(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
Turkey and Pakistan on Friday vowed strong bonds and
determination to further broaden cooperation, pioneered by the
defense industry, as they witnessed a launch of the latest
Turkish-built corvette tailored for the Pakistan Navy, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah .
The third MILGEM-class corvette, named PNS Badr, was launched in
a ceremony at a shipyard in the southern Pakistani port city of
Karachi attended by Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar,
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistani Defense Minister
Muhammad Israr Tareen and other officials.
Addressing the launch via video message, President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said Turkey would provide all the support needed to
strengthen Pakistan's military infrastructure.
The MILGEM (National Ship) marine platforms project is a Turkish
warship program that aims to develop multipurpose corvettes and
frigates that can be deployed in a range of missions.
These include reconnaissance, surveillance, early warning,
anti-submarine warfare, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air
warfare, and amphibious operations.
In July 2018, the Pakistan Navy signed a contract for the
acquisition of four Ada class ships with Turkish state-owned
defense firm ASFAT.
According to the plan, two corvettes were envisaged to be built
in Turkey and the other two in Pakistan, in a deal that included
technology transfer.
“The production process of all these ships, which are equipped
with the most modern weapons and sensor systems developed by our
country, continues as planned,” Erdogan said.
The deliveries of the ships, which will be able to perform all
kinds of military duties from air defense to submarine defense,
will be made at six-month intervals starting from August 2023,
Erdogan noted.
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