Pakistan Pakistan Navy Milgem Project

Anmdt

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Based on Turkish Milgem Project's Ada-Class corvette, Pakistan's Jinnah Class provides extended capabilities similar to Istanbul Class frigate, designed by Turkish Joint Military infastracture complex (ASFAT) according to PN's requirements, Jinnah class high likely holds both Chinese-Western and Turkish/Pakistan subsystems.
Milgem big.jpg


Yellow = Elevated VLS platform, indicates the missiles are the long ones. (HHQ-16B 70km+ range)
Red = New communication antennas or moved from the midst to resolve electronical interference.
Green = FCR for SAM, two for 16 missiles, typically Chinese configuration (1 per 8 missile)
Blue = FCR (Type 364) for SSM and secondarily for SAM - indicating the dome placed on top of the exhaust funnel
Purple = FCR for naval cannon and Gökdeniz CIWS (hints made by Aselsan)
Orange = 2x3 SSM, resembles Pakistan's anti-ship launchers. Configurable as 2*3 or 2*4 depending on weight-size of the launched
Gray = Redesigned IFF arms on main mast indicating additional systems
Brown = Gökdeniz CIWS

Looks like Chinese systems and SSM wont be truly (entirely) be integrated with the Turkish CMS, There will be a separate Management system with separate consoles for SAM/SSM systems with minimal interface between. This also explains the increase in the complement & number of crew. Experts in here can tell better if it happens because of restrictions of China or Turkey/European providers.
 
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Anmdt

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Regarding to the construction-design process of Jinnah class and why it is seeming slow in comparison with Chinese frigate deliveries:

13 months span cover from launching to commissioning, probably Chinese shipyard launches the vessel with all systems are integrated on (electronics etc). The time took from first steel cut to commissioning of the first vessel of any order, only this, would tell us the true span about building. This is rather hard to describe in words, but modules of the ships can be built in parallel, 4 ships would take 4 years, but 1 ship alone would take 2.5 -3 years.

This is a preference they can either launch ship equipped if they have enough space ( on drydock-slipway) or launch it bare, tow to the berth or another dry dock (if requires dry works) and equip it in there. It depends on the size of shipyards, crane arrangements, production flow and bunch of other stuff those i don't know.

They have larger shipyards with more steel processing capacity, more automated in terms of steel processing but system integration (equipping) is entirely relies on handwork,and sometimes it is not done in parallel with steelworks or even within themselves, this is valid for testing as well not all procedures can be conducted in parallel. Briefly i can say this: comparing any ship's launching to commissioning timespan does not give any insight about the time it is built unless we know how the shipyard works. But 13 months for steel construction+equipping+remakes+testing doesn't make much sense, it is rather impossible. it is for sure, partially equipping (minor things like furniture that can be equipped in between of testing)+testing to take 13 months.

I know at least one Korean shipyard installs (equips) the steel modules (blocks) before erecting (mounting) this requires high accuracy manufacturing and experience but i am not again sure if this could be achieved in naval vessels, considering mass amount of cabling-piping, but i know our shipyards ,except a few, can not work with large blocks; the smaller blocks are, the more time spend on erecting them. It is simply far more easy to build those blocks on the ground than mounting smaller ones to each other on the slipway.

Assuming China has built enough many warships to gain experience on this as well. This could be another factor to accelerate their progress. They are much more experienced than us in this. However, All aforementioned factors wouldn't double their production speed. It would only accelerate when multiple ships are delivered in a row.

Before 2010 i personally knew people who has avoided Chinese shipyards and leaned on Japan and Korea due to multiple reasons. But nowadays they are good as Koreans and they have already gained majority of the pie and also trusted by shipowners. As of 2020, especially for a Chinese military shipyard, we can hardly speak of low quality production (at least i can say this for steelworks). They spend a lot on R&D. Hundred folds of our research budget for ship design, production, engineering related jobs is poured on the universities.

Last matter, China (or Chinese shipyard) considers this in terms of profit, the sooner they finish and deliver the vessel the more profit they will gain. We consider this in terms of providing ships to a country that our government refers as brother.

One more brief explanation, i have came across a few guys complaining about schedule of this project in almost in threads related to J-Class:

Pakistan ordered Type 54A Frigate in 2018 June, This is a ready to built platform for Chinese and maybe with minor modifications that can be applied (for the PN requirement like Galley- berthing - prayer room and so on) on the go, and first ship will be delivered in 2021 Q2 (Q3 or Q4) which takes about 2.5 years or 3 or more; without any ToT. This simply proves a Type 54A is not built within 13 months.

