry of Pakistan, but it claims a tradition dating back to the Gilgit Scouts formed during the British Raj era. However, the earlier Scouts unit is now a full infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army (see Northern Light Infantry Regiment, which mostly operates in the same region as the current Scouts.
The CZ 807 is a Czech modular dual-calibre assault rifle originally developed by Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod for the Indian Armed Forces. The modular design of rifle allows operators to quickly change calibre of weapon to either 5.56×45 mm or 7.62×39 mm. The rifle was announced by the company in 2013 at an event in Liberec. However, in June 2015, the Indian tender was scrapped.
The Azb DMR MK1 or Azb MK1 is a Pakistani light weight semi-automatic designated marksman rifle designed and manufactured by the POF. It was first unveiled at the December 2014 IDEAS exhibition. It is believed to be named after the Counter-terrorist operation in North-West Pakistan Operation Zarb-e-Azb which had just been commenced at the time the Sniper rifle was introduced. It itself was designed for the Low intensity operations that were occurring during its time. The rifle has taken part in many international defence exhibitions and has been offered for export.
The Light Sniper Rifle (LSR) is a Pakistani 7.62×51mm bolt-action sniper rifle designed and manufactured by the POF. It was displayed on 23 November 2016 along with the HMG PK-16 in the IDEAS Exhibition. It was designed to fulfill the increasing demand of precision rifles in Pakistan.
The PSR-90 is a Pakistani semi-automatic 7.62×51mm precision rifle designed and manufactured by Pakistan Ordnance Factories. It is used by the Pakistani military's special forces, namely by Army and Navy snipers.
The Myanmar Directorate of Defence Industries, commonly known as Directorate of Defence Industries, Karkweye Pyitsu Setyoun, or its Burmese abbreviation, Ka Pa Sa, is a state-owned enterprise that is officially part of the Tatmadaw. DI is responsible for producing military equipment throughout the country for the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force. It is the only company that has monopolized firearms production.
Munitions India Limited (MIL) is an Indian state-owned defence company, headquartered in Pune, India, established in 2021 as part of the restructuring and corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board into seven different Public Sector Undertakings. Munitions India primarily manufactures ammunition, explosives, rockets and bombs for the use of the Indian Armed Forces, foreign militaries and domestic civilian use.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)