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PN Babur MILGEM-J Corvettes

The MILGEM Class Corvettes will be one of the most technologically advanced stealth surface platforms of Pakistan Navy Fleet. The MILGEM project is a Turkish warship program that aims to develop multipurpose corvettes and frigates that can be deployed in a range of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, early warning, anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air warfare, and amphibious operations. The contract for four MILGEM class corvettes for Pakistan Navy with concurrent Transfer of Technology (ToT) was signed with ASFAT Inc, a Turkish state owned Defence contractor in 2018. The ToT entails construction of two corvettes at Istanbul Naval Shipyard while another two at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW).

The MILGEM class corvettes will be state-of-the-art surface platforms equipped with modern surface, subsurface and anti-air weapons & sensors integrated through a network centric Combat Management System. MILGEM corvettes will significantly enhance maritime defence and deterrence capabilities of Pakistan Navy. These ships will augment Pakistan Navy’s kinetic punch and will significantly contribute in maintaining peace, stability and balance of power in Indian Ocean Region.

MILGEM vessels are 99 meters long with a displacement capacity of 2,400 tons and can move at a speed of 29 knots. Corvettes are medium-sized boat which is bigger than normal patrolling boats and smaller than a warship but it can be used for any military purpose. It has capabilities to be used in any warfare missions. In the current era it is even better than big warships as it is the era of smart technology, which can be effective at forward bases and even easy to maintain.

The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons & modern sensors including surface to surface, surface to air missiles, anti-submarine weapons and Command & Control system. Induction of this ship in Pakistan Navy would significantly add to the lethality of Pakistan Navy’s capabilities and contribute in maintaining peace, security and balance of power in Indian Ocean Region. These Ships are being constructed as per modern Naval Ship class standards with stealth features.

These corvettes will be fitted with state-of-the-art surface, sub-surface and anti-air weapons and sensors, integrated through an advanced network centric combat management system. These ships are being constructed as per modern naval ship class standards and will be equipped with state of the art weapons and sensors, including surface to surface and surface to air missiles and anti-submarine weapons.

The addition of these ships would significantly add to lethality and operational capability of Pakistan Navy. The induction of MILGEM Corvettes will significantly enhance the maritime defence and deterrence capabilities of Pakistan Navy. These corvettes will become a core element of Pakistan Navy's kinetic response to traditional and non-traditional challenges and to maintain balance of power in the Indian Ocean Region.

The MILGEM class corvettes will be state-of-the-art surface platforms equipped with modern surface, subsurface and anti-air weapons & sensors integrated through a network centric Combat Management System. MILGEM corvettes will significantly enhance maritime defence and deterrence capabilities of Pakistan Navy. These ships will augment Pakistan Navy’s kinetic punch and will significantly contribute in maintaining peace, stability and balance of power in Indian Ocean Region. Once constructed, the MILGEM Class Corvettes will be one of the most technologically advanced surface platforms of Pakistan’s naval fleet, fitted with the latest weapons, sensors, and command and control systems. These ships will significantly contribute in enhancing Pakistan Navy’s capability in maintaining peace and security in the area of responsibility.

The exact configuration of Pakistan’s Milgem class ships has not been made public. The PN’s ships are largely the same as the Ada-class, except they also include a 16-cell VLS system at the bow. During the Safe Naval Exercise held in February 2019, Admiral Abbasi said that Pakistani ships would be equipped with 16-Cell VLS behind the main gun. The HHQ-16/LY-80N, which is a medium-range, semi-active radar-guided air defense missile system from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), is also used at the Type 054A/P Frigates that are under construction in China for the Pakistan Navy (together with 32-cell VLS). It is estimated that Babur class corvettes will be armed with MBDA Albatros NG udara air defense system and Harbah Anti-ship and land attack missiles.

MILGEM-J Class Corvette differs in external appearance from both ADA Class Corvettes and ISTIF Class Frigates of the Turkish Navy. In terms of technical features the MILGEM-J Class Corvettes can be located between the 2,400-ton (at full load) ADA Class Corvettes (have an overall length of 99.56m, an overall beam of 14.4m and draught of 3.89m) and the 3,000-ton ISTIF Class Frigates (have an overall length of 113.2m, an overall beam of 14.42m and draught of 4,05). According to PN MILGEM brochure issued by ASFAT the MILGEM-J Class Corvettes with mono-hull, displacement-type hull form, will have an overall length of 108.8 metres, an overall beam of 14.8m, draught of 4.1m, maximum speed of 26+ knots and displacement of 2.988 tons. As in the ISTIF Class, MILGEM-J Class Corvettes will also be equipped with Leonardo DRS (Oto Melara) 76 mm Super Rapid gun (it is claimed that the order was placed for 4 guns in the second half of 2019, but according the contract was signed only for one ship). The Fire Control System of the 76 mm Super Rapid gun will be an Aselsan product, and the required Fire Control Radars will also be provided by Aselsan (the product in the image is similar to the AKR-D Block-1, one is right above the bridge and the other is right behind the GÖKDENIZ CIWS placed at the stern of the ship.)

