The Pakistan Navy will hold an induction ceremony for the warships PNS Babar and PNS Hunain on Defence Day, which is celebrated on September 6 in Pakistan. According to the military’s media wing, President Asif Ali Zardari will be the chief guest at the event, marking the official addition of these warships to the Navy’s fleet.
According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), PNS Babar was built in Turkey, while PNS Hunain was constructed in Romania. These two warships will enhance the defense system capabilities of the Pakistan Navy. The ISPR mentioned that construction of PNS Babar started on June 4, 2020, it was launched on August 15, 2021, and officially commissioned on September 23, 2023. The Pakistan Navy is inducting four Babar-class ships equipped with vertical launching systems, as part of a Pak-Turkey agreement.
Two of these ships are being built in Istanbul, and two in Karachi. Currently, three more Babar-class ships, named PNS Badar, PNS Tariq, and PNS Khyber, are under construction. These ships are capable of handling surface, underwater, and air combat at the same time. The 2,888-ton Babar-class ship is equipped with a vertical launch system designed to counter aerial threats.
Recently, PNS Hunain, a third offshore patrol vessel, arrived in Karachi from Romania. The Pakistan Navy’s director general of public relations (DGPR) announced this on August 30, and a reception ceremony was held at the PN Dockyard, with Commodore Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Faisal Abbasi as the chief guest. PNS Hunain is a medium-sized, multipurpose ship with advanced electronic warfare, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft weaponry, along with self-protection and terminal defense systems. It was built and commissioned in July this year at Romania’s Damen Shipyard. Vice Admiral Abbasi highlighted that adding PNS Hunain will greatly boost the Navy’s ability to protect Pakistan’s maritime borders and support maritime security patrols in the Indian Ocean. The reception ceremony was attended by numerous Pakistan Navy officers, chief petty officers, sailors, and the families o
