The Pakistan Navy Receives The Second Modernized Agosta 90B Class Submarine
STM (Defense Technologies Engineering Inc.), one of Turkey’s leading defense companies, announced in a press release on January 25 that it had delivered to the Pakistan Navy the PNS/M KHALID (S-137), the second vessel to be modernized within the scope of the Pakistan Agosta 90B Submarine Modernization Project.
“We are transferring our engineering experience and technologies to friendly and brotherly countries on the way we set out for our country’s defense,” said STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz. “The Pakistan Agosta 90B Class Submarines Modernization Project is one of the most important examples of STM’s expertise in national and international submarine production and modernization. While we continue to export the systems of many of our domestic and national companies with the AGOSTA 90B Modernization, we continue to work in Pakistan to complete the modernization of the third and final submarine. I congratulate our stakeholders and employees who contributed to the project, and I wish the Pakistani Navy, a friendly and brotherly country, good luck with the PNS/M KHALID submarine, which has begun its duty in blue waters.”
On 22 June 2016 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, an agreement involving the modernization of three submarines, one definite and two optional, was signed between the Pakistan Ministry of Defense Production and STM for the half-life modernization of French-made AGOSTA 90 B-class submarines in the Pakistan Navy’s inventory. With the signing of the contract on February 27, 2018, the project was expanded to include the optional second and third submarines. Within the scope of the project, the company provided the submarines with Integrated Underwater Command and Control (IUCCS & C2IS) System, Weapon Control (WCS) System, Sonar Systems, Periscopes (Attack and Navigation), Electronic Warfare, Radar, Ship Data Distribution System, STMDENGİZ Electronic Chart Display and Information System, Converters, Steering System, and Chilled Water System provided by various Turkish companies, primarily ASELSAN and HAVELSAN. The project is being carried out at Pakistan’s PN Dockyard.
Due to the negative effects of the COVID-19 environment, STM, the first Turkish company to export engineering in a field requiring advanced technology such as submarines, delivered the first vessel of the project, PNS/M HAMZA (S-139), to the Pakistan Naval Forces Command on April 21, 2021. PNS/M HAMZA (S-139), which was re-commissioned by the Pakistani Navy after being modernized, later destroyed a decommissioned TARIQ class vessel (Type 21 frigate) by launching and successfully hitting it with a DM-2A4 torpedo during the SEASPARK-2022 Exercise last year, which took place between February 17 and March 13, 2022. Within two years, the company hopes to deliver the third and final vessel of the project to the Pakistani Navy.
In addition to the modernized AGOSTA 90 B-class submarines, Pakistan has purchased four MİLGEM-class corvettes from Turkey, two Yarmook-class Offshore Patrol Vessels from the Netherlands, four Type 054 A/P frigates, and eight submarines from China as part of its efforts to modernize its Navy and increase its offensive capabilities.