ISLAMABAD — The first of eight Hangor II submarines bound for Pakistan was recently launched at the Wuchang Shipyard in Wuhan, China, but what makes this ship so special given that Germany is blocking engine exports? It is unknown whether the power is supplied to the
The original Hangor II delivery schedule called for four Chinese-made submarines to be delivered by 2023. However, Germany had refused to approve an export permit for her MTU 396 diesel engine, which was designed for use by submarines.
The German government had also refused to grant an engine export license for the S-26T, a variant of China’s Type 039B submarine, ordered by Thailand. The Thai agreement ultimately failed.
Neither Germany nor Pakistan have confirmed whether export clearance has finally been approved.
The Pakistan Navy did not respond to a Defense News inquiry on whether Pakistan had accepted China’s alternative proposal to equip the Hangor II with indigenously produced CHD620 engines.
Still, Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf attended the launch ceremony on April 26 and “expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress,” according to a Navy news release.
The military is undergoing a comprehensive modernization and has also acquired four Chinese-made Type 054A/P frigates, the most powerful and capable surface combatants it has ever operated.
But Tom Waldwin, a naval analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank, says it’s the Hangor II submarines that will give the Navy a major leap in capability.
“In terms of undersea capabilities, the eventual addition of eight Hangor-class submarines based on China’s Type 039A/B Yuan-class submarines will expand the fleet and significantly increase its capabilities, especially when equipped with long-range cruises. It’s going to improve on the ‘missile,”’ Waldwin told Defense News.
“Pakistan has reportedly tested sub-launchable nuclear-capable cruise missiles, and their operationalization is far more important to the strategic balance than a handful of new frigates,” he added.
Waldwin wasn’t sure where Pakistan landed on this engine. However, another expert told Defense News that China’s alternative could have a negative impact on the submarine’s operational efficiency.
Aaron Amick, a former U.S. Navy submariner who runs the website Sub Brief, said China’s export of “unauthorized copies of naval technology” is now expected, but it’s not necessarily a bargain. Ta. The Chinese engine is essentially a copy of Germany’s MTU 396, but he added that it is “made with inferior casting and molding materials, assembled with inconsistent quality control standards, and works well for short periods of time, but , and will require near-continuous repair after use,” he added. Hundreds of hours of operation time. ”
A Pakistani Navy official previously told Defense News that the Hangor II is a Pakistan-specific variant of the Type 039B. It is equipped with a Stirling air-independent propulsion system, which increases its underwater durability. It also carries Pakistan’s battle management system, towed array sonar and weapons.
Usman Ansari is Defense News’ Pakistan correspondent.
