KARACHI — The Pakistan Navy’s newly inducted lead submarine, PNS/M HANGOR, has successfully executed its maiden live weapon firing in the North Arabian Sea. Observed by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, the submarine launched an anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), accurately striking a designated long-range surface target to validate the operational readiness and tactical precision of Pakistan’s modernized subsurface fleet.
The live-fire exercise marks a key milestone in the operationalization of the Hangor-class air-independent propulsion (AIP) attack submarines for frontline maritime interdiction and sea-denial missions. Commissioned in 2026, PNS/M HANGOR is the lead boat of an eight-ship procurement agreement between Pakistan and China. Four hulls are being constructed by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), while four are built locally at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW). The class is engineered to extend submerged endurance, reduce acoustic signatures, and field long-range anti-surface and strike options across contested littoral and deep-water sectors.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: PAKISTAN NAVY HANGOR-CLASS SUBMARINE (TYPE 039B DERIVATIVE)
* System Classification: Diesel-Electric Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) Attack Submarine (SSK)
* Industrial Consortium: China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) & Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW)
* Submerged Displacement: ~2,800 metric tons (~2,550 tons surfaced)
* Physical Dimensions: Length: 76.0 meters (249 ft 4 in); Beam: 8.4 meters (27 ft 7 in); Draught: 6.2 meters (20 ft 4 in)
* Propulsion Architecture: 4x CSOC CHD620 marine diesel engines paired with a CSIC 711th Institute Stirling-powered Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) module
* Performance Envelope:
* Maximum Submerged Speed: Approximately 20 knots (37 km/h)
* Maximum Diving Depth: Up to 300 meters (984 ft)
* Operational Patrol Endurance: Up to 65 days continuous mission capability
* Armament Suite: 6x 533 mm (21-inch) bow torpedo tubes capable of firing:
* Submarine-Launched Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCM)
* Babur-3 Submarine-Launched Cruise Missiles (SLCM) for long-range land-attack
* Heavyweight wire-guided thermal torpedoes and naval bottom mines
* Sensor & CMS Suite: Integrated combat management system (CMS), cylindrical bow sonar array, passive flank sonar arrays, optronic search/attack mast suite, and electronic support measures (ESM)
