Turkish-made MILGEM ships to boost our defense: Pakistan's naval chief

Pakistan's top naval official said the inclusion of Turkish-made state-of-the-art MILGEM-class ships will be a 'huge boost to our defense' and will keep the country's enemies at bay. Niazi was in the Turkish metropolis to attend the inauguration ceremony of the PNS Khaiber, the third of four MILGEM corvette ships manufactured by Türkiye for the Pakistan Navy at the Istanbul Shipyard, on Friday. Niazi said the MILGEM ships are 'very capable platforms, equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air weapon systems.' In July 2018, the Pakistan Navy signed a contract with Türkiye's state-run defense firm ASFAT to acquire four MILGEM-class ships. MILGEM vessels have a length of 99 meters (325 feet), a displacement capacity of 2,400 tons, and a speed of 29 nautical miles. Lauding the two countries bilateral ties, Niazi said, 'Pakistan and Türkiye have long relations based on mutual trust, friendship, and principles.' 'The two countries have come much closer in the defense arena in the recent past as this MILGEM project is a testament to this fact,' he said, adding: 'I have no doubt in my mind that such efforts will continue, and Pakistan and Türkiye are well on their way to becoming 'two countries and one nation'.' In response to a question about increased defense cooperation between the two nations, he noted: 'Both militaries are continuously exchanging knowledge and expertise. Construction and upgradation projects such as 17,000 Ton Fleet Tanker, PN-MILGEM and Agosta 90B submarines, Super Mushak trainers, UAV drones, and so on are evidence of this strong friendship and military cooperation.' The Pakistan Navy's first corvette ship, PNS Babar, was launched in Istanbul in Aug. 2021, and the foundation stone for the second ship, PNS Badr, was laid in Karachi in May of this year. Türkiye is one of 10 countries in the world capable of designing, building, and maintaining warships with domestic resources.