The propulsion system for all MILGEM vessels consists of one LM2500 gas turbine in a combined diesel and gas turbine configuration with two diesel engines; total propulsion power is 31,600 kilowatts. On October 6, 2020 GE Marine announced it had signed a contract with STM (Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik Ve Ticaret A.S.), Ankara, Turkey, to provide LM2500 marine gas turbines to power the Pakistan Navy’s new MILGEM multipurpose corvettes. STM is the main propulsion system integrator for the MILGEM newbuilds. “We are delighted to provide the Pakistan Navy with our proven LM2500 gas turbine to power these new MILGEM corvettes,” said Kris Shepherd, Vice President, Marine Operations, GE Marine, Evendale, Ohio. “Our LM2500 gas turbines are reliably logging operating hours onboard the Turkish Navy’s four MILGEM corvettes, the first of which was commissioned in 2011,” he added. The propulsion system for all the MILGEM ships consist of one LM2500 gas turbine in a combined diesel and gas turbine configuration with two diesel engines; total propulsion power is 31,600 kilowatts. Additionally, 24 LM2500s operate aboard the Turkish Navy’s Barbaros and Gabya class frigates.

Unlike the ADA Class, which has a 10-day endurance at sea without replenishment, the MILGEM-J Class Corvettes will be able to stay at sea for 15 days. MILGEM-J Class Corvettes will have an additional personnel capacity of 40 people compared to the ADA Class, and the ships will have a bathhouse and a small mosque/prayer room.

The MILGEM project began in 2000 to design and build a local fleet of multipurpose corvettes and frigates that would replace older ships. The Patrol and Antisubmarine Warship Project (MiLGEM) is one of the most important projects of the Turkish Armed Forces. Pakistan signed a contract for four corvettes for the Pakistan navy with the Turkish state-owned defense firm ASFAT in July 2018. The contract for four MILGEM class corvettes for Pakistan Navy with concurrent Transfer of Technology (ToT) was signed with ASFAT Inc, a Turkish state owned Defence contractor in 2018. With a reported value of $1.5 billion US, the ToT entails construction of two corvettes at Istanbul Naval Shipyard while another two at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW). Construction of corvettes in Pakistan is aimed to provide impetus to local ship building industry and further enhance KS&EW capabilities. Pakistan hoped to get its first MILGEM corvette by the end of 2021 as usually it took two years to completely manufacture a corvette.

Steel cutting ceremony of the first ship of MILGEM Class Corvettes being constructed for Pakistan Navy was held 30 Novembe 2019 at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, Turkey. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi jointly cut the metal plate of the 1st MILGEM Class Corvette. Contract for construction of four MILGEM Class Corvettes has been signed with Turkey. Two of the four corvettes will be built in Turkey while the other two will be built in Pakistan under the transfer of technology program. Vice President of Turkey Fuat Oktay, Minister for National Defence of Turkey Hulusi Akar, Chief of Turkish General Staff General Yasar Güler, Commander of Turkish Naval Forces Admiral Adnan Özbal, Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey Muhammad Sajjad Qazi, and other dignitaries attended the ceremony which also included the induction of newly built TCG Kinaliada, the fourth MILGEM Class Corvette, into the Turkish naval fleet.

In his address, President Erdogan termed the brotherly Pakistan-Turkey relations as exemplary and said that great potential exists for collaboration between the two countries in the field of defense production. While highlighting the situation in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, he said that the world needs to know about the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. Equating Kashmir with Palestine, the President further said that over 8 million Kashmiris are living in an open-air prison in their own lands, facing brutalities at the hands of occupation forces with great courage.

Earlier, in his opening speech, the CNS termed this project as another testimony of the two countries’ brotherhood. While updating the audience about the situation in the Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, he mentioned the toxic Hindutva ideology of India and the threat it poses to regional and international peace. The CNS stated that Indian brutalities have reached new levels after the August 5, 2019 illegal actions of the Indian government which are in contravention to the UN Security Council resolutions. Admiral Abbasi thanked President Erdogan for raising the Kashmir issue in his address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying the people of Pakistan and Kashmir are indebted to Turkey for its steadfast support. CNS also acknowledged the commitment and dedication of Askeri Fabrika ve Tersane Isletme, Military Factory and Shipyard Managements (ASFAT) team and expressed gratitude to the Turkish Ministry of National Defence and Turkish Navy for the support extended by them in this important program.

