Pakistan and Türkiye celebrated the launch of the fourth and last corvette of the Pakistan Navy (PN) MILGEM project, the Babur-class corvette PNS TARIQ (283), in a ceremony at the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works, on August 2.
The inauguration ceremony of the final warship was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Türkiye Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.
Pakistan’s Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and other high-ranking representatives from Pakistan and Turkiye also attended the ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Yılmaz highlighted the importance of establishing a fair balance in the defense industry for global peace and stability as he reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to sharing knowledge, experience, and technology with friendly nations, citing the joint projects with Pakistan as a prime example of this approach.
“Beyond its own needs, Türkiye also builds ships for many developed countries of the world,” Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said at the ceremony. “Thanks to the capacity we have developed in the field of defense, we have the ability to voluntarily manage the processes in which we are involved, without the need for anyone’s consent.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif also emphasized the deep-rooted and unique relations between the two nations, stressing the need to enhance strategic cooperation and explore more joint ventures in other areas.
The MILGEM project, known as the National Ship marine platforms project, commenced in 2000 and aims to develop versatile corvettes and frigates capable of various missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, early warning, anti-submarine warfare, and amphibious operations.
The project is aimed at replacing older ships with locally designed and built multipurpose corvettes and frigates, further strengthening the naval prowess of both Türkiye and Pakistan.
The MILGEM project
Pakistan and Türkiye initially agreed on the MILGEM project in July 2018 when the Pakistan Navy signed a contract with Turkish state-owned defense firm ASFAT for the acquisition of four Ada-class ships. The MILGEM project involves the construction of four Corvettes for the Pakistan Navy – two in Pakistan and two in Turkiye.
The first two Corvettes, PNS Babur and PNS Badar were launched in Istanbul and Karachi, in August 2021 and May 2022 respectively, while the third Corvette, PNS Khyber, was launched in Istanbul in November 2022.
“The MILGEM project represents an enduring symbol of Pakistan-Turkiye collaboration in the maritime domain. It is a tangible step towards self-reliance and indigenization and would fulfill the critical security needs of the Pakistan Navy,” said the statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed the project as a testament to the strong relations between Türkiye and Pakistan.
Significance of the MILGEM project
The MILGEM corvettes boast advanced surface, sub-surface, and anti-air weapons, along with long-range effective sensors integrated through a state-of-the-art network central combat management system.
These anti-submarine combat frigates, averaging 99 meters in length and with a displacement capacity of around 24,000 tons, can achieve a speed of 29 nautical miles, while their low radar cross-section makes them difficult to track and significantly enhances the Pakistan Navy’s defense capabilities.
Türkiye’s remarkable accomplishment in designing, building, and maintaining warships using domestic capabilities places it among the ten countries worldwide with such prowess.