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Further Reading

F-22P PNS Zulfiquar / Type 057 Jiangwei-II

In October 2005 the Ministry of Defence Production signed a $600 million contract with China Shipbuilding and Trading Company (CSTC) for construction of four F22P frigates for Pakistan Navy with Transfer of Technology (TOT). Three ships are to be built in China whereas the fourth ship will be constructed at Karachi Shipyard. The F-22P frigates are equipped with state of the art weaponry and sensors. The construction project is to be completed by 2013. Addition of these ships will strengthen the PN fleet with much needed advancement and prowess.

A model F22P put on display by Karachi Shipyard in 2005 indicated that the design had undergone some major changes. The changes include a newly added rear mast on which the China-made meter wave radar is installed. The bridge was redesigned so as to avoid acute angling of the surface and enhance stealth features. In the original plan, the frigate was to employ LY60 SAM, but Pakistan decided to use HHQ7 SAM. The helicopter hangar was also redesigned to accommodate more China-made ESM/ECM facilities. Another difference from the Chinese Type 053H3 (Jiangwei II) FFG is that the F22P is equipped with two 630M CIWS produced by license from Russia. The hull sonar may be from Ukraine. The F22P has increased its length from the original 114.5m to 118m, and the beam has been changed from the Chinese design of 12.4m to 13.2m and draft of 10.2m.

The first F-22p frigate will be delivered to Pakistan Navy in 2008 and the other three by 2013, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Thair said here on Monday after completion of his visit to China and Indonesia on 22 May 2006. The Naval Chief expressed complete satisfaction over Pakistan's frigates deal with China. Transfer of technology is key element of the contract, which was signed on 4 April 2005. The keel for construction of the first F-22P frigate was to be laid at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai in 2006.

The naval Chief said that the fourth frigate will be constructed in Pakistan. The contract includes upgrading of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, training and technical assistance by the Chinese side during construction of fourth F-22P frigate.

On 27 June 2006 it was announced that China will build four F22P Frigates for Pakistan Navy and transfer technology under an agreement. The signing ceremony of the agreement was held in Ministry of Defence Production in Rawalpindi. Federal Secretary of Defence Production Lt. Gen (Rtd) Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzi and China s Director General International Corporation Mr. Zhou Wushen represented their respective countries. The two sides inked four agreements including technology transfer to Pakistan for building frigates. Pakistan navy will also receive shipborne helicopters used in anti-submarine warfare and will be armed with surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles.

The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir performed the successful sea launching of the first of the four F-22P frigates being constructed by China at a ceremony held on 07 April 2008. Addressing the ceremony, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir said the frigates will be equipped with the state of the art weapons and sensors systems and will carry Z9EC Helicopters being manufactured in China. Pakistan Ambassador to China Salman Bashir said that it was yet another milestone in long and glorious history of Pakistan-China friendship and strategic partnership. Under an agreement signed in 2005, PNS Zulfiqar is the first of the four frigates that is being constructed in close collaboration with Pakistan Navy at the Hudong Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai.

The second Pakistan Navy frigate F22P was launched on 31 October 2008, at Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard, China. This second frigate is to be commissioned as PNS Shamsheer on joining the Pakistan Navy in January 2010. the launching was done in the presence Consul General of Pakistan, Zafaruddin Mahmood as chief guest. By the end of 2008 the first ship (to be named PNS ZULFIQUAR) was under trials and due to be delivered to Pakistan Navy by end July 2009. Construction of third Ship (to be named PNS SAIF) is also progressing at a fast pace.

On 22 March 2007 Jane's Navy International reported that Pakistan had asked the US to supply it with six Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates to augment its fleet of surface ships, according to the chief of Pakistan's naval staff Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir. Meanwhile, Pakistan was seeking to accelerate the delivery of four Chinese Type F-22P or 'Jiangwei II' (Type-053H3) frigates ordered in April 2005, and to decide on the purchase of another four frigates of a still-undefined type.

On 21 April 2007 it was reported that Pakistan had ordered four more frigates from China, in addition to the four already on order. The the first of these was to arrive as early as 2008, to be known as the Zulfiquar class. These ships are the Chinese Jiangwei II class frigates. The first of the Jiangwei II's entered service in late 1998, followed by three more, and several more are still under construction. The new order is for the improved F-22P version of the Jiangwei II (053H3) already on order. China will build three F22Ps, while the other will be built in Pakistan. The 342 foot long Jiangwei II displaced 2,400 tons, but the F22P is expected to be a little longer, and heavier, perhaps as much as 3,000 tons. The F22P will probably carry anti-ship missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, a 100mm gun, anti-submarine weapons and a helicopter.