A total of eight Hangor-class submarines were to be acquired under the deal signed by Pakistani and Chinese authorities during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Islamabad in April 2015.
Over a decade after signing a submarine deal with China, Pakistan has inducted its first vessel. The deal is the largest defence acquisition in the country’s history.
A total of eight Hangor-class submarines were to be acquired under the deal signed by Pakistani and Chinese authorities during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Islamabad in April 2015. Per the contract terms, four submarines were to be constructed in China and delivered to Pakistan before 2022-2023. The other four vessels would be assembled at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) by 2028.
However, by 2026, just one submarine, PNS Hangor, had been inducted into the Pakistan Navy.
The other three submarines that were to be built in China – PNS Shushuk, PNS Mangro and PNS Ghazi – have been launched and are undergoing advanced sea trials. Thus, the original deadline of delivering the China-built submarines expired without a single submarine entering service.
Reasons Behind the Delay Of The Programme
There were multiple reasons behind this delay.
Germany’s refusal to issue export licences for the MTU engines selected for these vessels became a huge issue. This meant that Pakistan and China had to use Chinese-built CHD-620 engines instead.
Additionally, delays happened due to the pandemic impact and difficulties of integrating a completely new submarine design. The Pakistani side did not provide any information on revised deadlines.
The Original Deadline Under Threat
When the contract was signed, the deadline to deliver the first four submarines was set for 2023.
It is expected that all eight submarines will be delivered between 2028 and 2030, several years after the deadline.
According to defence analysts, the other three submarines built in China can enter service relatively quickly.