For F22P the first ship roughly took about 3 years in China, again we don't know when steel cut has started, only keel laying is indicated,in the same way the last ship which is built in Pakistan took about 3 year. For the last ship of the J-Class it is expected to lay keel 18 months after the 1st ship, which will be 2022 and delivered in 2025, which is again 2.5-3 years.

Pakistan has ordered J-Class in 2018 (or 2019 i am not quite sure), with accepting that design modifications applied on Ada-Class will take 18 months or even longer (since Pakistan has also joined on this process). Turkey or any other country is in no place to prepare a design in details just for possible 4 ships purchase. Moreover, Turkey has offered ToT, probably far more than what Chinese has offered within F-22P project and furthermore one vital thing : Ability to design warships, IP rights of the new design and system integration viable for future, The furthest ToT shipbuilders has offered were extending to module building, block erecting and production phase in most of the cases (speaking of purchases and deliveries made by other countries). Turkey has spent years or decades to gain this knowledge, and we are sharing this for sake of brotherhood, not the finances.

Last words: The single matter is how countries' authorities came into agreement, it could have been 10 or 20 year, it all what depends on. There are multiple reasons to settle a schedule, finances, extension of the ToT, Navy's requirement and procurement-replacement schedule-training of personnel is only a few factors. Chinese shipyard can equip (the numbers are just fictitious to make some point) 4 ships in parallel for foreign sales, considering the sources they have got and the huge demand for their own navy, our military shipyard can spare only 1 slot for foreign sales to ensure 1-2 slots for our own demand. Even for I-Class's 2nd-4th vessels a consortium is spoken of, to produce more ships in shorter times.
 

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MILGEM-KSEW-01-692x360.jpg


In July 2018, Pakistan inked a contract with Turkey’s Military Factory and Shipyard Corporation (i.e., ASFAT A.Ş.) for four MILGEM corvettes for the Pakistan Navy (PN).[1]

In addition to acquiring a heavily customized version of the MILGEM, Pakistan will also gain ownership of the design’s intellectual property (IP).[2] Earlier articles on Quwa outlined the likely capabilities of Pakistan’s MILGEM configuration – also known as the Jinnah-class corvette (or frigate) — and how owning the IP could lead to the construction of units beyond the initial four ships.

In fact, the latter should be the likeliest outcome considering that, by 2030, the first of the PN’s existing four F-22P frigates will by 20-years of age, which may necessitate a successor ship by 2040-2045. However, there is more potential in the MILGEM design than simply a 1:1 means of replacing old ships. Should the PN continually invest in the MILGEM, it may gain a cost-effective qualitative and quantitative driver.

The Pakistan Navy’s Challenges
Structural economic woes and, in turn, recurring fiscal constraints have prevented the PN from effectively pursuing a qualitative edge over the Indian Navy (IN). In fact, the PN has arguably lost its qualitative edge against the IN as well, especially as the latter adds high-tech surface warships, helicopters, and other key technologies to its arsenal. Fortunately, the PN has built a relatively impressive procurement pipeline too – by 2030 it will have 12 modern large (i.e., 2,400+ ton) surface warships (i.e., Type 054A/P, MILGEM and F-22P), 11 submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP) (i.e., Hangor and Agosta 90B), and a fleet of new long-range maritime patrol aircraft (LRMPA) to complement its aging P-3C Orion LRMPAs.

However, the PN’s varied acquisition plans will induce logistical challenges, at least in the near-term. The F-22P, Type 054A/P, MILGEM, and FFG-7/Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) each draw on propulsion, electronics, and weapons from different sources. This is costly from a maintenance overhead standpoint as it involves multiple supply chains (some from potentially tenuous Western sources). However, it also presents some training and operational/deployment challenges, especially as each ship-type generally operates its own distinct suite of combat management systems (CMS) and weapons, among other subsystems.

Thus, while the PN’s acquisition pipeline will result in key capability gains – especially in terms of anti-air warfare (AAW) – they will not solve existing logistics issues. However, after 2030, the PN can – and should – leverage the MILGEM to consolidate most of its fleet on one design. Yes, one can expect more MILGEM ships, the PN should enlarge the program’s scope by pooling all future ships under this design.

