Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, informed Global Times that the conventional powered attack submarines- which are co-developed by China and Pakistan- are set to be introduced into the service next year.
Ashraf said the submarine programme was going on well. He underlined the significance of the submarines in enhancing the ability of Pakistan in underwater warfare, the development of the ability to be self-reliant by the transfer of technology and skills development, and the growth of the Sino-Pakistani defense alliance.
Ashraf had reported that Chinese-built systems have been dependable, and ideal in the demands of the Pakistan Navy, and that the force is improving collaboration with China in the emerging areas like artificial intelligence, uncrewed systems, and electronic warfare.
In a 2015 agreement valued at approximately US$5billion, Pakistan shall receive eight Hangor-class submarines four to be built in China and four domestically under technology transfer agreements. The agreement is to date the largest arms export by China.
Pakistan has become the largest defence customer of Beijing, with 63 per cent of all Chinese defence shipment between 2020 and 2024 comprising superior naval weaponry. Already four Chinese-made Type 054 frigates which have been renamed to Tughli-class have been inducted to the Pakistan Navy.
Experts believe that the Hangor-class of submersibles will be able to change the maritime competition in the region especially in the northern Arabian Sea. Liselotte Odgaard, of the Hudson institute, Washington stated that the fleet would enhance Pakistan anti access and area denial potential in addition to helping China to trade with the Middle East, especially via the Gwadar port.
According to Odgaard, the Hangor-class submarines greatly improve the deterrence posture of Pakistan, which makes the maritime strategy of India complicated and adds to the overall Chinese interests in the Indo-Pacific.
Today, Pakistan has five French-built Agosta-class submarines, as compared to India whose navy now has nuclear-powered ballistic missile carriers such as INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, capable of staying underwater longer, and have faster speeds.
The Hangor-class fleet would result in the Pakistan power to thicken its sea-denial capabilities in the Arabian Sea however, which would complicate operations by the Indian anti-submarine forces, according to Jagannath Panda of the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm.
The submarines are designed on the Type 039A of China that is equipped with air-independent propulsion systems which enables it to stay underwater in a time of three weeks as well as lasting missions of approximately 60 days. Odgaard claimed they can launch anti-ship and cruise missiles with their torpedo tubes, which will provide Pakistan with a second strike nuclear capability.
Delay of production was associated with the failure of Germany to provide engines,MTU396, in an EU weapons embargo and China had made its own CHD620 engines. According to Odgaard, this is a sign that shows Beijing has, to a very great degree, solved its reliance on western technology.
Nevertheless, analysts take pains to warn that the CHD620 has not been shown to perform as well in terms of operational capability namely noise levels and stealth capability but the submarines are nevertheless likely to provide good capabilities at a lower price point compared to Western counterparts.
