The ''Tughril''-class frigates, formally classified as the Type 054A/P frigates, are a series of modified
guided-missile frigates being built by
Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding
Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). It produces civilian and military ships. Hudong–Zhonghua claims to be the "Cradle of Chinese Frigates and Landing Ships" for its work for the Peop ...
(HDZH), for the
Pakistan Navy. The Type 054A/P is a modified derivative of the
Type 054A frigate
The Type 054A (NATO/ OSD Jiangkai II) is a class of guided-missile frigate from the People's Republic of China. It is a development of the Type 054 frigate; compared to its predecessor, the Type 054A has medium-range air defense capability in th ...
and was specifically customised to meet the operational requirements of the Pakistan Navy; the class features several capabilities - including
anti-surface warfare
Anti-surface warfare (ASuW or ASUW) is the branch of naval warfare concerned with the suppression of surface combatants. More generally, it is any weapons, sensors, or operations intended to attack or limit the effectiveness of an adversary's s ...
(ASuW),
anti-aircraft warfare
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
(AAW),
anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are t ...
(ASW) and
low radar observability. The frigates are poised to form the mainstay of the
Pakistan Navy's active naval fleet. The class is also set to supplant Pakistan's obsolete
''Tariq''-class destroyers.
Pakistan's
Ministry of Defence (MoD) ordered four frigates - two in 2017 and an additional two in 2018, as part of the Pakistan Navy's collective efforts to augment its capabilities in
naval warfare. All four ships of the class have been
launched, while the first two, and ''Taimur'', were commissioned in January and June 2022, respectively.
History
Background
The Pakistan Navy had long evinced interest in purchasing Chinese-origin vessels; the service is known to have operated Chinese-origin naval platform since the 1970s. In 2001, Pakistan purchased the s (F-22P) - a series of four frigates based on the design of the Chinese-origin
Type 053H3 frigate
The Type 053H3 (NATO reporting name: Jiangwei II) is a class of Chinese frigates that entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force in the 1990s and 2000s. The class comprised 10 vessels, all of which remain in active servic ...
.
After the ''Zulfiquar'' class, Pakistan was reportedly interested in possibly procuring the
Type 054A frigate
The Type 054A (NATO/ OSD Jiangkai II) is a class of guided-missile frigate from the People's Republic of China. It is a development of the Type 054 frigate; compared to its predecessor, the Type 054A has medium-range air defense capability in th ...
; the Pakistan Navy had also had several encounters with the frigate since 2009; it is believed that the service's experience of operating with the vessel may have been a deciding factor in later purchasing it.
Purchase
In October 2017,
Muhammad Zakaullah
Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah (Urdu: محمد ذكاءالله ; born 10 January 1958) is a retired admiral in the Pakistan Navy, who was the 15th Chief of Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy. He was later replaced by Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abb ...
, the-then outgoing-
chief of the Pakistan Navy, disclosed that Pakistan had purchased Chinese-origin frigates; however, he did not specify the type of the frigates that had been purchased.
In December 2017, the Pakistan Navy clarified that it had purchased the Type 054A in June 2017 and that an option for two more vessels was being considered.
In June 2018, Pakistan ordered two more Type 054A frigates from
China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation
The China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) was one of the two largest shipbuilding conglomerates in China, the other was the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). It was formed by the Government of the People's Republic of Chin ...
(CSIC), as a follow-up to its earlier purchase from 2017, bringing its order to a total of four frigates. While neither the Pakistan Navy nor CSIC disclosed the per-unit price of the vessels, it is believed that one vessel may cost around
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
$348 million.
Construction
The construction of the first frigate of the series began at HDZH's
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
-based shipyard in 2018; the vessel was later
launched in an elaborate ceremony, on 22 August 2020 - with representatives of the Pakistan Navy in attendance. The vessel began its
sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a " shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and ...
s in May 2021, before being delivered in November 2021. Noticeably, the construction period lasted only 14 months.
The "steel-cutting" ceremony for the second frigate was conducted in December 2018, while the keel
was laid in March 2020. The vessel was launched on 29 January 2021.
The "steel-cutting" ceremonies for the third and fourth frigates were conducted in November 2019, while the keel of the third frigate was laid in May 2021. Both frigates were also launched in 2021; the third frigate was launched on 3 August, while the fourth frigate was launched on 31 December.
