In a way, an original submarine program would be more important than any of the surface vWith a vision of a 50-ship fleet with over 20 “major surface vessels,” like frigates, one might assume that the Pakistan Navy (PN) is building towards a traditional naval set-up.
However, while it has a notably larger requirement for surface vessels, the actual future of its naval edge still rests in its submarine development, i.e., its “silent service.”
The nature of the “silent service” is that its programs are opaquer.
For example, the Hangor-class submarine, is certainly active. In fact, Karachi Shipyards and Engineering Works (KSEW) laid the keel of the fifth Hangor-class submarine (PNS Tasnim) and cut the steel of the sixth boat towards the end of December 2022.
However, the PN has been reluctant to release other details, like the status of the first four boats (other than previously stating that all eight Hangor-class submarines will come by 2028).
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