Islamabad: Pakistan Navy has launched one of its most technologically advanced MILGEM-class warships, named PNS Tariq, at a ceremony held at the Karachi shipyard.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz jointly inaugurated the PNS Tariq Corvette during a ceremony held at the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works in Karachi on August 2.
The ceremony showcased the strengthening defence collaboration between Pakistan and Turkey.
Project bolsters Pakistan-Turkey defence ties
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that PNS Tariq is the “fourth ship of this class and the second one built in Pakistan” jointly by Asfat Istanbul and the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
He commended the close defence ties between the two nations and hailed the ‘MILGEM project’ as a significant milestone in the strategic partnership.
MILGEM is an acronym for the Turkish word ‘Milli Gemi’ (National Ship). PM Sharif emphasised the need to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation, especially in new and emerging technologies as well as joint defence production.
Turkish Vice-President Yilmaz echoed the desire to “deepen the special bilateral relationship” through increased strategic and economic cooperation.
He reaffirmed Turkiye’s commitment to sharing knowledge, experience, and technology with friendly nations in the defence sector.
He cited the ongoing joint projects with Pakistan as a prime example of this approach.
Detailing Turkey’s prowess in shipbuilding, he said that the country not only fulfills its own defence needs but also builds ships for many developed countries of the world. The Turkish vice-president held a meeting with the Pakistani prime minister to discuss various bilateral issues as well as the regional situation.
Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi earlier said that the advanced MILGEM-class multipurpose corvettes would play an important role in addressing the “operational needs of Pakistan Navy.”
The latest warships will strengthen the country’s maritime defence and deterrence capabilities as the Pakistan Navy intends to build a fleet of more than 50 vessels, including 20 major surface ships.
Pakistan-Turkey MILGEM project
The MILGEM project represents a significant milestone in the Pakistan-Turkey strategic partnership. Pakistan signed a $1.5 billion deal with Turkey in 2018 for the acquisition of four MILGEM Ada class ships with Turkish state-owned defence firm ASFAT. Under the contract that included technology transfer, two ships were to be constructed at Istanbul Naval Shipyard and the other two at Karachi Shipyard.
The first two MILGEM-class (also known as Babur-class) warships, named PNS Babur and PNS Badr, 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 and final is PNS Tariq which was launched at Karachi Shipyard in August 2023.
Warship features
With the induction of the latest warships, Pakistan Navy will be equipped with multipurpose corvettes and frigates that can be deployed in a range of missions including surveillance, early warning, anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air warfare, and amphibious operations.
The MILGEM corvettes feature state-of-art surface, sub-surface and anti-air weapons and long-range effective sensors, integrated through an advanced network central combat management system. The corvettes are 108.2 meters long with a displacement capacity of around 2,900 tons and can move at a speed of 26 nautical miles. It can carry a crew of around 142.
