Pakistan Navy Chief Details Progress in Hangor-class AIP Submarines Project

Chief of the Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy, Admiral M Amjad Khan Niazi said the joint Hangor-class submarine project between China and his country is progressing steadily.

In an interview with Chinese government-owned Global Times, Admiral Niazi said these boats are now under various stages of construction in the two countries. “The project is continuing as per the intended timeline despite certain delays due COVID-19 and technical intricacies," he said.

The Hangor-class submarines are an export variant of the PLAN’s Type 039A/041 Yuan-class submarines. These conventional modern submarines are equipped with the latest weapons and sensors, and the boats' induction with the air independent propulsion (AIP) system onboard will significantly enhance their submerged endurance capability.

Introducing the Pakistan Navy's development strategy as "progressive capability enhancement" to create a balanced, potent, and combat-ready force to meet evolving threats, Admiral Niazi said that as part of this modernization, the Pakistan Navy is replacing its existing ageing platforms with acquisitions from friendly countries along with the transfer of technology for in-country construction.

Pakistan Navy will receive two Type 054A/P frigates in 2023

Admiral Niazi said two more Type 054A/P frigates built in China will be handed over to the Pakistan Navy this year.

The Type 054A/P is equipped with weapons and sensors that includes CM-302 SSM and LY-80 SAMs as well as Advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare suite and Combat Management System, enabling ships of this class to operate under multi-threat scenarios.

The first two ships of this class, the PNS Tughril and the PNS Taimur, were inducted into the Pakistan Navy in December 2021 and June 2022 respectively.