(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — China continues to be a major arms supplier to Pakistan, with the official commencement of construction for the Pakistan Navy’s second Hangor-class submarine at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW) taking place a few days ago.
Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan, witnessed the symbolic ceremony marking the official start of construction for the second Hangor-class submarine.
Pakistan and China have signed a contract for the construction of eight Hangor-class submarines, with four of these submarines to be built at KS&EW in Pakistan under a technology transfer arrangement, while the remaining four are to be constructed by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry in China.
The first of the Hangor-class submarines officially began construction in Pakistan in December 2022.
The Hangor-class submarines are the export variant of China’s Type 039A/041 Yuan-class submarines, currently in service with the Chinese Navy.
All eight submarines are scheduled to be delivered to the Pakistan Navy between 2022 and 2028, as per the contract terms agreed upon by both countries.
The Hangor-class submarines, measuring 76 meters in length and displacing 2,800 tons, are believed to be equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems.
The addition of these state-of-the-art submarines will significantly enhance the maritime capabilities of Pakistan, particularly in its traditional rivalry with India.
Regarding their armament, military observers in the region speculate that Pakistan and China may equip the Hangor-class submarines with the Babur-3 Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile.
Developed by Pakistan’s National Defence Complex, the Babur-3 missile, capable of being armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, has a range of 450km.
Currently, the Pakistan Navy operates three Agosta 90B submarines, which are equipped with AIP technology.
These Agosta 90B submarines underwent a Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) under a contract signed with the Turkish company STM in 2016, which served as the principal contractor.
The first upgraded submarine, PNS Hamza, was delivered in 2020 after undergoing MLU, which included modernization of its Fire Control System, Sonar Suite, Electronic Warfare System, Radar, and Periscope System (Navigation and Assault). — DSA