Pakistan Navy Will Receive PNS Second Class Frigate by turkiye

Defence affairs - Def-Geopolitics

PNS Khaibar, the second Babur-class frigate built by Turkiye, will be commissioned this October, thus strengthening Pakistan's maritime dominance and balancing the power competition in the Indian Ocean.

The Pakistan Navy is preparing to enter a new era of maritime dominance as the second Turkiye-built Babur-class frigate is set to be commissioned soon, changing the balance of maritime power in the Indian Ocean.

The ship in question, PNS Khaibar (F-282), is expected to join the fleet in October 2025 after successfully passing sea acceptance tests earlier this year.

The presence of PNS Khaibar will strengthen Pakistan's deterrent position against regional rivals as well as showcase the country's maritime strength along the world's major trade and energy routes.

The Babur-class frigate construction program, which began in 2018 through a USD1.5 billion (RM6.8 billion) contract with ASFAT Turkiye, is one of the most historic naval modernization initiatives in Pakistan's history.

The agreement includes four multi-role corvettes designed for anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare operations, integrating modern stealth features and multinational weapons systems.

Two ships are being built at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, while the other two are being developed at the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW), thus facilitating technology transfer and strengthening Pakistan's local shipbuilding base.

This dual-channel approach ensures immediate capability enhancement as well as ensuring long-term industrial reliance, a key tenet of Pakistan's maritime doctrine.