Comment by Riaz Haq on December 18, 2024 at 8:57pm

Damen Shipyards Launches Fourth Pakistan Navy OPV - Quwa


https://quwa.org/daily-news/damen-shipyards-launches-fourth-pakista...

On 21 February, Damen Shipyards launched the fourth Yarmouk-class offshore patron vessel (OPV) for the Pakistan Navy (PN) from its facilities in Galati, Romania.

Though the fourth Damen OPV ordered by the PN, this ship – i.e., PNS Yamama (274) – is the second of the ‘Batch-II’ variant, which is larger and more capable than the first pair of Yarmouk-class OPVs. The first Batch-II OPV, PNS Hunain, was launched for sea trials in September 2023.

The PN initiated its OPV program in 2017 through an order for two Damen OPV 1900s plus an option for two additional ships from the Netherlands. The PN inducted the first two ships – i.e., PNS Yarmouk and PNS Tabuk – in February 2020 and May 2020, respectively.

Based on Damen’s OPV 1900 design, the first two ships have a displacement of 2,300 tons each. The Yarmouk-class has a length of 90 m, top speed of 23 knots, endurance of 40 days, and crew of over 60 personnel. The PN acquired ships to support a wide range of missions, including maritime security and policing, surveillance and intelligence, and search-and-rescue, among others.

The Yarmouk-class OPVs will likely be the PN’s main asset for policing Pakistan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Basically, it will support the PN’s anti-smuggling/piracy, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism, fishery control, and humanitarian and disaster-relief operations. This would free the PN’s frigate and corvette assets to focus on their core missions and, potentially, reduce the risk of damage in peacetime resulting from asymmetrical maritime missions.

That said, the PN does intend to leverage the Yarmouk-class OPVs in wartime. The first two Yarmouk-class OPVs can be configured with anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM) and close-in-weapons-systems (CIWS), giving it long-range strike and point-defence anti-air capabilities. The Damen OPV 1900 can also carry two special mission containers, which the PN could use for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) or mine countermeasures (MCM), thus making these OPVs versatile when required.

With a displacement of 2,600 tons, the Batch-II OPV is larger than the preceding two ships and more capable in its anti-ship warfare (AShW) and anti-air warfare (AAW) potential. Based on the illustration of the ship released by Damen, the Batch-II can carry a supersonic-cruising ASCM (possibly the CM-302) in a two-by-two configuration as well as vertical launch system (VLS) cells for a medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, possibly the MBDA CAMM-ER…

Comment by Riaz Haq on March 17, 2025 at 8:30am

Chinese builder launches Pakistan Navy's second Hangor-class submarine

https://www.bairdmaritime.com/security/naval/naval-submersibles/chi...

The Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group of China has launched the second boat of a new class of diesel-electric attack submarines ordered by the Pakistan Navy.

The future PNS Shushuk ("River dolphin") and another three Hangor-class submarines, including class lead boat PNS Hangor, will be built in China while the remaining four boats will be constructed in Pakistan by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.

All eight Hangor-class boats will be variants of the Type 039A or Yuan-class submarines being operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy of China.

Upon completion, the future Shushuk will have a length of 76 metres, a hull diameter of 8.4 metres, a displacement of 2,800 tonnes, air-independent propulsion, and armament consisting of torpedoes, cruise missiles, and anti-ship missiles.

The Hangor-class submarines will be operated on anti-access/area denial operations.

The second Hangor-class submarine is also the second Pakistan Navy submarine to be named Shushuk. The first was a French-built Daphné-class boat that operated under the Pakistani flag from 1970 to 2006.

Comment by Riaz Haq on April 17, 2025 at 10:13am

Pakistan Navy inducts 4th Damen-built OPV 'PNS Yamama' - Naval News

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/04/pakistan-navy-commissi...


The OPV 2600 is the largest member of four new second-generation offshore patrol vessels (other variants are OPV 1400, OPV 1800, and OPV 2400) designed by Damen Shipyards to support a variety of naval and Coast Guard missions, such as Border and EEZ surveillance, Counter piracy and smuggling, and Counter drugs- and weapons trafficking among others.

The 2600-ton vessel has a length of 98 meters, which is longer than the Yarmook-class OPVs Pakistan Navy currently operates. It has 4x 2350 kW diesel engines coupled to two CPPs that can deliver a top speed of 24 knots to the vessel. OPV 2600 will also be fitted with a bow thruster for close maneuvers.

The vessel can operate at sea state 6 and is capable of surviving at sea state 9 thanks to its active fin stabilizing system. It will be capable of accommodating 60 people.

The OPV 2600 will be armed with the main gun of up to 76 mm on the ship’s bow deck and two 20 mm guns as secondary weapons. The sensor suite includes a medium-range surveillance radar and an E/O fire control sensor. The ship will also be capable of helicopter missions with its helicopter deck and can house the helicopters in its hangar.

