On 30 April, the Pakistan Navy (PN) commissioned its first Hangor-class diesel-electric submarine, marking a further shift towards Chinese-origin naval and defence systems for the South Asian country.
PNS Hangor was commissioned on 30 April in Hainan, China. It was marked by a ceremony attended by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf.
Later, PNS Hangor in the company of the warship PNS Taimur, pulled into Malaysia’s Kota Kinabalu Naval Base in Sabah from 8-11 May. The submarine was on its maiden voyage to Pakistan from China.
This submarine is the first of eight boats ordered in 2015, based on China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSSC) S26T export design, itself derived from the Type 039A/B Yuan class.
Four submarines are being constructed in China, while the remaining four will be built at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works under a technology transfer arrangement.
The approximately 76m-long submarine displaces around 2,800 tonnes. The type is powered by Chinese-built CHD620 diesel engines together with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, giving the class enhanced underwater endurance.
The CHD620 engine previously drew attention during delays to Thailand’s S26T submarine programme after Germany blocked the export of MTU 396 engines to China under European Union arms restrictions. Bangkok later concluded that the Chinese engine “exceeds the performance and safety standards” of the original German system.
In a statement, the PN said the submarines “equipped with advanced sensors, weapons and AIP technology, will secure sea lines of communication, deter aggression and uphold maritime stability”.
Although Islamabad has not disclosed the submarine’s full weapons fit, the class is equipped with 533mm torpedo tubes, and it is widely believed to be capable of launching anti-ship missiles.
The name Hangor revives that of the Pakistan Navy’s former Daphné-class submarine that served from 1970-2006. During the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, the original PNS Hangor sank the Indian Navy frigate INS Khukri, becoming the first submarine to sink an enemy warship in combat since World War II.
Chinese systems now account for the majority of Pakistan’s major naval capabilities.
In 2022, the PN inducted the first two Tughril-class frigates, based on the Chinese Type 054A design, followed by another pair in 2023. These operate alongside four Chinese-designed Zulfiqar-class frigates already in service, these derived from the Type 053H3.
by Chen Chuanren
