China delivers largest, most advanced warship to Pakistan

China on Monday delivered to Pakistan the largest and most advanced warship it has ever exported, in a move that highlights the friendship between the two countries and will contribute to the two countries’ all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, the company announced in a statement.

The Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril, according to a statement of the Pakistan Navy.

The PNS Tughril is the first hull of four Type 054 frigates being constructed for the Pakistan Navy, the navy said, noting the ship is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and underwater firepower, besides extensive surveillance potentials.

Being equipped with state-of-the-art combat management and an electronic warfare system along with modern self-defence capabilities, the Type 054A/P frigate can simultaneously execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, the statement said.

The frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, CSSC said.

The completion and the delivery of the vessel is another major achievement of the China-Pakistan friendship, and will further enhance the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, the Chinese shipbuilding company said in the statement.

Pakistan Ambassador to China Moin ul-Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ushers in a new chapter in Pakistan-China friendship that has matured through the test of time and remained steadfast in all domains.

In the context of the overall security paradigm of the region, Tughril-class frigates will strengthen Pakistan Navy’s capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defence, maintain peace, stability and balance of power in the Indian Ocean region, the ambassador said, who also praised the concerted efforts made by China for the landmark achievement by the timely delivery of the well-equipped and potent frigate despite the pandemic.

The Vice Party Secretary and Director of the Board at CSSC Du Gang also applauded the timely construction of PNS Tughril while emphasizing that the commissioning of the ship is a major milestone and a testimony of the China-Pakistan long-lived friendship, as both countries are bound by the affinity of trust, compassion and commonality.

The head of the Pakistan Navy Mission overseeing construction of the 054A/P frigate, Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, said that the PNS Tughril, being a multi-mission capable frigate, will form the mainstay of the naval fleet while bolstering the Pakistan Navy’s maritime defense capabilities, according to the statement.

The delivery of the frigate also serves as a milestone in expanding the influence of Chinese vessels as products and boosting their competitiveness in the international market, CSSC said.

Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Research Academy, told the Global Times in a previous interview that the Type 054A, on which the Type 054A/P is based, is China’s most advanced frigate.

Compared to previous Chinese frigates, the new ship has better air defense capability, as it is equipped with an improved radar system and a larger amount of missiles with a longer range, Zhang said, noting that the Type 054A frigate also has world-class stealth capability.

Must Read

Society and Climate Change

Social challenges and climate change are deeply interconnected, with climate change exacerbating existing social issues and creating new ones: a. Displacement and Migration: Climate...

The nulls take over

Epaper_24-03-29 LHR

Epaper_24-03-29 KHI