Under the aft deck there will be space for up to 5 containerized mission modules that can be loaded and unloaded using a crane.

Moreover, the OPV 2600 boasts the capacity for five additional mission modules, covering areas such as Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) with side-scan sonar, Mine Countermeasures (MCM), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/Unmanned Surface Vehicle (UAV/USV), pollution control, hospital facilities, diving support, as well as energy and water-making facilities, among others.

Designed for sustained maritime patrols, search and rescue operations, law enforcement, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response missions, the scaled model crafted for the Pakistan Navy is also capable of Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) and Anti-Air Warfare (AAW).

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 18, 2025 at 8:08am

11-0 For Pakistan? Pak Navy's AIP Submarine Fleet Nears 11 While India Struggles To Induct It's 1st AIP-Sub

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/n-india-struggles-to-induct-its-aip-sub/

The state of the Indian Navy’s submarines is as dismal as that of the Indian Air Force’s fighter squadrons. It has failed to induct a single Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) equipped submarine so far, while the Pakistan Navy is swiftly advancing towards its goal of augmenting its AIP-equipped submarine fleet to 11.

With the indigenously developed AIP system still not operational, the Indian Navy is likely to scrap the project to build three more French-origin Scorpene submarines and throw its weight behind the construction of AIP-equipped diesel-electric stealth submarines, built in collaboration with German firm Thyssenkrupp (TKMS).

Indian media has quoted government sources indicating that the Navy may decide to stop pursuing additional Scorpene submarines and will go full throttle for the construction of the six German-origin diesel-electric stealth submarines at Mazagon Docks Ltd.

The new Scorpene submarines were to be bigger, with nearly double the endurance of the present batch. The cost negotiations for the three more Scorpenes were completed in the last financial year. But it is still awaiting the nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

The CCS is considering the prudence of ordering three more Scorpenes, when the German submarines are “a generation ahead” of them. The CCS will also be assessing if the MDL can manage two complex submarine-building projects at the same time, according to the media report.

AIP-powered conventional diesel-electric submarines (SSKs) are midway between nuclear-powered boats and non-AIP SSKs. It allows an SSK to remain submerged for 10 to 14 days without needing to surface to charge its batteries, which might get it detected.

Other SSKs can stay underwater for roughly 48 hours. The fuel-cell-based AIP is unique, as it generates its hydrogen requirement on board.

An AIP enhances a submarine’s underwater endurance between battery charges by three to four times, thus reducing its vulnerability to detection.

The Indian Navy presently has 17 conventional submarines. Apart from the six Scorpene submarines inducted recently, the rest are over 30 years old and are fast approaching their decommissioning date.

The plans were to retrofit these six Scorpene submarines with indigenously developed AIP technology. As per the “jumboisation” plans, the operational submarine would be cut in half and a new AIP section would be inserted, increasing its length and weight. French shipbuilder Naval Group was to assist in the complex procedure.

After this, the technology will undergo further testing before being fitted into the remaining Scorpene-class submarines. Experts have pointed out that upgrading a weapons platform with new technology will reduce operational readiness, as the repairs will take at least a year.

INS Kalvari, which started its major refit this year, will not be getting its AIP upgrade as the system is still under development by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The fuel cell-based AIP system, developed by DRDO’s Naval Materials Research Lab with L&T as the prime industry partner, is still not operationally available. The Navy is hopeful that the technology will be ready by the time the second Scorpene (INS Khanderi) comes for her scheduled normal maintenance refit in mid-2026.

The AIP program was sanctioned by the government in 2014 with a budget of INR 270 crore and was scheduled to be completed by June 2017. The project is already eight years behind schedule.

The Indian Navy doesn’t operate a single AIP-equipped submarine yet. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Navy’s all three French Agosta-90B (PNS Khalid, Saad, and Hamza) are powered by AIPs.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 19, 2025 at 8:16pm

Defence Uncut | How Pakistan’s New Shark (Hangor) Aims to Push India Away from the Arabian Sea - Quwa

https://youtu.be/slyIheY2x3s

https://quwa.org/podcasts/defence-uncut/defence-uncut-how-pakistans...

In this week’s episode of Defence Uncut, we shift our focus to the Pakistan Navy (PN) and the significant strategic implications of its forthcoming Hangor-class submarines.

With China launching the third boat, PNS Mangro, the program is gaining momentum, setting the stage for a major evolution in Pakistan’s maritime posture.These submarines are not merely new assets; they represent a doctrinal shift, extending Pakistan’s defensive perimeter deep into the Indian Ocean and creating a formidable anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) challenge for the Indian Navy.

We also delve into pressing developments concerning the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), including its manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) plans, new electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, and the untapped commercial potential of its vast training expertise. Finally, we offer an analysis of the Pakistan Armed Forces’ procurement strategy, highlighting a persistent and costly lack of inter-service standardization.

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How the Hangor Alters the Pakistan Navy’s Submarine Strategy
The Hangor-class air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped submarines (SSP) will be the largest conventional submarines ever operated by the PN and among the most capable in the region.

