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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Watch: Agosta 90B sink a decommissioned frigate

Pakistan Navy demonstrates combat readiness and war fighting potential by Live Weapon Firing of Anti-ship Missiles and Torpedoes in North Arabian Sea. During the exercise, Pakistan Navy's ships, aircraft, and submarines successfully hit their intended targets.

After the successful conclusion of the exercise SEASPARK 2022 held between February 17th and March 13, 2022, Pakistan Navy posted a video on its official Twitter account highlighting some key events. One footage showed an Agosta-class 90B submarine PNS/M HAMZA [S-139], upgraded by the Turkish STM for Pakistan Navy, successfully hit and sank a decommissioned frigate with just one torpedo shot. The Turkish modernization of Pakistani Agosta marked the first time a Turkish firm was selected as the prime contractor for modernizing a third party’s submarine project.

Read More: Pakistan Navy soon to get fourth Chinese lethal warship

Turkey was selected in 2016 for the project, and the government initially allocated $350 million for the modernization of the vessel. The Agosta 90B is capable of launching 16 533 mm torpedoes and SM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles. After the exercise concluded, the media wing of the Pakistan Navy took to Twitter and stated that “Pakistan Navy demonstrates combat readiness and war fighting potential by Live Weapon Firing of Anti-ship Missiles and Torpedoes in North Arabian Sea”. During the exercise, Pakistan Navy’s ships, aircraft, and submarines successfully hit their intended targets.

The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi expressed his satisfaction over the operations readiness of the Pakistan Navy and commended the professionalism and the commitment of Pakistan Navy’s officers and soldiers.

 

Designed and constructed by the Karachi Shipyard Engineering Works Limited (KSEW), under the technology transfer agreement with France, the Agosta 90B is an attack submarine powered by an air propulsion system. The recent upgradation comes as a result of Pakistan’s efforts to address the conventional asymmetry between the Pakistani and Indian defense forces, especially in the Navy.

According to the Andalou Agency, a state-run news agency headquartered in Ankara, India currently has 16 submarines, whereas Pakistan only has 8. The Indian Navy has a fleet of 13 frigates compared to Pakistan, which only has nine frigates in its fleet. Pakistan is also expected to induct eight more Chinese submarines to maintain conventional symmetry on the seafront. 

Read More: Turkey launches specially made warship for Pakistan Navy

According to the DG ISPR, in a huge blow to the Indian Navy, Pakistan’s “Anti Submarine Unit intercepted and tracked the latest Kalvari class Indian submarine on March 1.” The recent interception and tracking incident is the fourth of its nature in the past five years and a testament to the Pakistan Navy’s ability and competence. 

The Kalvari submarine was designed by the French naval defense and energy company and is a diesel-electric attack submarine. Currently, the submarines are being manufactured in Mumbai by a public sector shipbuilder, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. The design of the Kalvari class submarine is based on the Scorpene-class submarines built by the French.Â