Overview
Armament
The ''Tughril'' class possesses a diverse-range of ordnance dedicated to different spheres :-
*Anti-surface warfare :-
As part of its anti-surface warfare (ASuW) capabilities, the class carries
CM-302 anti-ship cruise missiles, reportedly capable of supersonic-speeds of up to Mach 3. The CM-302 has often been compared to the
BrahMos anti-ship missiles, operated by the
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates si ...
- given the missiles' similarity in terms of speed and capabilities.
Reportedly, Pakistan is currently developing a hypersonic anti-ship
ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles stay within the ...
- dubbed the "P282", for later use on the frigates. Other reports have also stipulated that the frigates may be equipped with the
CM-401 anti-ship ballistic missile, capable of traversing at hypersonic speeds; however, this is yet to be confirmed.
The class also features one "PJ-26"
naval gun
Naval artillery is artillery mounted on a warship, originally used only for naval warfare and then subsequently used for shore bombardment and anti-aircraft roles. The term generally refers to tube-launched projectile-firing weapons and excludes ...
, primarily for neutralizing surface, or aerial targets.
*Anti-air warfare :-
As part its anti-air warfare (AAW) capabilities, the class features the
LY-80N medium-range
surface-to-air missiles (SAM), with a reported range of up to ; the LY-80N, too, has often been compared to the
Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles utilized by the Indian Navy, given the missiles' similarities.
The class also features two 11-barrel
Type 1130
The Type 730 is a Chinese seven-barrelled 30 mm Gatling gun/Rotary cannon CIWS. It has a PLA Navy designation H/PJ12. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar, and electro-optical tracking systems. The maximum ra ...
close-in weapon system
A close-in weapon system (CIWS ) is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a naval ship. Nearly all classes of ...
s (CIWS), primarily for neutralizing aerial and surface targets.
*Anti-submarine warfare :-
As part of its anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the class features two Type 87 six-tube
anti-submarine rocket launchers and two
Yu-7 anti-submarine torpedoes.
*Decoys :-
The class features two Type 726-4 18-tube decoy rocket launchers.
*Aviation facilities :-
As part of its aviation facilities, the frigates are equipped with the
Harbin Z-9EC naval helicopter - the Pakistani-specific anti-submarine (ASW) variant of the Harbin Z-9C, operated by the
People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF; ) is the naval aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army Navy.
Overview
Historically, the PLANAF's main role has been to provide the navy's warships with air defense coverage. Part of ...
; the Z-9EC will also be equipped with the
CM-501GA land-attack missile
A land-attack missile (LAM) is a naval surface-to-surface missile that is capable of effectively attacking targets ashore, unlike specialized anti-ship missiles, which are optimized for striking other ships. Some dual-role missiles are suitable ...
s - with a reported range of .
The frigates are equipped with a flight-deck and an enclosed aviation hangar, capable of accommodating a single Z-9 or the
Kamov Ka-27
The Kamov Ka-27 (NATO reporting name 'Helix') is a military helicopter developed for the Soviet Navy, and currently in service in various countries including Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and India. Variants include the Ka-29 a ...
medium-lift helicopter, or
unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controll ...
s (UAV).
Naming
The ''Tughril'' class has been christened after
Tugrul I, one of the founders of the
Seljuk Empire
The Great Seljuk Empire, or the Seljuk Empire was a high medieval, culturally Turko-Persian, Sunni Muslim empire, founded and ruled by the Qïnïq branch of Oghuz Turks. It spanned a total area of from Anatolia and the Levant in the west to ...
- a
Turko-Persian empire which ruled of over what is present-day Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey - during the 11th and 14th centuries. Reportedly, the lead vessel of the class is the third warship in the Pakistan Navy to bear the name ''Tughril'', after an
O-class destroyer from 1951 and a from 1980.
The class is designated as the "F-22P Batch II", by the Pakistan Navy.
Comparison to Type 054A frigates
Although the Type 054A/P frigate operated by the Pakistan Navy (PN) is based on the Type 054A frigate operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), both designs have several differences, with respect to automation and weaponry.
The Type 054A/P possesses the following systems, which are absent on the Type 054A :-
*Radar :
**SR2410C
active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
**
Type 517 (SUR17B)
VHF air-search radar.
*Weaponry :
**4 x
CM-302 anti-ship missile
An anti-ship missile (AShM) is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. A goo ...
s.
Nevertheless, the Type 054A/P retains the Type 054A's design - including its sloped hull, radar absorbent materials, and a clean profile.
