Pakistan and Turkiye are two brothers, partners in peace and development, well wishers and their ties are so deep rooted, time tested, great and strong that need thousands of papers to scribe. Turkiye is one of the most trusted friends of Pakistan. Both countries defence ties is the story of more than five decades. During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Turkiye staunchly supported Pakistan. Similarly. During the 1971 war and in its aftermath, Turkiye respected Pakistan’s views. Pakistan always supported Turkiye’s position over the Cyprus issue. With the ascension of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the bilateral relationship reached new heights. This happened owing to the Erdogan government’s religious turn and a policy to consolidate ties with Muslim States across the region, thus giving the Turkey-Pakistan relationship another pillar of support. The burgeoning security partnership between the two countries in the realm of defence production remains a key component of this unique relationship. It has also made Turkey a contributor towards Pakistan’s security alongside China. Since Pakistan’s relationship with western defence providers has faltered over the years, its armed forces are increasingly reliant upon Turkey for the maintenance and up-gradation of its defence hardware. Turkey has aided Pakistan in upgrading both its F-16 fighter jets acquired from the United States and the ageing Agosta submarines purchased from France. Turkey’s ASFAT has built four MILGEM-class corvette ships in cooperation with the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works. These ships remain a cornerstone of Pakistan’s naval modernization, which is intended to enhance the capabilities of Pakistan’s Navy and to transform it from a Littoral Force to a Blue Water Navy. In the air domain, the bilateral cooperation is marked by Pakistan’s purchase of Turkey’s state of the art Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı combat drones. These Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) can prove to be a game changer for Pakistan in any future altercations with arch-rival India. Recently, Turkey has announced that Pakistan may also officially join its fifth-generation Turkish Aerospace (TA) KAAN fighter aircraft programme while Pakistani technicians are already working in its development. The involvement of Pakistani citizens in such high-profile projects directly linked to Turkey’s national security underscores the level of bilateral trust and cooperation. Turkey is looking to forge a military partnership with Pakistan for the co-production of combat jets and missiles. Pakistan has formally joined Turkish Aerospace’s fifth-generation Kaan fighter aircraft development, the Turkish government has declared. The participation of Pakistan in this project would be discussed between Ankara and Islamabad, the Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Celal Sami Tüfekçi announced on August 2 in Karachi. “We will soon be having discussions with our Pakistani counterparts to formally integrate Pakistan into our national fighter jet program (Kaan), within this month,” according to Tüfekçi. “Almost 200 Pakistani engineers and officials were “already taking part in the development of this program,” he added. A historic development will occur when the eagerly anticipated Kaan stealth aircraft takes to the sky for the first time. The cutting-edge technology and stealth characteristics of the futuristic aircraft are the result of cooperation between Turkiey, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan.
Pakistan and Turkiye are moving forward towards a new height of their cooperation and enhancing relations in defence sector. A very good news for Pakistanis is that Pakistan Navy has launched one of its most technologically advanced MILGEM-class warships, named PNS Tariq, at a ceremony held at the Karachi shipyard. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz jointly inaugurated the PNS Tariq Corvette during a ceremony held at the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works in Karachi on August 2. The ceremony showcased the strengthening defence collaboration between Pakistan and Turkiey.
Project bolsters Pakistan-Turkiey defence ties. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that PNS Tariq is the “fourth ship of this class and the second one built in Pakistan” jointly by Asfat Istanbul and the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works. He commended the close defence ties between the two nations and hailed the ‘MILGEM project’ as a significant milestone in the strategic partnership. MILGEM is an acronym for the Turkish word ‘Milli Gemi’ (National Ship). PM Sharif emphasized the need to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation, especially in new and emerging technologies as well as joint defence production.
