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Khalid Class (Fr Agosta 90B)

Agosta and Daphne-class conventional attack submarines have been in service in PN since the 1970s. In the early 1990s, the Navy reviewed its fleet and decided that it needed three new-generation submarine. On 21 September 1994, the Pakistani authorities and DCN International signed a contract in Islamabad for the supply of three Agosta 90-B submarines. Key provisions of this contract called for the production of two Agosta 90Bs in Karachi as part of a progressive technology transfer program.

Agosta 90-B is a state of the art Submarine with latest sensors and combat system. This thoroughly updated platform features a Mesma Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, new materials (hull made of HLES 80 Steel), a new layout (rearranged subsections), and a vast array of new equipment. According to the US Navy standard, this type of submarine is a classical SSK whose weaponry consist of torpedoes, mines and anti ship SM-39 Exocet missiles. The submarine is fitted with the most modern command and control systems and can dive below 300-meters. The Agosta 90-B have reduced acoustic signatures and due to automation, the crew has also been lowered to 36.

Pakistan and DCN France signed a contract for 3 Agosta 90-B submarines on 21 September 1994 and was valued at 5,4 billion francs (~ 775 million dollars). Financing for the contract rested on credit given to Pakistan by France and while allowing France to export the submarines nonetheless resulted in significant financial losses. Pakistan Navy engineers and workmen were to be trained and qualified in the construction processes. DCN was to assist PN Dockyard to upgrade the infrastructure for construction of submarine. To optimize the available infrastructure some works were shared with KS&EW as well.

Under the contract, one submarine was to be built in France while the remaining two were to be built indigenously in Pakistan. The first unit, "Khalid," was built in Cherbourg and delivered to Pakistan in 1999-2000. The Khalid is named after Hazrat Khalid Bin Walid, a successful military commanders of Islam who was bestowed the title of 'Saif Ullah' by the Holy Prophet. The second unit, "Saad," was begun in Cherbourg and sent to the Karachi Dockyard for modular assembly in 2000. The third unit, "Hamza," was manufactured entirely in Karachi.

Compared to the Hashmat class (Agosta 70) submarines, the Khali classs (Agosta 90B) reportedly has a 200-400 percent increased submerged range. The KHALID comes armed with the SM-39 Exocet submarine launched anti-ship missiles (AShM) with a range of 50 Km. Launched from beneath the surface, an AShM gives a submarine valuable manoeuvring time after firing the missile and is inherently more dangerous than a torpedo. This capability is currently not available with the Indian Navy.

PN Dockyard is the lead yard for the AGOSTA 90B construction Project and started functioning as a Base Engineering Organization at the time of independence of Pakistan in 1947 before venturing into Naval construction in the early 1980's to fulfill a number of Pakitan Navy requirements.

The construction activities being undertaken other than this program of pressure hull are fabrication of Ballast Panels, seating, pipes, routing of cables, connections for integration and setting to work of various onboard equipment installation of misc. mechanical and structural items. Most of these activities required very high degree of precision both during fabrication and installation. In order to maintain desired hydrodynamic shape and alignment of ballast panels in particular, is technically a highly complex job and requires use of sophisticated theodilities and optical alignment equipment. Entire construction activity including outfitting work onboard the submarine involves quality control checks at every stage. Non conformity reports are initiated for slightest errors or deviations from procedures/stringent tolerances.

This quality control system which is augmented by external quality assurance i.e. both PMOD & French state ensures that ISO-9002 criteria's are met within strict standards set by French on SMI in totality by their Pakistani counterparts in PN Dockyard. Because of the complexity involved, the submarine construction program required a wide and strong industrial infrastructure surrounding it, such as electro-mechanical machinery, steel processing, electrical and electronics, computer hardware and software, paints, structure and pipes manufacturing etc. A strong support from the industry with willingness to invest in R&D was required while at the same time, there was a need to identify those items that could be considered for local manufacturing due to considerations such as: a) Availability of technical details like specifications/data; b) Availability of technical know how; c) Availability/possibility of setting up necessary infrastructure locally; and d) Rough estimate of its economic viability.

Thorough analysis and research was carried-out to select the probable items for development in local market. It meant looking into detailed specifications of each selected item as well as requirement of special facilities, skills, materials etc. that may be available in the local industry. In pursuance of exploring the local industry, a number of companies were contacted to undertake the fabrication of onboard machinery including various types of pumps, motor and AC units installed on board AGOSTA 90B submarine.

