Tag Archives: Pakistan submarine

And now in the Indian Ocean…

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The Pakistan Navy yesterday welcomed “home” the first specimen of the 249-foot/2,800-ton S26 class submarine, PNS Hangor, an export derivative of the Chinese Type 039A SSK, which is currently operated by the PLAN.

Built at CSOC in China, it is a very modern boat with a double-hulled design and powered by AIP, which means she can remain submerged virtually every minute of an entire 40-50 day patrol if needed. It is roughly equivalent to a German Type 209 and superior to a Kilo-class SSK.

The Chinese are rapidly building the first four of the class at CSOC, with the future Shushuk, Mangro, and Ghazi already launched and fitting out for delivery next year. Then, with technology sharing, the next four will be built by KSEW in Karachi, with the future Tasnim and Seem Maai already laid down.

The eight new boats will replace the trio of French Agosta 90B-class submarines (Khalid, Saad, and Hamza) that are now in their 20s, and a pair of much older Agosta 70s (Hashmat and Hurmat), the latter two originally built for South Africa but not delivered due to sanctions on the Apartheid government, so the Pakistani Navy well knows how to run modern SSKs.

The Agostas replaced a trio of Daphnés, one of which sank an Indian frigate in 1971. Before that, the Pakistanis operated a leased Guppy Tench-class boat, ex-USS Diablo, as PNS Ghanzi, which was lost during the 1971 war, so they know the game well.

By comparison, the Indian Navy has 16 boats, three small 6,000-ton domestically built (with Russian help) Arihant-class SSNs, six brand new French Scorpènes, six cranky Kilo (P.877) class boats, and four German Type 209/1500s.

Pakistan pops off their first submarine launched nuclear-capable missile

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PNS/M Hamza (S139) – built in Pakistan, commissioned 14 August 2006. She is a a modernized and long–range air-independent powered Agosta–90B class submarine designed and developed through a joint venture between the French DCNS and Pakistan's KSEW Ltd

PNS/M Hamza (S139) – built in Pakistan, commissioned 14 August 2006. She is a a modernized and long–range air-independent powered Agosta–90B class submarine designed and developed through a joint venture between the French DCNS and Pakistan’s KSEW Ltd

In the latest case of keeping up with the Indians– who launched their first nuclear-capable, submarine-launched missile in 2008, Pakistan did the same last week by launching a home-grown SLCM roughly comparable to the early variants of the Tomahawk.

Reuters 

The Pakistani military said the Babur-3 missile was “capable of delivering various types of payloads and will provide Pakistan with a Credible Second Strike Capability, augmenting deterrence”.

An army spokesman later confirmed the language meant the missile was equipped to carry nuclear warheads.

The Babur-3 is a sea-based variant of the ground-launched Babur-2 missile, which was tested in December. The military said the missile had features such as “underwater controlled propulsion and advanced guidance and navigation”

The Submarine Command of the Pakistani Navy have five French Agosta-class diesel submarines, including three built locally to an AIP design. Further, they have eight 2,300-ton Hangor-class boats they are building in conjunction with China.

It is believed one of the AIP Agostas, PNS/M Khalid (S137), fired the Babur-3, which is thought to have a 200~ mile range.