Pakistan To Get New Type AIP SUBS From China India Must Expand Its Antisub Warfare Capabilities
The eight Type-039B ‘Hangor Class’ submarines which Pakistan is getting from China will greatly boost the Pakistan Navy by more than double the size of Navy’s submarine fleet
The new Chinese submarines are variant of PLAN Type-039A Yuan Class. Construction of these subs will be split between the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) and Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW) in Karachi. KSEW has previous experience of local construction of Pakistan’s French designed Agosta class submarines.
The Type-039B submarines are likely to combine Chinese systems and weapons with Pakistani systems. Local weapons are expected to include the nuclear-capable Babur cruise missile. Armed with these the boats will form part of Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent. How this deterrence role will be reconciled with typical attack submarine duties remains unclear.
Based on current information the first of the new submarines, built in China, is expected to be delivered in 2022. Local construction of the last four hulls will last through to 2028. The acquisition from China has been done in the past also. Several major Pakistan Navy warship programs have gone to China in recent years. And the Pakistan Navy and Chinese Navy already cooperate closely, included close exercises involving Chinese warships and Pakistan Navy submarines.
The new construction hall and dry dock are at the southern end of KSEW’s Karachi shipyard site. Footings for the halls was first observed in 2015. The twin-lane halls have slowly taken shape since then. The outer shell appears largely complete. Under their roof there should be enough room to build two submarines in parallel.
Work on the aligned dry dock appears to have started in 2016. It is a Norwegian designed Syncrolift ship-lift type built out over the water. Manufacture of the sections likely took place in China. The dry dock is 126m (415 ft) long and 32m (105 ft) across and has a lifting capacity of 7,881 tons. This is large enough for the new submarines, and would allow frigate sized warships and larger submarines in future.
The construction halls will be conveniently close to the Pakistan Navy’s main submarine berths. They are also just north of the SSGNs (Special Service Group (Navy)) base at PNS Iqbal. This is where the Pakistan Navy’s X-Craft midget submarine program is based. It seems logical that any local construction of midget submarines will also take place at the new site.
The technology transfer will benefit KSEW. Their Stirling-based AIP (Air Independent Power/Propulsion) technology is different from the French MESMA system installed on Pakistan’s Agosta-90B type boats. Pakistan remains the only country to adopt the MESMA system. Type-039B submarines are a relatively conservative design however.
Now the Indian Navy has no choice but to expand its anti submarine warfare capabilities. For this purpose orders have already been placed for 16x Anti Submarine shallow water Corvettes. These will be delivered between 2022—2026 period. These will be deployed in the area of Western Naval Command.
Orders for another 16 needs to be placed for deployment in the area of Southern Naval Command.
Next, we have dedicated Dornier based Short Range Maritime Recce Squadrons for each of the three Naval Commands and also to the A& N Command.
Now the need is to have 4x Medium Range MR Squadrons and additional 2x P8I Lo g Range MR to cover the entire area of responsibility and influence.
In addition the Navy should be provided with a dedicated anti submarine helicopter squadron each to Gujarat Naval Area and Maharashtra Naval Area. These heptrs can operate from both shore bases and Off Shore Patrol Vessels.
