Turkish firm to moderate Pakistani submarines

Turkey's Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc. (STM) will add some state-of-the-art features to Pakistan's Agosta 90B submarines as part of a modernization program.

Pakistan's Ministry of Defense in 2016 chose STM over the submarines' French manufacturer for the modernization. The company has since paved the way for Turkish engineering exports, in an area that requires expertise in advanced technology.

The tender initially included an Agosta 90B submarine half-life modernization and was later expanded with the addition of modernization works for a second submarine.

As part of the program, STM will enhance the capabilities of Pakistani submarines with the addition of Torpedo Countermeasure Systems and acoustic measurement sensors. To that end, an amendment to the initial contract was recently signed by STM General Manager Murat İkinci.

STM will also bring significant competencies in the field of submarine engineering in Turkey. The company recently signed a deal for the modernization of the Turkish navy's Preveze-Class Submarines as the "Leading Partner."

Within the Agosta 90B modernization project, STM had a challenging and long competition with the French DCNS Shipyard, which designed and produced the submarines. At the end of the bidding process, STM was found technically and commercially superior by Pakistan's Ministry of Defense and signed the deal as the main contractor. The first submarine will be delivered in 2020 under the project, where the modernization activities are being carried out in a Pakistani Naval Shipyard in Karachi. The other submarine will be modernized with a one-year interval.

Within the framework of the project, logistics support and training services integrated into Pakistan navy will be provided along with design, engineering and procurement activities.

Under the modernization activities, all the sonar suites, periscope systems, command and control system, radar and electronic support systems will be upgraded with systems produced by Turkey's HAVELSAN and ASELSAN.

In 2018, the Pakistan Navy Fleet Tanker (PNFT), one of the biggest single-item export projects in the history of the Turkish defense industry, was delivered to the Pakistan Navy at a commissioning ceremony in Karachi.

The project was developed in cooperation with the STM as the main contractor. The vessel was designed in Turkey based on the operational needs of the Pakistan Navy. The ship was built in the Karachi Shipyard by the workforce of the shipyard with technical data and material packages sent to Pakistan. Within the scope of the Pakistan Navy Fleet Tanker project, STM also provided training and technical support to the Karachi Shipyard and Pakistan navy personnel as well as integrated logistic support services, in addition to providing design services and material packages.