On 30 April the commissioning ceremony for the first of the 2,800 tonne Type 039B Hangor class conventional submarines, PNS/M Hangor was held at Sanya, China.
An eventual eight boats of the Hangor class are expected to commission. The first four, all of which have been launched, come from the China Shipbuilding & Offshore Company shipyard. The latter four boats will be built at the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works.
President Asif Ali Zardari attended the event as Chief Guest; the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf was also present at the ceremony. President Zardari described the commissioning of Hangor as a historic milestone in Pakistan Navy’s modernisation, affirming Pakistan’s resolve to maintain a robust, balanced and credible defence posture. He stated that Pakistan is fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and ensuring the security of its economic lifelines.
The Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf highlighted that disruptions at critical maritime choke points increasingly threaten global trade and energy security, and maintaining a stable, rule-based maritime order demands technologically advanced naval forces. He stated that Hangor class submarines – armed with state-of-the-art weapons, advanced sensors and Air Independent Propulsion – will be key in preserving maritime order and stability in the region. These submarines will play a pivotal role in deterring aggression and ensuring security of vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) across the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean region.
The Naval Chief reiterated that the name Hangor holds a significant place in our national history. In 1971, earlier Daphné-class Hangor, became the first submarine since World War II to sink a warship when she sank the Indian frigate INS Khukri on 9/10 December 1971.
The Pakistan Navy said the “commissioning of first Hangor lass submarine marks another chapter in the time-tested and enriching friendship between Pakistan and China. The ceremony was attended by senior officials from Pakistan Navy and PLA (Navy). The Prime Minister of Pakistan and COAS & CDF have congratulated the entire nation and the Pakistan Navy on achieving this historic milestone.”
Source: PN
