Pakistan Navy Hints Need for Dedicated Nuclear Asset Plus

On a show on Pakistan’s state-owned television network, PTV, two retired Pakistan Navy (PN) officials – Vice Admiral Ahmed Saeed and Rear Admiral Saleem Akhtar – discussed the PN’s ongoing acquisition of Hangor-class (S26) submarines from China.

Adm. Saeed highlighted that the Hangor air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped submarines (SSP) will be a “hybrid” piece in Pakistan’s wider deterrence posture. Basically, it will be a compromise between a purely conventional attack submarine and nuclear-powered boat, such as a nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) or a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN).

In this context, the Hangor SSP will provide Pakistan a second-strike capability, but in Adm. Saeed’s view, it would still fall short of delivering an “assured” second-strike capability. However, Adm. Saeed stressed that the PN should gradually build an assured second-strike capability, ideally through an SSN or SSBN, if possible.

From a technical standpoint, a nuclear submarine would have three overarching elements: First, a miniature nuclear reactor and its cooling, power management, and other submarine-focused inputs. Second, expertise in building a submarine with the requisite design know-how of a SSBN, i.e., a hull that can support a reactor and the dedicated nuclear payload. Third, the availability of SLCMs and SLBMs.

Pakistan can develop the weapons stack – i.e., SLCMs and SLBMs – domestically. It already has nuclear-capable cruise missiles, but its ballistic missile technology is also evolving. The Fatah-2, for example, is likely an example of Pakistan’s next-generation rocker technology, which may be leveraged for larger ballistic missile programs. Hence, a SLBM program is plausible. Alternatively, Pakistan could skip SLBMs and, instead, pursue a nuclear-powered boat equipped with SLCMs (i.e., a SSGN or nuclear cruise missile submarine).