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PN sails ship to battle piracy off Somalia coast
Thursday, July 02, 2009
By By our correspondent
Karachi
The Pakistan Navy (PN) has announced that one of its main battleships PNS Badr has sailed from the Karachi dockyard to participate in the Coalition Task Force-151 mandated to suppress acts of piracy in Gulf of Aden and off Somalia coast.
Commander Pakistan Fleet Rear Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila told newsmen at a press conference on Wednesday that the PNS Badr sailed from the Pakistani dockyard on June 29 and would reach on July 5 the maritime area in the Indian ocean in which the warships and aircraft under the Task Force-151 have been active.
The PN ship would remain stationed off the Somalia coast for two weeks and if any situation emerged the government would decide for stationing any of the countrys warships for a longer period of time.
The PN fleet commander said that this is the first time the navy had been sending one of its battleships to participate in the international maritime efforts to counter piracy off Somalia coast.
A strong contingent of PN Special Forces and armed helicopter of Naval Aviation have also been dispatched onboard PNS Badr to participate in the anti-piracy operations almost 2,500 kilometres from the Pakistani coast.
He said that Pakistans participation in the international maritime efforts against piracy had become mandatory after the United Nations Security Council adopted its resolution 1851 to step up the international fight for combating piracy off the Somalia coast.
Answering a question, Rear Admiral Sandila said that although two of the Pakistan Navys battleships had been participating in different international maritime campaigns, still there would be no major impact on the PNs capability to deter its conventional enemy from the sea side.
He said that first new frigate F22P being built by China would be handed over to the PN in September this year while second in the series of frigates being built under joint cooperation between the two countries, would be handed over between December and January.
The PN will get 10 refurbished P3C-Orion maritime aircraft from the United States with new equipment and anti-submarine surveillance and reconnaissance capability during the next three years. The first two such aircraft will be delivered to the Navy by October this year, said the Commander Pakistan Fleet. All the 10 aircraft having 18 hours of flying capability were totally funded by the USA, he said.
Earlier, Chief Staff Officer of Commander Pakistan Fleet Commodore Jameel Akhtar told newsmen that the menace of piracy had gathered alarming proportions for the international capability and presently 17 ships carrying flags of different countries with 242 crew-members were in custody of pirates operating from Somalia coast and awaiting their release after payment of ransom or other settlements with the pirates.
PN sails ship to battle piracy off Somalia coast
Thursday, July 02, 2009
By By our correspondent
Karachi
The Pakistan Navy (PN) has announced that one of its main battleships PNS Badr has sailed from the Karachi dockyard to participate in the Coalition Task Force-151 mandated to suppress acts of piracy in Gulf of Aden and off Somalia coast.
Commander Pakistan Fleet Rear Admiral Muhammad Asif Sandila told newsmen at a press conference on Wednesday that the PNS Badr sailed from the Pakistani dockyard on June 29 and would reach on July 5 the maritime area in the Indian ocean in which the warships and aircraft under the Task Force-151 have been active.
The PN ship would remain stationed off the Somalia coast for two weeks and if any situation emerged the government would decide for stationing any of the countrys warships for a longer period of time.
The PN fleet commander said that this is the first time the navy had been sending one of its battleships to participate in the international maritime efforts to counter piracy off Somalia coast.
A strong contingent of PN Special Forces and armed helicopter of Naval Aviation have also been dispatched onboard PNS Badr to participate in the anti-piracy operations almost 2,500 kilometres from the Pakistani coast.
He said that Pakistans participation in the international maritime efforts against piracy had become mandatory after the United Nations Security Council adopted its resolution 1851 to step up the international fight for combating piracy off the Somalia coast.
Answering a question, Rear Admiral Sandila said that although two of the Pakistan Navys battleships had been participating in different international maritime campaigns, still there would be no major impact on the PNs capability to deter its conventional enemy from the sea side.
He said that first new frigate F22P being built by China would be handed over to the PN in September this year while second in the series of frigates being built under joint cooperation between the two countries, would be handed over between December and January.
The PN will get 10 refurbished P3C-Orion maritime aircraft from the United States with new equipment and anti-submarine surveillance and reconnaissance capability during the next three years. The first two such aircraft will be delivered to the Navy by October this year, said the Commander Pakistan Fleet. All the 10 aircraft having 18 hours of flying capability were totally funded by the USA, he said.
Earlier, Chief Staff Officer of Commander Pakistan Fleet Commodore Jameel Akhtar told newsmen that the menace of piracy had gathered alarming proportions for the international capability and presently 17 ships carrying flags of different countries with 242 crew-members were in custody of pirates operating from Somalia coast and awaiting their release after payment of ransom or other settlements with the pirates.
PN sails ship to battle piracy off Somalia coast
