Pakistan receives, commissions its last two new Type 054A/P frigates

 

One of the two Type 054A/P frigates during commissioning. Photo c/o Director General Public Relations, Pakistan Navy.

The Pakistan Navy has received the last two of four new Type 054A/P frigates from Chinese shipbuilder Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard on 10 May 2023.

The ships were also commissioned at the same time, with the ships being PNS Tippu Sultan (F263) and PNS Shahjahan (F264), with the ceremonies held in Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard’s Shanghai facility in China and graced by Pakistan Navy Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi as Chief Guest.

The ceremony was also attended by the Pakistan Ambassador to China, Pakistan Navy and defense officials, and officials from Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard.

The delivery and commissioning of the two frigates has highlighted by the Pakistan Navy as a new chapter of maturing Pakistan-China relations and defense cooperation, as China has become the primary source of naval systems to Pakistan.

Pakistan signed a contract with China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC) in 2018 for four new Type 054A/P frigates for the Pakistan Navy, which are expected to become the most advanced surface combatants of the naval service.

The first two ships, the PNS Tughril (F261) and PNS Taimur (F262) have been delivered and commissioned with the Pakistan Navy in 2022.

The ships are expected to provide the Pakistan Navy with more capable platforms able to conduct surveillance,  surface-to-surface, land attack, surface-to-air, and underwater combat capabilities to provide deterrence and meet threats to Pakistan’s territory and interests, and protection of Sea Lines of Communications.

[1] Director General Public Relations – Pakistan Navy

[2] Naval News