Option 1: Design an ‘AAW MILGEM’
One route the PN can take is to design a MILGEM/Jinnah-class configuration that delivers ‘high-end’ war-fighting capabilities, such as long-range AAW. Qatar’s forthcoming Doha-class corvettes – i.e., which use a design similar in dimensions to the Jinnah-class – will deploy MBDA Aster-30 long-range surface-to-air missiles (SAM). Thus, fitting the MILGEM with long-range SAMs of similar size should be possible. Granted, the main limitation in this scenario would be the lower number of vertical launch system (VLS) cells (i.e., 16 cells in the MILGEM versus the Type 054A/P’s 32 cells).

However, considering that the Jinnah-class is a lengthened version of the Ada corvette, the PN can opt to further lengthen the design. Indeed, the Turkish company Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik (STM) had showcased a 3,500-ton variant of the MILGEM in 2017 (i.e., CF3500). Thus, the PN can enlarge the MILGEM further and, in turn, spawn a new sub-class under the MILGEM family.

Option 2: Design Simplified, Low-Cost MILGEMs
Instead of importing offshore patrol vessels (OPV) or other sub-2,000-ton ships, the PN could also look at designing a low-cost variant of the MILGEM. Basically, the PN can strip the design to the hull and select a specific set of subsystems. In other words, the PN can ‘dumb it down’ to only mission-critical systems.

For example, an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) oriented MILGEM would carry a form of towed sonar array – rather than the hull-monted TBT-01 sonar. Towed sonar systems enable you to search at varying depths (assuming your cable is of sufficient length), letting the PN to look for sub-surface threats in deeper waters compared to hull-mounted systems. However, by omitting the VLS and ESM, Pakistan can produce these simplified single-mission corvettes at markedly lower cost than a full-fledged Jinnah-class.

Next Steps: Get a Hand on Inputs
Fundamentally, the challenge for the PN is not as much in acquiring a ship design and creating variants of it for different needs. The Jinnah-class is clear proof that (1) such expertise is available on the market and (2) certain foreign OEMs (at least the Turks) are open to helping Pakistan. Rather, the challenge ahead is finding affordable sources for on-board weapons (e.g., SAM), electronics, the steel, and other inputs. Even if the PN can ‘own’ a ship design, foreign governments may condition the transfer of their inputs with the purchase of their competing ship designs. This will be extremely challenging as Pakistan is not an industrial power, nor a fully developed research and development (R&D) powerhouse.

Fortunately, there may be an opportunity to collaborate across most critical inputs with Turkey. The Turks are actively investing in a wide range of programs including, among others, medium and long-range SAMs, anti-ship missiles, ship-based radars, ESM, composite superstructures, CMS, and many other inputs. Flag-ship products include the ÇAFRAD radar for the TF-2000 AAW frigate, the Hisar-U/SIPER long-range SAM, Hisar-O medium-range SAM, Atmaca anti-ship missile (AShM), and ORKA lightweight torpedoes.

 

Anmdt

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I doubt if Pakistan can do those modifications on their own even if OEM packages are delivered, they own IP rights of the Jinnah Class and they received ToT to build, not to re-design; Pakistani engineers or officials didn't take place in the most of re-design process*1.
They can re-design Jinnah class by outsourcing (such as STM/ASFAT or other design companies in Turkey, or with permitted foreign companies) for only cost of the work done (re-design), but to obtain a new variant of Milgem (Ada-Class) they would need to pay for the design as well. In this case Turkey would seek for shared IP rights for the new vessel to get a share of the market.

*1 will be elaborated when needed

A few notes:

1- Istanbul Class is out of comparison with Type 54 frigates, due to the fact that, ESSM is installed in quadpacks which effectively allows 64 missiles to be installed for point defence and MR-AAW.

2- Jinnah class has 16 VLS, as required by PN not as a design limitation.

3- The ship can not be further extended (beyond Istanbul class frigate's limits) it requires a major re-design which equals of designing a ship from scratch that becomes more efficient,both in terms of the input (costs) and in terms of the output (effectivess of the new vessel). However, Ada-Class /or Istanbul Class can be re-designed with/without extension or changes in the hull, for +8/16 VLS.
 