The available data was provided to these firms for study and analysis. On the feedback received a few reputed companies showed their interest and initial discussion revealed great potential in the market. PN Dockyard will be able to provide complete details of the equipment including material specification/size and capacities required for development. Pipe Manufacturing was also a field which was considered for local manufacturing exploitation. A market survey revealed as well that there were a number of companies, which had the capability to manufacture cables. A number of firms were contacted and provided with specifications. The cost effect of this exercise, if successful, can be gauged from the fact that the Kit of material for one Submarine costs 1 Billion Fr.F. Even if 1/4th of the total items are locally produced, more than 250 million Fr.F would be going into the local industry for only one submarine.

The transfer of technology level for next two submarines was to be raised gradually in second and third submarine. This was also necessary to immediately put to use the new acquired construction skills. Based on this principle, three pressure hull sections of submarine No. 2 (PNS/M SAAD) were built in France and delivered in 1998. This enabled the engineers and workmen trained in France to quickly organize and put to use their skills. Even before the delivery of sections of submarine No. 2 the work on major structures was started in December 1997. The three sections were transferred to Section Building Hall using Dual Walking Beams and were pre-outfitted for one year. These sections were lowered in Graving Dock in December 1999 and junctioned together. The outfitting phase in Graving Dock included 14000 equipment and foundations, 6000 pipes, 40 kilometres of cables and 38000 connections. Approximately 30000 quality checks were performed during the construction of submarine No. 2.

Due to the technology involved with the construction of the vessels, and the technical difficulties encountered by the Karachi Shipyards, the presence of 80 French engineers and technicians was deemed necessary. On May 8, 2002, 11 of French citizens providing assistance to the Karachi Dockyard were killed when their bus was hit by a car filled with explosives. The recall of French nationals working on the Agosta submarine project in Karachi after the blast was a setback to Pakistan's submarine modernisation project The French engineers and technicians were conducting final checks on the second of the three Agosta 90-B submarines contracted for by Pakistan. Pakistan had already acquired one Agosta 90-B submarine (PNS Khalid) from France and this would have been the second one. Under the $ 1.2 billion deal, France was to provide three Agosta 90-B submarines to Pakistan. The first has already been delivered and the French nationals presently in Karachi were working on the second submarine. The third submarine is to be built entirely in Pakistan and was scheduled to be completed by 2004. The Karachi Dockyard was cleared for commercial production of the submarine for potential customers. The Indian navy was close to acquiring the French Scorpene submarine, which are ''far superior'' to the Agostas.

The second submarine was launched on 24 August 2002 and started its harbour and sea trials. This submarine has completed over 1200 harbour and sea trials and on successful completion this has been commissioned as PNS/M SAAD on 12 December 2003.

The Karachi-built Khalid class Agosta 90B (the third one to joing the Pakistani Navy) integrated a new propulsion unit developed by the French Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN), the MESMA closed-cycle steam-turbine AIP system. The other two Khalid class submarines will later be retrofitted with that propulsion unit.

The maximum transfer of Technology was envisaged in submarine No. 3. The cylindrical part of the pressure hull was to be built from raw plates. All major structures and appendages were to be built in Pakistan. The work of pressure hull construction also started in 1997, was shared between PN Dockyard and KS&EW. PN Dockyard provided the material after cutting to size and shape on NC cutting machine to KS&EW. This kit of material was rolled/formed and welded to make 12 subsections. These subsections were taken to Section Building Hall in PN Dockyard to make 03 large sections. On completion of pressure hull these three sections were pre-outfitted with decks, bulkheads and large structures. Based on similar construction methodology these sections along with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system MESMA, was lowered into Graving dock on 19 August 2003 and outfiting started.

The indigenous construction of the Agosta 90B in Pakistan led the country to consider building the vessels for export, resulting in competition with the French shipyard. As of mid-2002, Pakistan was reportedly already in the process of negotiating such sales with three Asian countries. However, six years later, nothing had come of such discussions.

With the introduction of three new submarines, the Navy retired the four older Daphne class subs in January 2006, which left a capability gap. The Navy began looking to select a new and a more up to date platform with the hope to construct the new subs indigenously. Pakistan's Navy has requirements for a further six submarines and there was an open tender for this. As of early 2009 it appeared that Pakistan would build at least 3 U-214 Submarines and maybe 2-3 additional Agosta-90B Submarines.