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Significance of New X-Craft Midget Submarines for PAKISTAN NAVY and SSGN:

It is an undeniable fact that PAKISTAN is one of the few countries of the world, which is continuously using the Midget Craft Submarines for decades. However, the existing X-Craft MG-110 Midget Submarines are nearing then end life, so PAKISTAN is aggressively pursuing other options to indigenously built the Midget Submarine to fill the gap made by its aging Midget Submarines.

PAKISTAN NAVY Special Forces, commonly known as the Special Services Group Navy or PAKISTAN NAVY Seals, have previously heavily relied on the existing aging X-Craft MG-110 Midget Submarine to carry out Covert, Overt, Clandestine  and Frogman operations, including laying mines, but now these MG-110 X-Craft Submarines have become too old and are about nearing the end of their service life.

The new design of the Midget Submarine clearly showed that PAKISTAN had indigenously developed the submarine by using the local resources and without any technical assistance from it all-weather Ally CHINA and TURKEY.

Satellite images have shown that PAKISTAN NAVY has indigenously developed the X-Craft Midget Submarine at the PNS Iqbal, Karachi, clearly implies that PAKISTAN is heavily investing and prepping to boost its underwater warfare capability.

PAKISTAN NAVY continues to focus on effectively sea denial strategy (SEAD and DEAD), so there are high chances that may use these newly built X-Craft Midget Submarines against its arch-rival indian in some potential conflict.

PAKISTAN NAVY has continued to lay emphasis on seaward Defense since after the 1971 war with its arch-rival india. The newly built PAKISTAN NAVY X-Craft Midget Submarines would significantly help PAKISTAN NAVY to protect Karachi from sea-based attack by its adversary. Furthermore, it will help PAKISTAN NAVY to shift its focus and total relying strategy on aging X-Craft MG-100 Midget Submarines.

PAKISTAN NAVY has Indigenously developed State of the Art X-Craft Midget Submarine for Special Services Group NAVY (SSGN) or PAKISTAN NAVY Seals .. . MASHALLAH . . . pic.twitter.com/lNp27t49HY

— PAKDEFENSE.OFFICIAL (@PAKDEFENSE_COM) May 1, 2020

PAKISTAN NAVY is witnessing an enormous modernization and upgradation program since 2015, as the NAVY has cut a number of deals to acquire state of the art and lethal AIP Submarines, Frigates, Warships, Off-shore Patrol Vessels (OPV), Fast Attack Missile Craft Boat and so on.

PAKISTAN NAVY has also awarded the contract to TURKEY’s STM to modernize and upgrade its fleet of Agosta 90B Submarines with new radars, electronic suites and armaments.

PAKISTAN NAVY has also signed the contract back in 2015 with its all-weather Ally CHINA to procure 8 numbers of Hangor Class (Type 042 Yuan-Class) Submarines. 4 Submarines would be built in CHINA, while another 4 Submarines would be built in PAKISTAN under ToT agreement.

According to the contract, PAKISTAN NAVY will get the first 4 Hangor Class Submarines from CHINA in 2023. The adding of these Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Submarines would significantly boost the PAKISTAN NAVY’s capability for area-denial and anti-access (A2/A2) in the indian ocean.

The induction of 4 AIP Hangor-Class Submarines along with the X-Craft Midget Submarine would significantly help the country to boost its underwater warfare capability against its enemy number one, india.

The induction of newly built X-Craft Midget Submarine to PAKISTAN NAVY’s arsenal would help PAKISTAN NAVY to boost its clandestine, covert operation and frogman operations off western coast of india, especially around the Mumbai and Gujarat’s Sir Creek Area.

In short, the induction of newly built X-Craft Midget Submarine and the acquisition of 4 AIP Submarines would really strength the Offense and Defense capability of PAKISTAN against its arch-rival india, which is still struggling to procure new technology in its arsenal.

The development and procurement will significantly alter the domain of underwater warfare capability of PAKISTAN NAVY. Furthermore, it would significantly help the PAKISTAN NAVY to execute its anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) capability against indian navy, which has failed miserably in all its previous attempts for adventurism and terror-sponsoring policy in the Arabian Sea.