Photos emerge of Pakistan’s first 1,500-ton patrol vessel

Photos have emerged of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency’s (PMSA) first 1,500-ton Maritime Patrol Vessel (MPV) at Huangpu Shipyard on the Chinese website cjdby.

The PMSA six MPVs – two 1,500-ton and four 600-ton MPVs – from China in June 2015.

Notes & Comments:

Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW) is responsible for constructing one of the two 1,500-ton MPVs. KSEW set the ship’s keel in January.

According to KSEW, the 1,500-ton MPV has a length of 95 metres and is powered by two engines, which enable it to travel to a top speed of 26 knots. It also appears to have a flight deck that can accommodate a light or medium-weight utility helicopter.

Thus far the PMSA has taken delivery of three of the four 600-ton MPVs – i.e. PMSS Hingol, PMSS Basol and PMSS Darya-e-Dasht. The PMSS Hingol and PMSS Basol were deployed to Gwadar in January. KSEW has been constructing the fourth Hingol-class MPV since May 2016. The Hingol-class is 68 metres in length and can reach a top speed of 27 knots.

Aside from these new MPVs, the PMSA’s offshore patrol fleet comprises of four Barkat-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV). Built from 1988-1990, the Barkat-class OPV has a maximum displacement of 397 tons and can travel for up to 1,500 nm at 12 knots. These boats are supported nine 14-ton Fast Response Boats acquired from the U.S.

In 2014 the U.S. State Department had approved $350 million U.S. sale of eight 43-metre Global Response Cutters (GRC43M) with weapons, subsystems and logistics/maintenance support for the PMSA.

Pakistan did not ink the contract, which suggests that the Hingol-class MPVs were acquired as a substitute for the GRC43M. In comparison to the Hingol-class, the GRC43M has a displacement of 237.5 tons. It can attain a top speed of 32.4 knots at full-load and can cover a range of 3,000 nm at 14 knots.