Pakistan Navy will soon receive two tripartite-class minehunters from the Netherlands to further enhance its defensive capabilities in the national littoral territories.
As per reliable defence sources, currently, Haarlem and Middelburg tripartite-class minehunters are on their way to Pakistan and will be made a part of the naval fleet next month.
The navies of the Netherlands, Belgium, and France manufactured the tripartite-class minehunters as part of a joint agreement between the 1980s and 1990s.
During this period, a total of 35 ships were manufactured. In, the Netherlands these ships are known as Alkmaar-class, Eridan-class in France, and Aster-class in Belgium.
In 1992, Pakistan and France signed an agreement for the acquisition of three Eridan-class minehunters. These ships are known as Munsif-class in Pakistan. Later Pakistan Navy renamed these ships Muhafiz, Munsif, and Mujahid.
Moreover, a tripartite-class minehunter, officials said, has a length of 169 feet 3 inches, a width of 29 feet 2 inches, and a draught (distance between the waterline and bottom of the vessel) of 12 feet 6 inches.
The Tripartite class is a distinct class of minehunters?with a top speed of 28 km/h and a range of 5,600 km. It can carry 2 PAP 104 mine disposal systems. It is armed with one DUBM 21B sonar radar and one Decca 1229 navigation radar. It is equipped with one 20 mm model F2 gun, two 7.62 mm machine guns, and two 12.7 mm machine guns.
Officials further said that After the vessels from the Netherlands are commissioned into service in the following month, the number of minehunters of the Pakistan Navy will be five.
At present, the vessel carrying the two minehunters is being sailed from Genova port of Italy to the Egyptian port of Suez, which is found at the southern boundary of the Suez Canal, according to the media sources.