Turkey handed over first MILGEM Ship, PNS Babur to Pakistan 15 August 2021. resident Dr. Arif Alvi and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan jointly inaugurated the MILGEM Ship PNS Babur, in Istanbul. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Arif Alvi appreciated all stakeholders for timely achieving this milestone despite the Covid-19 challenges. When the construction of first ship is completed, it will be launched on sea as a prototype of the class, since Pakistani Milgem configuration will have a bigger displacement because of heavier missile payload and larger fuel tanks. It will need to perform navigation trials from the begining. This activity will reveal all manoeuvring, steering, sea-keeping, endurance characteristics of this ship at different speeds to correct calculations that has been done on naval labratory on design phase. All those also take time. When the ship proved its maturity to carry out the missions related with ship’s performance and target engagement capabilities, the qualification will be over and the ship will be handed over to Pakistan Navy.

The 2nd MILGEM Class Corvette will be delivered in early half of 2024. The keel-laying ceremony of 2nd MILGEM Class Corvette for Pakistan Navy held 01 May 2021 at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW). Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Turkey, H.E Mr. Hulusi Akar, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. The ceremony was attended by Minister for Defence Production, Ms Zubaida Jalal and Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi. The keel-laying of PN MILGEM Corvette as a historic event for Ministry of Defence Production, Pakistan Navy, KS&EW and M/s ASFAT of Turkey. The ceremony was attended by representatives of M/s ASFAT Turkey, Istanbul Naval Shipyard and officials from Government of Pakistan, Pakistan Navy and KS&EW.

MD KS&EW Rear Admiral Ather Saleem welcomed the distinguished guests and highlighted that Karachi Shipyard is fully cognizant and aligned with the goals set forth by the Government and Pakistan Navy to pursue self-reliance in Defence Shipbuilding Industry. He emphasized that deep rooted friendship with brotherly country Turkey for this mega project will open new vistas of further cooperation in the field of indigenous warship construction and other defence sectors in Pakistan.

On 24 January 2021 the Welding Ceremony of third ship of MILGEM class corvettes for Pakistan Navy held at Istanbul Naval Shipyard (INSY), Turkey. President of Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey, H.E Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi graced the occasion and jointly kicked off the project by performing the block welding. While addressing the ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted deep rooted relationships between the two strategically aligned nations. He underscored the defense collaboration for construction of MILGEM class warships as major milestone in Pak-Turkey defense ties. The President also underlined the Strategic Economic Framework signed between the two countries as step to enhance bilateral ties and reaffirmed Turkey's support in the field of defense.

In July 2018, the Pakistani MoDP stated that it will receive “complete transfer of technology’ and the transfer of intellectual proprietary rights for the design of these ships to Pakistan.” Moreover, the fourth ship would not only be built at KSEW, but it will be the “first indigenously designed and constructed frigate.” The statement implied that the final ship would be a different – potentially enlarged – design from the MILGEM Ada. Considering that the PN has a penchant of terming its Type 21 frigates as “destroyers,” the term “frigate” could simply internal nomenclature for the MILGEM Ada corvette (i.e., not mean anything). However, at the 2018 International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS), which took place in Karachi, Pakistan in 27-30 November, the PN confirmed that the fourth ship will be a different design. If ship #4 is different, then it could be anything from a stretched/enlarged PN MILGEM (i.e. a cousin of the I-Class) or a sibling variant of the I-Class.

Steel Cutting ceremony of the fourth MILGEM Class Corvettes for Pakistan Navy was held June 15, 2021 at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW), Pakistan. Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The event marked an important milestone in the construction schedule for the fourth MILGEM Corvette for Pakistan Navy. Speaking at the occasion, Chief of the Naval Staff expressed that it is a matter of pride to witness the steel cutting of the fourth PN MILGEM Corvettes at KS&EW. He added that it is a historic occasion as Ministry of Defence Production, Pakistan Navy, Karachi Shipyard and M/s ASFAT of Turkey have joined hands for the construction of this corvette. The Admiral in his address said, “Today's event is a defining moment to further cement the bond of friendship between the two strategically aligned nations with common shared values, culture and principles.” Naval Chief acknowledged the commitment and dedication of KS&EW and M/s ASFAT for meeting the challenging construction schedule despite the ongoing global pandemic.

Keel Laying Ceremony of MILGEM Class Corvette for Pakistan Navy was held at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works November 05, 2021. Addressing the ceremony, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi appreciated performance of Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works. He said indigenization is at the forefront of our policy and it is convincing to see state of art warship being built in Pakistan. The Naval Chief said construction of corvettes in Pakistan is aimed to provide impetus to local ship building industry and to further enhance Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works' capabilities.