The Pakistani Navy has not shared information on the submarines docked on the quay outside its special forces headquarters in Karachi writes HI Sutton for the Forbes. The submarine, as EurAsian Times also reported, was detected via satellite images, reportedly belongs to the Pakistan Navy Seals.
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Sutton writes – On July 3, M Arshid Javed, DG-Public Relations for the Pakistan Navy, tweeted a video of a passing out parade. In the video, commandos of the Special Services Group Navy (SSG-N) are seen marching and receiving awards.
Passing out Parade of #PakNavy SEAL Course held at Khi. The parade comprised of officers & sailors, who completed rigorous training in conformity to the set standards. The Chief Guest, COMCOAST, V/ Adm Fasial Rasul Lodhi congratulated the Navy SEALs & gave away prizes.(1/3) pic.twitter.com/8hi2IHnYTJ
— DGPR (Navy) (@dgprPaknavy) July 3, 2020
The commandos are marching in the parade square at PNS Iqbal, the SSG-N’s headquarters and training base and Sutton believe that for the first three seconds of the video, the mysterious submarine is noticeable in the background.
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The author writing for Forbes further states that the mysterious submarine is hidden in tarpaulins but to trained eyes, the shape of the submarine is very obvious. And it accurately resembles the satellite image at the head of this article, which was also taken on July 3. The tarpaulin covering the front of the submarine is a light beige colour, and the one over the back is a dull red.
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The author further writes – the contours of the tarps may exhibit some new details about the submarine. For instance, we can see the shape created by the forward hydroplanes. Technical details like this will be useful to naval experts who seek to analyze its capabilities.
There is another evident feature concealed underneath the tarps. Running along the top of the hull is a casing which looks to be shaped to cover cylindrical tubes. Inevitably, this will be for torpedo tubes claims the author.
Having two torpedo tubes under the forward casing would match the previous generation of Pakistan Navy submarines used by the SSG-N. Three Cosmos class “X-Craft”, more properly called the Cos.Mo.S MG-110, are in service. These have twin torpedo tubes in almost exactly the same place as the new boat.
In fact, the dark sails of two of the Cosmos class “X-Craft” are evident inside a long shed behind the parade. These were built locally in the 1990s to an Italian design. The new boat appears to have been inspired by the Cosmos class but is shorter, around 55 feet long, writes Sutton.
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The new design likely has the same role as the Cosmos class, which is to transport Pakistan’s SSG-N commandos. The submarine could also be used for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions. In both these roles, the torpedoes would be for self-defence or hitting targets as and when required.
Images from #Karachi dockyard spot #PakistanNavy's newly inducted offshore patrol vessel PNS YARMOOK, capable of supporting a variety of naval roles along with UAV/Heli operations, the vessel aims at boosting #Pakistan's Regional Maritime Security Patrols pic.twitter.com/CR3lODB3x3
— d-atis☠️ (@detresfa_) July 15, 2020
The location of the new submarine keeps it away from peering eyes, and so far no pictures have surfaced. It is near to where the Pakistani Navy’s regular submarines are moored, and where their latest warship, PNS Yarmook, was inducted on July 13. That too was caught on satellite imagery.
By: HI Sutton, Forbes
