Pakistan Navy has inducted 1st Type-54A/P guided-missile frigate and different variants of sea king helicopters in a ceremony held at Karachi dockyard on Monday. The President of Pakistan and the country’s naval chief attended the ceremony. Both inductions are conducted under a navy’s modernization process.
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PNS Tughril (FFG-261) is a 4000-tonne multi-purpose guided-missile frigate (FFG-261) capable of conducting various tasks, including maritime patrols, anti-ship & anti-submarine missions. PNS Tughril is equipped with state of the art sensors and weapon systems. Pakistan Navy signed a contract to procure two Type-54A/P frigates in 2017.
In 2018, Pakistan announced the procurement of two more type-54A/P guided-missile frigates. These ships will be armed with state-of-the-art weapons systems and sensors. Importantly, PNS Tughril will be 1st Pakistani Warship capable of firing missiles from VLS missile cells. This ship is armed with HHQ-16 surface to air missiles.
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Pakistan Navy also inducts 10 Sea king helicopters. As per the official stance of the Pakistan Navy, these helicopters are a gift by the brotherly Muslim state “Qatar”. Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) gifted 10 Sea king helicopters to Pakistan Navy and a Sea king simulator. These helicopters are inducted into the No. 111 squadron of Pakistan Naval Air Arm. 111 squadron is already operating a few sea king helicopters.
About The Author
Umair Aslam is the Founding Editor of Global Defence Insight, and is a defence journalist who has a keen interest in modernization programs of various militaries, nuclear non-proliferation, arms control and Arms race in south Asia. He has been extensively quoted in international publications such as the ‘EurAsian Times’. The author can be reached on email: [email protected] & Twitter: @Defense785
(This article has been syndicated from the Rawalpindi based, Global Defense Insight in a bid to make strategic affairs developments from Pakistan more accessible to Mission Victory India's readers)
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