Designed for open-ocean operations with an emphasis on range and endurance, the induction of eight of these boats signals a clear intent to project power far beyond Pakistan’s littoral waters.

While specifications for the Hangor-class remain classified, analysis suggests they are not based on the standard S26 export-grade design, but are instead seemingly aligned with the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) Type 039B Yuan-class submarines. This assessment is bolstered by the fact that the PN leased a Yuan-class boat for training, an arrangement not extended to other export customers like Thailand, indicating a much deeper level of system commonality.

The strategic objective appears to be a variation of China’s A2/AD strategy. By deploying these long-range, high-endurance submarines to India’s eastern and southern flanks, the PN can create a persistent threat that forces the Indian Navy to concentrate its valuable anti-submarine warfare (ASW) assets, such as P-8I Poseidon aircraft and MH-60R Romeo helicopters, closer to its own shores. This effectively pulls the bulk of India’s surface fleet away from the Arabian Sea, freeing up Pakistan’s operational space and safeguarding its vital western sea lanes, through which critical trade and fuel shipments pass.

A key technological advantage is the submarine’s Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system. The export version for Thailand boasts an underwater endurance of nearly three weeks without snorkeling. It is highly probable that the PN’s version, being based on the domestic Yuan-class, possesses a significantly longer AIP endurance. In a potential conflict, which could last several weeks, Hangor submarines could remain submerged for the entire duration of the war, presenting an unprecedented and resource-intensive ASW challenge for India.

This capability could be further amplified by the induction of the YJ-18 submarine-launched cruise missile. The YJ-18 combines a subsonic cruise phase for range with a supersonic terminal stage (Mach 2.5-3.0), making it incredibly difficult to intercept. Procuring and eventually producing this missile in-house would provide the PN with a long-range standoff strike capability, allowing the Hangors to threaten Indian assets from vast distances, further complicating any ASW effort.

Comment by Riaz Haq on Tuesday

Mansoor Ahmed Qureshi
@MansurQr
#BREAKING Big move for Pakistan’s maritime industry! 🇵🇰

China to build a world-class shipyard at Port Qasim. The facility will produce 6 ships annually, with Pakistan paying in rupees, not dollars.

https://x.com/MansurQr/status/1985437169834738038

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China eyes 1,000-acre maritime hub at Port Qasim to revive Pakistan’s shipbuilding
Project promises robotic shipbreaking, on-site steel processing, and vessel production seven times larger than current capacity





https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/08/29/china-eyes-1000-acre...





Pakistan is set to offer 1,000 acres of land near Port Qasim to Chinese investors for the creation of an Integrated Maritime Industrial Complex, in what officials describe as the largest single investment in the country’s maritime sector to date.





Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Jawad Akhtar, told Wealth Pakistan that the ambitious project would transform the nation’s shipbuilding and recycling capabilities through robotic and technology-driven systems, ending reliance on outdated shipbreaking practices that have long dominated Gadani.

“At one time, Gadani was number one in the world for shipbreaking, but today it has fallen behind due to obsolete methods. This project will revive that glory,” Akhtar said.



According to him, the new complex will consolidate multiple maritime activities under one roof, including shipbuilding, shipbreaking, repair and maintenance, and recycling. Large docks are planned for modern dismantling and recycling operations, while re-rolling mills will be installed to process melted ship steel directly on-site.

Pakistan currently relies on imports of ship-grade steel due to limited domestic production. Once operational, the new facilities are expected to help the country meet its own demand, thereby saving precious foreign exchange.


Akhtar highlighted the scale of the technological leap, noting that the complex would enable the production of vessels seven to eight times larger than those built in Pakistan today. “Not only will the vessels be bigger, but the production timeline will also shrink by nearly 70 percent, with completion possible within a year,” he said.

Comment by Riaz Haq yesterday

Turkish Century
@TurkishCentury
🇵🇰🇹🇷 Pakistan's Navy has reportedly inked a contract with the #Karachi Shipyard to begin the construction of the advanced #Jinnah-class multirole frigate!

Based on the #ASFAT AS3400 platform with full ToT (Transfer of Technology), the Jinnah-class is the most recent outcome of the extensive Turkish-Pakistani cooperation in #shipbuilding and naval systems engineering that is rooted in the #Milgem-PN program that gave the world the formidable #Babur-class heavy corvettes.

Jinnah is a highly advanced 3300+ton frigate customized for the unique needs of brotherly Pakistan with the goal of complete domination of the seas, as well as the sky above and the depths below. Armed with #antiship, #antiaircraft, cruise missiles as well as heavy torpedoes, it fully covers all aspects of littoral & blue-water operations, anti-ship/air/submarine warfare, and power projection in the high seas.

First steel-cutting is expected within a few months with plans to build a total of six (6) frigates.

https://x.com/TurkishCentury/status/1985985856453120185

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