New Delhi: Turkiye Sunday officially delivered PNS Khaibar to Pakistan’s Navy, the second MILGEM-class corvette after PNS Babur, which was commissioned on 6 September, 2024.
Istanbul Naval Shipyard constructed the corvette under a transfer-of-technology arrangement between the two countries. Two other corvettes, PNS Bedir and PNS Tariq, are being built at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works with assistance from Turkiye.
The contract for the construction of four MILGEM-class ships was signed in 2018. The corvette can displace 2,888 tonnes at full load, and has a length of 113 metres and beam of 14.4 metres, enabling high-speed operations up to 29 knots.
The vessel is powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion system, which integrates diesel engines and gas turbines. Hence, the vessel achieves an operational range exceeding 3,500 nautical miles at 15 knots.
The delivery of the latest warship underlines the expansion of Pakistan and Turkiye’s defence cooperation. The official commissioning of the ship was attended by Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf.
“The relations between both countries are not merely state-to-state relations but a bond between two nations and two brothers. The Turkish vessels would prove beneficial to the Pakistan Navy,” Erdogan said, according to media reports.
He underscored that the third ship, PNS Bedir, is expected to be delivered by the end of June 2026, while the fourth, PNS Tariq, is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027.
The commissioning ceremony highlighted Ankara’s naval advancements, with three additional vessels, the submarine C59, a landing ship and ULAQ unmanned surface vehicle, being inducted into the Turkish Navy.
Pakistan’s media wing issued a statement saying that “PN MILGEM ships are the most technologically advanced surface platforms. These vessels are equipped with the latest command and control systems integrated with modern weapons and advanced sensors”.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)