Cabatli_TR

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Defence Turkey: Has STM assumed any task/role in the Pakistan Naval Forces MiLGEM Corvette Project (later named the Jinnah Class by the Pakistan Naval Forces), the contract of which was signed on July 5, 2018 and was effective on March 11, 2019? Has there been any negotiation or cooperation with ASFAT? The construction of the first ship was planned to begin in September 2019.

Murat İKİNCİ: As I mentioned in the beginning of the interview, the export of the MiLGEM project, in which we take place in every phase from the outset, has been our target toward which we have been making great efforts as STM from the beginning and we continued these activities under the management and support of the Presidency of Defence Industries.

STM’s first contact with the Pakistan Naval Forces was at the IDEAS/Karachi Fair in 2006. The Pakistan Naval Forces expressed their desire to participate in the design and prototype construction of the Turkish Naval Forces MiLGEM Corvette, and as a result of the ongoing negotiations since 2015, detailed studies have been initiated with a focus on the Pakistan MiLGEM “Jinnah” Class Corvette Project.

During this process, with the close support and contribution of our Naval Forces, the Pakistani delegation was invited to Turkey to examine the MiLGEM Class ships.

As a result of the ongoing efforts, the MiLGEM “Ada” Class Corvette was chosen as the platform thanks to our solutions and engineering recommendations, and a Letter of Intent was signed by the Defence Ministers of both countries at IDEF’ 17 for the construction of MiLGEM corvettes in Karachi. The ongoing supply model was decided upon to be transformed into the model of direct purchase from Turkey and in the contract phase it was ensured to be a single Country and Ship as Turkey-MiLGEM.

Throughout this process, our main goal, as STM, has been to provide support for the sustainable development of technology and our defence industry through the national knowhow that gained via the MiLGEM Project, in addition to the export of the platforms that emerged during the MiLGEM Project.

As it is known, the contract for the supply of MiLGEM Class ships that will be constructed together by two allied countries and are to be acquired by the Pakistan Navy was signed with ASFAT. What is important is not the party of the contract; the important thing is that Turkey has obtained this project and the MiLGEM Corvette will be put into service of our friendly and allied country. We, as an organization with the greatest engineering experience in MiLGEM, are always ready to give our utmost support.

As STM, our efforts in shaping the Pakistan corvette project (the construction and delivery of which will be realized by ASFAT) as MiLGEM and obtaining it for our country will continue to bring forth benefits also to the navies of other countries.
 

Test7

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I can't wait for this project to take to the seas.

Jinnah class ships have become really effective ships with some modifications. I am sure we will be very jealous of them when they go to sea. Because all the modifications we wanted on the milgems were added to these ships.

images
 

Waz

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Jinnah class ships have become really effective ships with some modifications. I am sure we will be very jealous of them when they go to sea. Because all the modifications we wanted on the milgems were added to these ships.

images

That's because of you guys bro, otherwise there wasn't anyone else.
The VLS is just an awesome addition.
Now I want the PN to commit to the ATMACA.
 

Test7

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That's because of you guys bro, otherwise there wasn't anyone else.
The VLS is just an awesome addition.
Now I want the PN to commit to the ATMACA.

Atmaca will be in serial production very soon with the domestic engine. I don't know if you watched it, but the final test launches took place a short while ago.
 

Waz

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Atmaca will be in serial production very soon with the domestic engine. I don't know if you watched it, but the final test launches took place a short while ago.

Saw the videos bro, looks just superb.
I'm hoping there's going to be a supersonic version in later years.
Regardless, it's potent and the perfect go to choice for Pakistan's Milgem variants.
Although we do have a supersonic missile in development for ship use.
 

Bilal Khan(Quwa) 

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I think with the 2x3 cell, the PN is going to use its supersonic-cruising anti-ship missile.
 

Anmdt

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Upon recent findings and statements from the PN Admiral and discussion by several members in the forum, for now we can call this design "PN Milgem corvette" until further update.
 

Anmdt

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Extensive model scale tests (Drag, self-propulsion, sea-keeping, maneuvering) of PN Milgem will be conducted in near future.
The preliminary tests were conducted before constructions has started, these tests are rather intends to certificate and assure the final bow-aft form.
 
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Waz

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Scaled model tests has been completed for PN Milgem Project. The final dimensions are shared as follows for the PN-Milgem Project.
View attachment 11270

As seen in the below, in front of the I-Class nearing to be launched, PN Milgem progress of the First ship can be seen.

