Damen launches first 2,300-ton corvette for Pakistan

The first 2,300-ton corvette for the Pakistan Navy launched in Damen's facility in Romania. Photo c/o Pakistan Navy.

Dutch naval shipbuilder Damen launched the first 2,300-ton corvette built for the Pakistan Navy (PN) on 17 May 2019 in its facility in Galati, Romania.

The PN was represented by its Chief of Staff (Personnel) Vice Adm. Abdul Aleem, who underscored the importance of the corvettes to improve safeguarding maritime frontiers, and conduct Regional Maritime Security Patrols in the Indian Ocean region.

The ships were previously classified as Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), with the ship’s design based on Damen’s OPV2400 series. Pakistan signed the contract with Damen for two (2) ships in June 2017.

The first ship, which has not been named yet, is expected to be delivered to the PN by the end of 2019, while the second unnamed ship scheduled for delivery to the PN by mid-2020.

Both ships will have a helicopter landing deck, as well as a variety of surveillance and intelligence-gathering sensors.


[1] Naval Today
[2] International The News
[3] Jane’s Defence Weekly