Pakistan Navy | News & Discussions.

Pak Navy enhancing visibility, reach: Pak Navel Chief

Islamabad, Oct 7 (PTI) Pakistan's navy is enhancing its visibility and reach beyond boundaries to provide leverage to national, diplomatic and security interests, the country's outgoing Naval Chief Admiral Shahid Karimullah said today.
Pakistan Navy's participation in Coalition Maritime Campaign Plan and successful conduct of maritime diplomacy through flag-showing and its presence from China in the East to the US in the West was part of its new policy, he said at a farewell meeting here.

The country's navy today stand out as an effective and efficient arm of the Armed Forces, fully capable of protecting its maritime interests and maintaining deterrence, he said.

Karimullah, who has been appointed as Ambassador to Saudi Arbia, has been succeeded by Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir.

Taking over command, Tahir said Navy's responsibilities at sea have increased manifold with the passage of time and with the turn of events in this part of the world.

"We must be fully prepared to fight and prevail through the attributes of superior training, professional excellence and above all faith in our cause," he said. PTI

Source

Pak Navy team to visit US for training to fly P-3C Orions
Islamabad: A team of Pakistan navy pilots, engineers and technicians is scheduled to leave shortly for the United States for advanced training to fly P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft, a media report said here today.

Pakistan's Independent wire service, INP quoted defence sources as saying logistic services international (LSI) will impart training to Pakistani contingent which has been awarded a contract amounting to 30.3 million dollars.

But, Pakistan will not be paying the trainers as the US government will cater for it from the 3 billion dollars aid announced recently by US for Pakistan, Rear Admiral Shafi, the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) said.

''Pakistan Navy deals directly with its American counterpart under FMS Program and is so far not in picture regarding the contract with LSI,'' the Admiral added.

The US had announced to sell eight P-3Cs to Pakistan free of cost last November in recognition of the latter's role in the ongoing war against terrorism.

''The aircraft are being provided free of cost by the US Navy and the expenses for modification of aircraft avionics systems will be met mostly from the US military aid,'' he said.

With the induction of eight P-3Cs, the existing fleet of PN P-3Cs will grow up to 10 , sources in the Navy said.

The training and support is designed to meet Navy training standards. Another contract worth 100 million US dollars for imparting training is being negotiated with the Army.

Three-fourths of the work for the new contract will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida with the rest to be done in Karachi, the sources added.

The contract is expected to be completed in November 2010.

Three P3C-II3/4 Orions were inducted into the Pakistan Navy on January 22, 1999 after numerous delays by the US due to arms embargo. one of the three crashed on October 29, 1999.

Earlier this year, Portugal’s OGMA was subcontracted by Lockheed Martin to make the remaining two airworthy.

Pakistan becomes first Muslim state to lead US coalition task force

Manama - The Pakistan Monday became the first Muslim and non-NATO country to command the maritime Coalition Task Force 150 (CTF 150) in the global war on terror.

In a ceremony held in a Manama port aboard the Netherlands destroyer HNLMS De Zeven Provincien, the command of CTF-150 was handed over from Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Hank Ort to Pakistan's Navy Rear Admiral Shahid Igbal.

The De Zeven Provincien served as the command ship for the task force. The ceremony was attended by US, Pakistani, Dutch, British, Saudi, and Bahraini officials, among others.

CTF 150 - which conducts what is known as Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea - is considered one of the key components of the US war strategy to deny terrorists maritime access in the Gulf region.

US Naval Forces Central Command and US 5th Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Patrick M Walsh said Pakistan had played a strategic role in CTF 150, adding that Pakistani participation was central to the collective efforts of the coalition.
The Chief of the Office of Defence Representative to Pakistan, Brigadier General Charles H. Davidson IV, also praised the progress Pakistan made in the war on terror and efforts to root out the al- Qaeda terrorist network.
'The war on terror is a long war and we have to measure our progress in increments,' he said. 'What we had today in Pakistan taking command of this significant responsibility is a perfect example of that incremental progress.'
Davidson said the recent tape from al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was noteworthy but added that Pakistan, which was in the eye of the storm in the war on terror, was an energetic and valuable ally in fighting al-Qaeda.

Davidson added that the key to rooting out the suspected al-Qaeda elements from the Pakistani-Afghani border could only be achieved if the Pakistani military was given the freedom to move in that area.

