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Work Progresses In Full Swing On PAKISTAN NAVY Type 054A/P Frigates In CHINA:

On March 23rd 2020, the official Twitter handle of PAKISTAN NAVY announced that a Keel laying ceremony of PAKISTAN NAVY Second Type 054A/P Frigate held at Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard CHINA.

PAKISTAN NAVY has initially placed an order for two Type 054A/P Frigates back in 2018, while the order of third and fourth placed on November, 2019. So, far PAKISTAN NAVY has ordered two Type 054A/P Frigates in two equal batches, which makes it total 4 frigates. All these 4 Type 054A/P Frigates are slated for delivery by the year of 2021.

Specifications of the PAKISTAN NAVY Type 054A/P Frigates or Warship:

The CHINESE Type 054A/P Frigates are state of the art frigate housed with modern apparatus and weaponry. The CHINESE NAVY has designed the Type 054A/P Frigate as a multi-mission platform to perform Anti-Air Warfare (AAW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Ship Warfare (AShW).

Currently, the Type 054A/P Frigates makes the backbone of the PEOPLE LIBERATION ARMY NAVY (PLAN) and it inducted 30 numbers of such frigates in its arsenal so far.

The Specs of the Type 054A/P Frigates PAKISTAN NAVY is getting are quite similar to those of PLAN, but it will be installed with the export version of Electronic Suite, Weaponry and Key Subsystems.

As far as the Weaponry of the Type 054A/P Frigate is concerned, the frigates will be equipped with the 320-cell Vertical Launch System (VLS) capable of carrying 32 missiles on a combatant mission.

The Type 054A/P Frigate also equipped with the HQ-16 Medium Range Surface to Air Missile System (SAM), which would provide adequate protection to the ship against incoming enemy missiles and projectiles.

In order or cover the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) domain, the Type 054A/P Frigate will be equipped with at least two triple Anti-Submarine Warfare Torpedo Tubes to hunt down enemy Submarines submerged deep inside waters.

Reportedly, the Type 054A/P Frigate will also be equipped the more potential version of Anti-Ship Warfare (AShW) weaponry to track and destroy enemy warships and frigates.

Furthermore, the Type 054A/P Frigates will also be equipped with the two by two or two by three cell suite for launching of Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles.

This modification is reportedly 100% compatible with the PAKISTAN indigenously developed state of the art Harbah Dual Supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missile / Land-Attack Cruise Missile. The total range of PAKISTAN’s Harbah Supersonic Cruise missile would have a range of 450-750 Kilometers, which could further be increased by little modifications.

Moreover, PAKISTAN NAVY further intends to arm these frigates with the CHINESE CM-302 Supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM), which would further enhance the lethality of the ship.

It means that ship can take up to 6 Supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCM) during combatant mission, which will give an edge for PAKISTAN NAVY’s overall offensive and defensive capabilities.

It is worth mentioning that PAKISTAN NAVY has also cut the deal with CHINA for the procurement of state of the art 8 Numbers of S20 Diesel Attack Submarines that would be equipped with the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System According to the contract, PAKISTAN NAVY will start receiving the delivery of the Submarines from the year of 2022.