Pakistan Navy’s Modernization Program
Syed Bahadur Abbas - November 17, 2021
Pakistan’s geostrategic location in the Arabian Sea adjoining the Gulf trade routes validates the countries naval expansion ambitions. Since about ninety percent of Pakistan’s trade is through the sea, it becomes essential for the Asia Pacific nation to have a strong naval presence and ensure regional maritime security, especially amid the rise of China-Pakistan joint sea trade activities.
In early 2021, Pakistan Navy announced its plans to expand naval strength. Pakistan is a contributor in the American-led maritime security project Combined Task Force 150 and Anti-Piracy Combined Task Force 151 while also operating its own Regional Maritime Security Patrol. While speaking at his Change of Command ceremony, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi stressed the importance of increasing the Pakistan Navy’s offensive readiness and combat capabilities.
With the U.S. and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region making a new deal about increasing their naval capabilities, such as the AUKUS security pact, Pakistan has also outlined some details of up-gradation in the naval equipment most of which are heavily supported by China.
Some of the prospective and ongoing acquisitions of naval equipment are listed as follows:
• Expanding the naval fleet up to 50 warships with at least 6 large offshore patrol vessels.
• A transfer of Chinese Yuan-Class submarines for the crew training before acquiring eight Hangor Submarines.
• Developing Hypersonic Anti-Ship/Land Ballistic Missiles under P282 model.
• Establishing several Naval Research Institutes for the development of indigenous naval technologies.
• Developing indigenous technologies to upgrade Jinnah-Class Frigate, Hangor Submarines, locally produced UAV jammers, Directed-Energy Weapons, Underwater Sonar Systems, and Coastal Defense Systems.
• Upgrading the already in service, P-3C Orion Naval Patrol Air Jets with 10 Converted Jets.
• Acquiring medium-range and long-range Unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAV) as well as at least 2 new gunboats by the year 2025.
Most of the up-gradation process is expected to be completed by the year 2025 which coincides with the time when the AUKUS deal also matures. Although Indian Aircraft Carriers and Nuclear-Powered Submarines are inferior in the working capabilities when compared to Chinese and prospective Australian Naval fleet, for Pakistan, India’s naval development projects are the main motivation behind its navy’s modernization leap.
China’s involvement in the Hangor Submarine program is a clear indication that Beijing is looking up to Islamabad for maintaining security in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean region. The development process of the Hangor Submarines is also heavily dependent upon the fact that whether or not Germany will provide Pakistan with the needed Diesel-Electric Engines. If the deal fails to mature, it is expected that Pakistan shall move forward with the Chinese substitutes, however, it has not been confirmed from any side so far.
Pakistan Navy's P-3C Orion Patrol Aircraft.
In the recent progress on the front of UAVs acquisition, Pakistan landed a deal to receive China’s Wing Loong II drones in 2018. Although Pakistan has intensified efforts to test new drones, it has not been officially announced whether Pakistan completed the acquisition process or not. Despite the fact that Wing Loong II drones are restricted to being equipped with MQ-9 sensors, they still possess the capability to carry effective ammunition.
Under the naval contract signed between Pakistan and China in 2017 and 2018 for Type-054A/P frigate, Pakistan received one of three frigates named ‘PNS Tughril’ in November 2021. The Type 054A/P was designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC) and commissioned at Hudong Zhonghua (HZ) Shipyard in Shanghai, China. With the procurement of the latest warship, Pakistan became the first country to receive the largest and most advanced combat ship from China.
The Type 054A (Jiangkai II-class) is a version of the Chinese Navy’s most advanced guided-missile frigate. At present Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) operates 31 of the frigates. The Type 054A/P designed for Pakistan Navy “is a technologically advanced and highly capable Platform with enormous surface to surface, surface to air and underwater fire power besides extensive surveillance potential” the navy said in its statement. The multi-role ship is capable of simultaneously executing numerous naval warfare missions in an intense multi-threat environment.” It is also equipped with the latest combat management and electronic warfare system.
Tughril class frigates would strengthen Pakistan Navy’s capabilities to respond to maritime challenges and maintain peace, stability, and balance of power in the Indian Ocean Region, the Pakistan navy said. Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, the head of Pakistan Navy mission overseeing construction of 054A/P frigate, said that the Tughril class which is a multi-mission capable frigate “will form the mainstay of Pakistan Navy fleet” and bolster country naval power.
Pakistan Navy’s Type 054A/P frigates will be reportedly equipped with SR2410C phased radar and 32-cell Vertical Launching System (VLS) and capable of launching the YJ-12 anti-ship cruise missiles, eight C-803 anti-ship/land-attack cruise missiles, one PJ26 76mm dual-purpose naval gun, six 324mm Yu-7 ASW torpedo launchers, two Type 87 240mm anti-submarine rocket launcher and two Type 730 7-barrel 30mm CIWS guns.
Pakistan Navy ship Aslat takes part in the multinational naval exercises 'AMAN-19' in the Arabian Sea near Pakistan's port city of Karachi on February 11, 2019. (Image Credit: AFP)
Apart from the acquisition from China, Pakistan is also expected to acquire aircraft from other non-western countries such as Brazil, Russia, and Ukraine as a part of its ongoing naval modernization program in order to avoid breaching the implemented sanctions. However, so far there has not been any official announcement in this regard.
