Pakistan adds Turkish-made MILGEM warship to naval fleet in Karachi

Pakistan navy has strengthened its surface fleet with the induction of a Turkish-built MILGEM class corvette, the PNS Khaibar, in a ceremony held in the southern port city of Karachi. The warship is the second of four advanced anti-submarine combat frigates that Pakistan acquired from Türkiye under a 2018 agreement. The event was attended by naval chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf along with other senior military officials.

A watershed moment for Pakistan’s naval modernization

Speaking at the induction ceremony, Admiral Ashraf reaffirmed the Pakistan navy’s commitment to protecting the country’s maritime borders and securing vital sea lines of communication. He described the addition of PNS Khaibar and the upcoming HANGOR-class submarines as a transformative phase for the navy, increasing operational flexibility, combat power, and strategic reach. Pakistan’s location along critical energy and trade corridors, he added, makes a strong naval force essential for national security.

Prime minister hails defense milestone

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the induction in an official statement, calling it another milestone in Pakistan’s defense capabilities and sea frontier protection. He praised the growing defense cooperation between Pakistan and Türkiye, which has become a model for joint projects in shipbuilding and technology transfer.

Türkiye’s growing role in global warship production

Under the 2018 agreement with Türkiye’s state-owned defense firm ASFAT, Pakistan is acquiring four MILGEM corvettes. Two are being built in Türkiye, while the other two are under construction at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works. This arrangement is specifically designed to transfer design, engineering, and project management expertise to Pakistan. The MILGEM vessels are 99 meters long, have a displacement of 2,400 tons, and can reach speeds of 29 nautical miles. Their radar-evading stealth capability makes them highly effective in anti-submarine warfare. In October 2019, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and then-Pakistani naval chief Zafar Mahmood Abbasi jointly cut the first steel plate of the lead ship in Istanbul. Türkiye is one of only ten nations in the world capable of designing, building, and maintaining warships using domestic resources.