Pakistan launches Hangor class submarine, challenges India in the Indian Ocean, more powerful than Indian Navy’s Kalvari class?
The Pakistan Navy has launched the Hangor class submarine in China. This submarine has been built by China and now handed over to Pakistan. An official statement on Saturday said that the Pakistan Navy has launched its second Hangor class submarine, PNS / M Shushuk, in Wuhan city of China to strengthen its maritime defense capabilities. Let us tell you that the deal for the Hangor class submarine was finalized during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Islamabad in 2015. During that time, a deal was signed between the Ministry of Defense of Pakistan and China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company for the construction of 8 ships.
Under the agreement between the two countries, four submarines were to be built in China and the remaining four submarines were to be built at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works under technology transfer. Deputy Chief of Pakistan Naval Staff Owais Ahmed Bilgrami attended the launch program in Wuhan as the chief guest.
Pakistan Navy launches Hangor class submarine
The Directorate General of Public Relations of the Pakistan Navy said in a statement that “Addressing the ceremony, the Deputy Chief of the Navy highlighted the importance of maritime security in the current geo-political environment of the region, as well as the commitment of the Pakistan Navy to protect national interests and ensure a safe and favorable maritime environment for all.” The statement said that “He emphasized that the Hangor class submarines equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors will play an important role in maintaining the balance of power and maritime order in the region.” Pakistan claims that this submarine has the ability to evade radar and will work to increase Pakistan’s deterrence in the Indian Ocean region by hiding from everyone.
Pakistani officials say that this submarine will be able to carry out precision strikes at standoff range. The Hangor class project is part of Pakistan’s effort to modernize its naval forces. In 2018, Pakistan also signed a deal with Turkiye to acquire four MILGEM-class corvettes. Apart from this, Pakistan has engaged a Turkish weapons company to upgrade Agosta 90B-class submarines.
Comparison with India’s Kalvari class submarine
Pakistan’s Hangor class is designed to counter India’s Kalvari class submarines. The Indian submarine is based on the French Scorpene-class. India currently operates six Kalvari class submarines and will hand over three more submarines to its navy by the early 2030s. In terms of size, the Pakistani Hangor class is much larger than the Indian Kalvari class, weighing 1,775 tonnes and measuring 67.5 metres in length. On the other hand, the Hangor class weighs 2,800 tonnes, is 76 metres long and 8.4 metres wide. Its draft (the depth of the ship below the water surface) when on the surface is 6.2 meters.
Experts believe that this may mean that the crew of Pakistani submarines will live a (slightly) more comfortable life in shallow, coastal waters, but this is a huge drawback in terms of submarine operations. The Indian Kalvari class submarine is much more maneuverable than the Pakistani submarine. The maximum speed of the Pakistani submarine is said to be 20 knots (37 km per hour). The Kalvari class submarine runs on diesel-electric propulsion, just like the Pakistani Hangor class. However, the Pakistani submarine is believed to be upgraded with AIP technology and if this happens, it will be a big advantage over the Indian submarine. This means that in terms of underwater endurance, the Hangor class potentially has an edge over the Kalvari class.