Turkish Vice-President Yilmaz echoed the desire to “deepen the special bilateral relationship” through increased strategic and economic cooperation. He reaffirmed Turkiye’s commitment to sharing knowledge, experience, and technology with friendly nations in the defence sector. He cited the ongoing joint projects with Pakistan as a prime example of this approach. Turkey’s prowess in shipbuilding, he said that the country not only fulfills its own defence needs but also builds ships for many developed countries of the world. The Turkish vice-president held a meeting with the Pakistani prime minister to discuss various bilateral issues as well as the regional situation. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz, along with Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi jointly inaugurated the PNS Tariq Corvette during a ceremony held at the Karachi Shipyard on August 2. The latest warships will strengthen the country’s maritime defence and deterrence capabilities as the Pakistan Navy intends to build a fleet of more than 50 vessels, including 20 major surface ships. The MILGEM project represents a significant milestone in the Pakistan-Turkey strategic partnership. Pakistan signed a $1.5 billion deal with Turkiey in 2018 for the acquisition of four MILGEM Ada class ships with Turkish state-owned defence firm ASFAT. Under the contract that included technology transfer, two ships were to be constructed at Istanbul Naval Shipyard and the other two at Karachi Shipyard. The first two MILGEM-class (also known as Babur-class) warships, named PNS Babur and PNS Badr, were launched in Istanbul and Karachi, in August 2021 and May 2022, respectively. The third PNS Khaibar was launched in November 2022 in Istanbul. The fourth and final is PNS Tariq which was launched at Karachi Shipyard in August 2023.
With the induction of the latest warships, Pakistan Navy will be equipped with multipurpose corvettes and frigates that can be deployed in a range of missions including surveillance, early warning, anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air warfare, and amphibious operations. The MILGEM corvettes feature state-of-art surface, sub-surface and anti-air weapons and long-range effective sensors, integrated through an advanced network central combat management system. The corvettes are 108.2 meters long with a displacement capacity of around 2,900 tons and can move at a speed of 26 nautical miles. It can carry a crew of around 142. The recently launched ship, PNS Tariq (283), has impressive dimensions with a length of 108.2 meters and a width of 14.8 meters. The term “Milgem” derives from “Milli Gemi,” which translates to “National Ship” in Turkish, symbolizing its significance.
In terms of air defense capabilities, PNS Tariq will be equipped with CAMM-ER (Common Anti Air Modular Missile Extensive Range) with a reach of 50 to 70 kilometers, providing protection against a wide array of aerial threats, including aircraft, UAVs, and missiles. Additionally, the ship will feature the Turkish Aselsan-built Gökdeniz close-in weapon system for point air defense. Furthermore, PNS Tariq will be armed with 6 Harbah-NG long-range anti-ship & land attack cruise missiles housed in two tri-cell launchers. Türkiye is one of 10 countries in the world capable of designing, building, and maintaining warships with domestic resources. Pakistan's top naval official has said the inclusion of Turkish-made state-of-the-art MILGEM-class ships will be a "huge boost to our defence" and will keep the country's enemies at bay. "Weakness invites aggression, but strength keeps your enemy at bay. So, the inclusion of the MILGEM-class ships will significantly strengthen the Pakistan Navy in a very big way," Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Amjad Khan Niazi told media.
Niazi was in the Turkish metropolis to attend the inauguration ceremony of the PNS Khyber, the third of four MILGEM corvette ships manufactured by Türkiye for the Pakistan Navy at the Istanbul Shipyard. The launch ceremony was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and senior military officials from both countries. MILGEM vessels have a length of 99 meters (325 feet), a displacement capacity of 2,400 tonnes, and a speed of 29 nautical miles.
Niazi described MILGEM as a "truly collaborative military production," saying, "These ships will be a very good addition to our fleet, ensuring that our (territorial) waters are safe and our defence needs are met."
Lauding the two countries bilateral ties, Niazi said, “Pakistan and Türkiye have long relations based on mutual trust, friendship and principles. ”In times of need, the two countries have stood by each other, and we have stood by each other on all international events as well as the issues that the two countries face," he added. “The two countries have come much closer in the defence arena in the recent past as this MILGEM project is a testament to this fact," he said, adding: "I have no doubt in my mind that such efforts will continue, and Pakistan and Türkiye are well on their way to becoming 'two countries and one nation’. “he further said: "Both militaries are continuously exchanging knowledge and expertise. Construction and upgradation projects such as 17,000 Tonne Fleet Tanker, PN-MILGEM and Agosta 90B submarines, Super Mushak trainers, UAV drones, and so on are evidence of this strong friendship and military cooperation." He said the two sides are "extensively involved in broad-based engagements ranging from high-level visits to operational-level knowledge sharing and training collaboration."
Key data:
• Displacement: 2,926 tonnes
• Length: 108.2 m
• Beam: 14.8 m
• Draft: 4.05 m
• Propulsion: CODAG
• Max speed: 31 knots
• Range: 3500 nautical miles
• Endurance: 15 days at sea
• Crew: 93+40