Noticeable size differences between itself and ADA class. This is valuable information and an insight to the combat capabilities of the ship.
 

Test7

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Article By @Defence Turkey

60086bd22d839.jpg

Photo is credit by @DogutCem

Signed between the Main Contractor Military Factory and Shipyard Management Inc. (ASFAT) and the Pakistan Ministry of Defense Production on July 5, 2018 in Islamabad and became effective on March 11 2019, Pakistan Navy MILGEM Corvette Project (MILGEM-J, Pakistan Naval Forces named JINNAH Class), covers the construction of a total of 4 corvettes based on the design of ADA Class Corvette. Within the scope of the contract, two of the ships will be built at the Istanbul Shipyard Command and the other two at the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works/KSEW in Pakistan.

The project budget was announced to be US$ 1.5 billion at that time, and MoND Shipyards Deputy Director Rear Admiral Mehmet SARI, who delivered a speech on October 14, 2019 at the 9th Naval Systems Seminar, stated that the contract value was nearly EUR 1 billion. Following the completion of the design phase of the PN MILGEM Corvette Project, the construction of the first ship was officially launched on September 29, 2019, with the first steel cutting ceremony held within the scope of the TCG Kınalıada Corvette Delivery Ceremony. The first steel to be used on the first ship of the PN MILGEM Project was cut by President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN and Pakistan Navy Commander Admiral Zafar Mahmood ABBASI. The keel-laying ceremony of the first ship was held on June 3, 2020.

As per the construction process calendar shared by ASFAT, the main contractor of the project, the first ship would be completed in the T0+54th month in Turkey, the second ship in the 60th month in Pakistan, the third ship in the 66th month in Turkey, and the last ship in the 72nd month in Pakistan. There would be a period of 6 years between the start of the construction activities of the first ship and the delivery of the fourth ship. The last frigate of the JINNAH Class would be delivered at Karachi in 2025 and enter the Pakistan Navy inventory.

The Steel Cutting Ceremony of the 3rd Ship in the MILGEM-J JINNAH Class Corvette Project (it was supposed to be the 2nd ship according to the schedule, but the construction of the 3rd ship was initiated before the construction of the 2nd ship) was held on June 9, 2020 at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works/KSEW in Pakistan. The keel-laying ceremony of the 3rd ship was held on October 25, 2020 with the participation of Hulusi AKAR, the Minister of National Defense, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan NIAZI, Chief of the Pakistan Naval Staff (CNS), Muhsin DERE, Deputy Minister of National Defense, and Esad AKGÜN, CEO of ASFAT. I think Pakistani engineers and technicians that received on-the-job training at the Istanbul Shipyard Command during the construction of the first ship were assigned for the construction of the 3rd MILGEM-J JINNAH Class Corvette.

When the the high-resolution image of MILGEM-J/JINNAH Class Corvette is examined, which was prepared and shared in an electronic environment at the ceremony, it can be immediately noticed that it differs in external appearance from both ADA Class Corvettes and İSTİF Class Frigates of the Turkish Navy. In terms of technical features the JINNAH Class Corvettes can be located between the 2,400-ton (at full load) ADA Class Corvettes (have an overall length of 99.56m, an overall beam of 14.4m and draught of 3.89m) and the 3,000-ton İSTİF Class Frigates (have an overall length of 113.2m, an overall beam of 14.42m and draught of 4,05). According to PN MILGEM brochure issued by ASFAT recently the JINNAH Class Corvettes with mono-hull, displacement-type hull form, will have an overall length of 108.8 metres, an overall beam of 14.8m, draught of 4.1m, maximum speed of 26+ knots and displacement of 2.988 tons. As in the İSTİF Class, JINNAH Class Corvettes will also be equipped with Leonardo DRS (Oto Melara) 76 mm Super Rapid gun (it is claimed that the order was placed for 4 guns in the second half of 2019, but according to the information we have obtained the contract was signed only for one ship). The Fire Control System of the 76 mm Super Rapid gun will be an Aselsan product, and the required Fire Control Radars will also be provided by Aselsan (the product in the image is similar to the AKR-D Block-1, one is right above the bridge and the other is right behind the GÖKDENİZ CIWS placed at the stern of the ship.)

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First ship will be let to water in July. Construction of the 4th ship to begin in Pakistan soon. Project to be finished in 2025.
 
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