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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.

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Bilal Khan Founder
Founder of Quwa, Bilal has been researching Pakistani defence industry and security issues for over 15 years. His work has been cited by Pakistan's National Defence University (NDU), the Council of Foreign Relations, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, Centre of Airpower Studies and many others. He has a Hons. B.A in Political Science and Masters of Interntional Public Policy from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
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1 Comment

  • by Ali Afzal
    Posted June 9, 2017 6:05 am 0Likes

    No… the truth is that Pakistan still wanted to buy used Cutter Vessels from USA but the US congress cancelled the contract because of India…. after that Pakistan decided to buy new multi purpose vessels from China…. to bhai pehle hi China se le lo na !

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