The Pakistani army is aggressively procuring that end, he said.
Ort, who lead the task force for the past four and a half months, said security cooperation had been one of the key areas of their focus.

'No one nation can think of realizing security on its own,' he said. 'We need the international coalition but, even more importantly, we need the cooperation of the regional nations.'

Ort added that the fact that Pakistan was in a position to take command of the task force was a sign of progress in that area.

Rear Admiral Igbal described his country's command of the task force as 'a historic day' that showed the important role his country and navy played in the region.

Pakistan's Navy Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Mohammad Haroon said that since April 2004 Pakistan has continued to deploy a frigate and helicopter to support the operations of the task force.

'To date we have contributed 12 ships for this duty even at times by compromising on our national tasking,' he said.

The task force, which was established in December 2001 under UN resolution 1373 in response to the September 11 attacks, operates under the command of the US 5th Fleet but is not linked to US-lead efforts in Iraq.

The task force is primarily made up of NATO ships from the US, Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, and Canada with Pakistan and New Zealand being the only two non-NATO ally members participating in it.

A German commander is expected to assume command of CTF 150 from Pakistan in August, with two German ships taking part in that effort.

Probably been posted before but just in case........


Pakistan,China Ink F22P Frigates Deal

Last updated: 2006-06-27
China will build four F22P Frigates for Pakistan Navy and transfer technology under an agreement. The signing ceremony of the agreement was held in Ministry of Defence Production in Rawalpindi.Federal Secretary of Defence Production Lt. Gen (Rtd) Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzi and China s Director General International Corporation Mr. Zhou Wushen represented their respective countries. The two sides inked four agreements including technology transfer to Pakistan for building frigates.Pakistan navy will also receive ship borne helicopters used in anti-submarine warfare and will be armed with surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles.

http://www.pakistan.gov.pk/divisions/defenceproduction-division/

Jane Defence Weekly

2 May 2007

28-February-2007 Jane's Defence Mag

31-JAN-2007 Jane's Defence

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, led by Senator Nisar A Memon, visited on Sunday the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) in Shanghai. The group has been contracted to manufacture four F-22 P Type frigates for the Pakistan Navy.

The delegation was received by the company’s senior management at its headquarters and briefed about the company’s activities and products. The delegation was informed that Hudong-Zhonghua was a large ship building enterprise supervised by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation.

Under the agreement, three frigates will be manufactured in Shanghai while the fourth will be built at the Karachi Ship Yard and Engineering Works (KSEW), and KSEW will be duly upgraded for this purpose. The first frigate will be ready by March 2008 and, after thorough testing, will be delivered to the Pakistan Navy in August 2009. The fourth frigate to be built in Pakistan will be commissioned in May 2013.

The committee was separately briefed at the Pakistan Navy Project office by Commodore Shafqat Jawed, who is leading a team of 20 Pakistani naval officers and technicians based in Shanghai to supervise the construction and receive training in frigate manufacturing. The committee was informed about the frigates’ technology, costs involved, engine configuration and weapon systems. The committee members also visited the manufacturing site where the construction of the first frigate had commenced.

Later, the delegation met with the mayor of Shanghai. The mayor welcomed the delegation and said that the two countries were working together for development. “There is a close relationship between the peoples of Shanghai and Pakistan and the committee’s visit will further strengthen this relationship,” said the mayor.

Senator Memon thanked the mayor for his hospitality and invited him to visit Pakistan. The meeting was followed by a dinner hosted by the mayor at the Government State Guest House in Shanghai.

The Senate committee consisted of Senators Syed Dilawar Abbas, Naeem Hussain Chattha, Asif Jatoi, Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, Rukhsana Zuberi, Kamran Murtaza and Committee Secretary Iftikharullah Babar. The delegation has concluded its visit to China, during which they also met the leadership of the National Peoples Congress and visited design and manufacturing facilities for F-17 Thunder aircraft.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\09\story_9-4-2007_pg11_5

05-08-2007, 11:55 PM
New Commander Karachi.

New Comkar assumes charge

By our correspondent

Rear Admiral Bakhtiar Mohsin has taken over the charge of Commander Karachi (Comkar) from Vice Admiral Sikandar Viqar Naqvi.

As Commander Karachi, Rear Admiral Mohsin would be in-charge of all naval shore establishments and units at Karachi.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday, Rear Admiral Mohsin was commissioned in the Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy on December 1, 1973. He has commanded a number of combat ships and destroyers including PNS HARBAH, TAIMUR and TARIQ.

