Turkiye launches PNS Khaibar corvette for Pakistan Navy under MILGEM Project
Asia-Pacific, Middle East, News November 27, 2022 1 Comment on Turkiye launches PNS Khaibar corvette for Pakistan Navy under MILGEM ProjectPresident of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan along with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the launching ceremony for the PNS Khaibar corvette on November 25, 2022. PNS Khaibar has been built at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard under the MILGEM project.
The ceremony was attended by high-ranking representatives of both countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the chief guest at the ceremony, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Navy Chief Amjad Khan Niazi and Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, as well as high-ranking officers of the two navies also attended the ceremony.
PNS Khaibar is the third of the four corvettes for the Pakistan Navy that Turkiye is building under the MILGEM project. It is expected to be the second ship delivered to Pakistan after PNS Babar.
Turkiye’s Anadolu news agency quoted Pakistan’s naval chief as saying that “Weakness invites aggression, but strength keeps your enemy at bay. So, the inclusion of the MILGEM-class ships will significantly strengthen the Pakistan Navy in a very big way.”
In his speech during the launch ceremony, Turkish President Erdogan highlighted Turkish-Pakistani relations in the field of the defense industry. Erdogan highlighted the future prospects of the Turkish defense industry and stated that Turkiye will realize significant developments in the defense industry within the next year.
Turkish President Erdogan said during his speech that “2023 will hopefully be a year in which we will see many firsts in our defense industry. Our unmanned fighter jet Kizilelma has reached the production line. Engine integration testing has been successfully completed. It will make its first flight in 2023. We will also see our national fighter aircraft (TF-X) come out of the hangar next year.”
Erdogan added that “We will make the first deliveries of our Siper, long-range air defense, Karaok anti-tank missile system, as well as Bozdogan and Gokdogan air-to-air missiles in 2023.”
MILGEM Project
MILGEM project is a national warship program by Turkiye, managed by the Turkish Navy. The project aims at developing multipurpose corvettes, frigates, and destroyers. The name of the project MILGEM emerged from the Turkish phrase ‘Mili Gemi’, which means ‘National Ship’.
In July 2018, Pakistan signed a $1.5 billion deal with Turkiye for the construction of four Ada class ships with Turkish state-owned defense firm ASFAT. Turkish defense minister at the time, Nurettin Canikli, described the deal as “the largest defense export of Turkiye in one agreement.”
Under the defense deal that included technology transfer, two ships were to be constructed at Istanbul Naval Shipyard and the other two at Karachi Shipyard. The MILGEM project is based on joint collaboration and represents a significant milestone in the Pakistan-Turkiye strategic partnership, according to Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs.
The first MILGEM-class (known as Babur-class in Pakistan) corvette, PNS Babur, was launched at the Istanbul shipyard in August 2021. The second multipurpose corvette, named PNS Badr, was launched in Pakistan’s city of Karachi in May 2022 and another corvette PNS Tariq is also under construction at Karachi Shipyard. PNS Khaibar was launched in November 2022 in Istanbul.
Turkiye is building four corvettes for Pakistan under the MILGEM project have a length of 325 feet, a displacement capacity of 2,400 tons, and a speed of 29 nautical miles. Apart from manufacturing corvettes for Pakistan Navy, the MILGEM project would oversee the production of Ada Class anti-submarine, Istanbul Class multipurpose frigates, and TF2000 Class anti-air warfare destroyers for the Turkish Navy.
Asia Asia-Pacific Defense Maritime Middle East Navy Pakistan Ship South Asia Technology Turkey Turkiye Warship
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[…] Bar, were launched in Istanbul and Karachi, in August 2021 and May 2022, respectively. The third PNS Khaibar was launched in November 2022 in Istanbul. The fourth is PNS Tariq which was launched at Karachi Shipyard in August […]