Türkiye’s PNS Babur Corvette joins Pakistan Navy
PNS Babur, Karachi, Pakistan, Sep. 7, 2024 (Photo obtained by @MSB_ASFAT via X)
The PNS Babur, Türkiye’s first Milgem-class corvette, has been officially commissioned into the Pakistan Navy. The ceremony took place on Sept.6 at the Karachi Naval Dockyard, with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari attending.
Asfat announced on their official X (formerly Twitter) account: “Under Asfat’s main contractorship, the PNS Babur (FFG-280), built for the Pakistan Navy at our Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command, officially commenced service with the Induction Ceremony.”
Ship details
The PNS Babur (FFG-280), built by Istanbul Naval Shipyard, has a displacement of 2,888 tons, a length of 108.8 meters and a range of 3,500 nautical miles.
It accommodates 93 crew members and 40 additional personnel.
The corvette features:
- Mk2 Pesa radar (Smart-S)
- Alper LPI radar
- Fire control radar (Akrep)
- Yakamos hull-mounted sonar
- The surface-to-air missile 12 Albatross NG (Camm-ER)
- Oto Melara 76 mm naval gun
- Aselsan Stop 25 mm remote-controlled guns
- It can also carry Harbah anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles.
Defense cooperation
The PNS Babur represents a significant Turkish-Pakistani defense collaboration and will enhance Pakistan’s naval capabilities. The Milgem project anticipates that all four corvettes will be delivered by 2025.
High-level officials, including President Zardari and Turkish defense representatives, attended the commissioning event.
The ceremony highlighted the PNS BABUR’s modern capabilities and its role in strengthening the Pakistan Navy.
