Istanbul, Dec 22 (.) Pakistan Navy commissioned its second Turkish-built MILGEM-class corvette, PNS Khaibar on Monday at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, underscoring the deepening maritime, strategic, defence ties between the two countries.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as chief guest, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Navy. Pakistan’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Naveed Ashraf, was also present.
Addressing the gathering, President Erdogan described the relations between Islamabad and Ankara as “brotherly” and “exemplary”, and stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in defence production. He said closer collaboration in this field would further strengthen strategic ties between the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Ashraf acknowledged the role played by the M/s ASFAT, Istanbul Naval Shipyard and the original equipment manufacturers involved in the planning, designing and construction of the Pakistan Navy’s MILGEM vessels.
Praising the deepening defence ties between Islamabad and Ankara, he added that bilateral engagements between the Pakistan Navy and the Turkish Naval Forces had contributed significantly to defence collaboration and reflected an enduring partnership that continued to broaden in scope.
Post the vessel’s induction, President Erdogan visited PNS Khaibar, where he was accorded a guard of honour and interacted with the ship’s crew. During the visit, the Turkish president and Admiral Ashraf exchanged views on regional maritime security and discussed potential avenues for future joint initiatives between the two navies.
The MILGEM programme is a flagship naval shipbuilding initiative for Türkiye and has become a cornerstone of defence exports, with Pakistan among its key partners.
The collaboration reflects a wider trend of strategic alignment between the two countries, particularly in defence technology and maritime security.
According to the Pakistan Navy, the new MILGEM-class ships represent “its most technologically advanced surface combat platforms, featuring modern command and control systems integrated with contemporary weapons and advanced sensors.”
The contract for the construction of four MILGEM-class ships for Pakistan was signed in 2018 between Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production and M/s ASFAT of Türkiye, under which, two vessels were to be built in Türkiye and two in Pakistan.
The commissioning of PNS Khaibar marks the completion of the construction of both ships built in Türkiye, with the remaining vessels to be delivered from Pakistan in due course.
PNS Khaibar, much like its predecessor PNS Babur, is a MILGEM-class multipurpose corvette equipped with advanced command and control systems, modern weapons, and sophisticated sensors.
Powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion system, integrating both diesel engines and gas turbines, the corvette has a length of 113 metres and beam of 14.4 metres, and can displace 2,888 tonnes at full load.
The vessel can also achieve an operational range exceeding 3,500 nautical miles at 15 knots, thus allowing for high-speed operations at speeds reaching up to 29 knots.
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