The press release added that his staff appointments include ADC to the president, director Inter Services Intelligence, assistant chief of Naval Staff (Personnel) and chief staff officer to commander Pakistan Fleet.

The change of command ceremony was held at naval unit PNS Bahadur where the outgoing Commander Karachi Vice Admiral Sikandar Viqar Naqvi presented the traditional scroll to the newly appointed Commander Karachi as a mark of handing over the command.

In his address, the outgoing Commander Karachi thanked all the officers, chief petty officers, sailors and civilians under command for their unflinching support. He specially mentioned the exemplary conduct of all the units during mega events like IDEAS and Multinational Naval Exercise AMAN-07 and hoped that all the officers and men will continue to work with the same zeal and enthusiasm in future as well.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=55038

Pakistan delays submarine design selection, says source
Pakistan’s submarine design selection has been delayed until about the end of the year, a source close to the negotiations has told Jane's. Islamabad...
08-Jun-2007

janes (http://jdin.janes.com/public/jdin/index.shtml)

DCNS offers Scorpene to Pakistan
French warship builder DCNS has scrapped plans to develop its Marlin submarine design for Pakistan and will offer the Scorpene instead - the same type...

janes (http://jni.janes.com/public/jni/index.shtml)

BEIJING, July 24: An impressive keel-laying ceremony of PNS Zulfiquar was held at the Hudong Zhongua Shipyard in Shanghai on Tuesday. Secretary for Defence Production Lt-Gen (Retd) Shahid Siddiq Tirmizey HI(M) was the chief guest at the colourful ceremony which was attended by representatives of the ministry, Naval Headquarters, PN Mission and officials of the shipyard.

Under an agreement inked between ministry of defence (production) and China Ship Building and Trading Company, four frigates would be constructed for Pakistan Navy.

They have been designated as Sword class ships and the construction of the first ship PNS Zulfiquar commenced in October at the Hudong Zhongua Shipyard.

The Sword class ships will be equipped with latest weapons and sensors system and will also carry new Z9EC ASW helicopters. The helicopters are also being manufactured in China.—APP

http://dawn.com/2007/07/25/nat14.htm)

When the new PC-3 Orions are coming and joinging the PN

Keel laying ceremony tanker-cum-utility ship

A simple but impressive Keel Laying ceremony for the 2nd Small Tanker Cum Utility Ship (STUS) was held at Karachi Shipyard Engineering Works (KSEW) on Monday.

Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Defence Production was the chief guest on the occasion.

The ceremony was attended by high ranking civil and military officials, says a press release of the ISPR (Navy) issued here.

It said that two ships of this type are being simultaneously built at KSEW for Pakistan Navy and will be completed by next year.



The ships which will be capable of carrying helicopter and equipped with steerable rudder propellers along with bow thrusters for controlled positioning, modern navigation and communication system necessary for its operations.

On the occasion, the chief guest praised the remarkable turn around of Karachi Shipyard and was deeply impressed by seeing all departments buzzing with activity.

He appreciated the quality of work, skills and hard work of workers under the leadership of its Managing Director.

The Minister assured that Ministry of Defence Production and Pakistan Navy will continue to support Karachi Shipyard as a strategic industry, as part of its policies of self-reliance and indigenization.

He emphasized upon all to continue their hard work and put up consistent efforts to meet the current and future challenges, head on.

Earlier the Managing Director of KSEW, Vice Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed Rao, in his welcome address thanked Ministry of Defence Production and Pakistan Navy for its all out support.

He specially thanked the Minister for his keen personal interest and support.

He said that the Shipyard has come back to life and is progressing rapidly to maximize its output and thus contribute in developing our national economy and self reliance in their field of shipbuilding.

Admiral Rao thanked Pakistan Navy for reposing trust in KSEW’s capabilities, for undertaking all future ships and submarine building requirements of Pakistan Navy.

He further stated that KSEW is working on using its potential to earn foreign exchange through foreign orders as well.

In this regard, interaction with some private shipyards of the gulf and a German company have been very encouraging. ‘We have already received basic design specification etc. for new shipbuilding orders from them, Admiral Roa further remarked.

Right now, we are negotiating costs and modalities with some of them, while preparing our response for some others. We are very hopeful of positive outcome very soon, he added.

Associated Press of Pakistan.

For the above.