The Pakistan Navy is poised to bolster its naval defense capabilities with the addition of two new warships on Defence Day, September 6. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Babur and PNS Hunain will officially join the naval fleet.
PNS Babur, the first in the Milgem/Babur-class series, was constructed in Turkey under a bilateral defense agreement between Pakistan and Turkey.
This state-of-the-art warship, which commenced construction on June 4, 2020, was launched on August 15, 2023, and is now set to be commissioned into the Navy’s operational fleet.
The Babur-class ships, including PNS Babur, are equipped with advanced vertical launching systems, allowing them to address air, surface, and underwater threats.
A total of four ships in this class are being built, with two constructed-in Istanbul and the remaining two in Karachi. The additional ships—PNS Badr, Tariq, and Khyber—are currently under construction.
At the same time, PNS Hunain, the third vessel in the Yarmouk-class offshore patrol series, built in Romania, will also be incorporated into the Navy’s fleet.
These patrol vessels, classified as guided missile corvettes, are known for their versatility in surface and air combat and search and rescue operations.
The PNS Hunain, which is 98 meters long and can reach a top speed of 24 knots, is outfitted with a vertical launching system capable of deploying surface-to-air missiles, a 76 mm main gun, and two 20 mm secondary guns.
The Yarmouk-class vessels, including PNS Yarmouk, Tabuk, and now Hunain, are named after significant battles in Islamic history and reflect the growing strength of Pakistan’s naval forces.
The final ship in this series, PNS Yamama, is nearing completion and is expected to join the fleet shortly.
