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Khalid Class (Fr Agosta 90B) - Units

Khalid Class (Fr Agosta 90B)

PNS/M KHALID

PNS/M KHALID Pakistan Navy Submarine is the first of the Agosta-90B class submarines acquired by the Pakistan Navy from France. It was commissioned on 6 September 1999 and inducted into PN Fleet on 21 December 1999. The Agosta-90B is an improved version of the sea proven Agosta 70.

PNS/M KHALID encompasses all qualities to strike terror in the hearts of enemies. The submarine has deep diving capabilities and can undertake patrol of more than 60 days. She also posses state of the art Combat System integrating all available sensors to launch multi-purpose wire guided torpedoes and sub launched missiles. The outfit of submarine systems, weapons and sensors make her unique and unprecedented amongst the existing new generation conventional submarines.

PNS/M KHALID is named after Hazrat KHALID BIN WALID, the great Fighter and one of the most reputed military Commanders of Islam. Agosta submarines are currently in service with three navies. PNS/M KHALID incorporate improvements based on the experience gained by the French Navy and new advances in endurance, acoustic discretion, propulsion and diving capability. Its fully integrated COMBAT system enables the command to quickly evaluate the tactical situation and decide on an appropriate response. The submarine is capable to launch multipurpose torpedoes and submarine launched anti-ship missiles. PNS/M KHALID is first Agosta-90B class submarine built for Pakistan Navy by DCN Cherbourg. As per contract, this submarine was completely built in France. The submarine construction was completed on 8 Aug 98. Sea trials were conducted at Cherbourg, Brest and Toulon. PNS/M KHALID is the fore-runner of Pakistan Navy, capable of undertaking a wide variety of missions, far and deep from home waters.

PNS/M SAAD

The second submarine was launched on 24 August 2002 and started its harbor and sea trials. This submarine completed over 1200 harbor and sea trials and on successful completion this was commissioned as PNS/M SAAD. PNS/M SAAD was the 1st Agosta-90B class submarine built at Pakistan Navy Dockyard under the Transfer of Technology (TOT) agreement with France. She was commissioned in Pakistan Navy on 13 December 2003. Then Ag Captain M Tariq Iqbal Sharafi PN (P.No. 2599) was designated at 1st Commanding Officer of PN Submarine SAAD. The submarine is capable of operating at deeper depths and can under take patrol of more than 60 days. These also posses the state of the art Combat System integrating all available sensors to launch multi purpose wire guided torpedoes and sub launched missiles. The outfit of submarine systems, weapons and sensors make it unique and unprecedented amongst the existing generation conventional submarines.

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 kilometers of cables and 38000 connections. Approximately 30000 quality checks were performed during the construction of submarine No. 2.

PNS/M HAMZA

PNS/M HAMZA, the third Agosta 90B submarine that has been completely built at Pakistan Navy Dockyard was commissioned into Pakistan Navy Fleet on 26 September 2008. The submarine was launched in August 2006 by Begum Sehba Musharraf (wife of then president General (Rtd) Pervez Musharraf). The submarine is named after Hazrat Hamza who is one of the uncles of the last Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). HAMZA was known as Lion of God and Lion of Heaven for his bravery. PN Submarine HAMZA is the first submarine that has been fitted with MESMA Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system. The submarine has been indigenously constructed under transfer of technology programme by DCNS of France. Pakistan is the first country to use MESMA AIP system onboard a submarine.

The Karachi-built Khalid class Agosta 90B (the third one to join 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.