Operational history
Following its initial commissioning in
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...
on 8 November 2021, ''Tughril'' embarked on its maiden voyage to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
, making
port-calls to the Philippines, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
''Tughril'' made its first port-call to the Philippines, arriving in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
on 22 November 2021 for a two-day goodwill visit. ''Tughril'' then proceeded to visit Malaysia, arriving at
Lumut Naval Base on 6 December; the vessel also participated in a joint Pakistani-Malaysian bilateral naval exercise with the
Royal Malaysian Navy, dubbed "MALPAK-III", on 11 December.
''Tughril'' then visited Sri Lanka, arriving in
Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo m ...
on 13 December for a four-day goodwill visit, before participating in a bilateral naval exercise with the
Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
, dubbed "Lion Star", on 18 December. The vessel would later arrive in
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
on 20 December.
Commissioning
''Tughril'' was formally commissioned into the Pakistan Navy on 24 January 2022, at the
Karachi Naval Dockyard
The Karachi Naval Dockyard, also refers as PN Dockyard, is a naval base located adjacent to the commercial Karachi Shipyard and the PNS Qasim. It is also the only submarine construction base for the Pakistan Navy.
Footnotes
{{reflist
External ...
, with
Pakistan's president -
Arif Alvi
Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi (; born 29 July 1949) is a Pakistani dentist and politician currently serving as the 13th President of Pakistan, in office since 9 September 2018. He was a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from June 2013 to May 2 ...
and the
chief of the Pakistan Navy -
Amjad Khan Niazi
Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi (Urdu: محمد امجد خان نیازی), is an Admiral in the Pakistan Navy who is the 17th and current Chief of Naval Staff of Pakistan. He assumed charge on October 7, 2020, after succeeding Zafar Mahmood Abbas ...
, in attendance. The formal commissioning of ''Tughril'' coincided with the induction of ten second-hand
WS-61 Sea King naval helicopters into the
Pakistan Naval Air Arm
The Pakistan Naval Air Arm (unofficially: Pakistan Naval Aviation) is the naval aviation branch within the Pakistan Navy that is responsible for aerial operations from the seaborne platform.
The naval aviation branch is responsible for conduct ...
.
The second frigate, PNS ''Taimur'', was commissioned on 23 June 2022, at the Hudong Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, with
Commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore ...
Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, the head of the Pakistan Navy's Chinese mission, in attendance.
Ships in the class
See also
Frigates of comparable configurations and capabilities
* - A class of guided-missile frigates currently being built for the Indian Navy.
* - A class of guided-missile frigates currently operated by the Indian Navy; the predecessor to the ''Nilgiri'' class.
*
FREMM multipurpose frigate - A series of multi-purpose frigates, operated by the
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
, the
Italian Navy, the
Royal Moroccan Navy
ber, ⴰⴷⵡⴰⵙ ⴰⴳⴻⵍⴷⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵢⵉⵍⴻⵍ
, image =
, caption = Royal Moroccan Navy Seal
, start_date = active since: 11th century
current form: 30 Apr ...
, the
Egyptian Navy and currently being built for the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and the
Indonesian Navy
The Indonesian Navy ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, , Indonesian National Military-Naval Force, TNI-AL) is the naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It was founded on 10 September 1945 and has a role to patrol ...
.
*
Type 26 frigate
The Type 26 frigate or City-class frigate is a class of frigate being built for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, with variants also being built for the Australian and Canadian navies. The programme, known as the Global Combat Ship, was launched ...
- A class of frigates currently being built for the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
, the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
and the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
.
*
MKS 180 frigate - A planned class of frigates that are to be built for the
German Navy
The German Navy (, ) is the navy of Germany and part of the unified ''Bundeswehr'' (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the ''Bundesmarine'' (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when ''Deutsche Mari ...
.
* - A class of guided-missile frigates currently being built for and operated by the
Republic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN; ko, 대한민국 해군), also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy i ...
.
* - A class of multi-mission frigates currently being built for the
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
, abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) ...
.
* - A planned class of multi-purpose frigates that are to be built for the
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, ...
.
* - A class of guided-missile frigates operated by the
Russian Navy.
Other references to the Pakistan Navy
*
List of active ships in the Pakistan Navy.
References
{{Reflist
Frigates of the Pakistan Navy
Frigate classes
China–Pakistan military relations