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Pakistan Navy corvette PN KHAIBAR (F-282) has begun sea trials at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, marking a major milestone in the Türkiye-Pakistan MILGEM defense cooperation project.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the vessel's transition to the sea acceptance testing phase.
The ministry stated: "At Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command, following the completion of outfitting and harbor tests on PN KHAIBAR (F-282) being built for Pakistan Naval Forces Command under ASFAT main contractorship, the vessel conducted its first sea trial and began the 'Sea Acceptance Test Process.'"
The Pakistan Navy corvette project stems from the most significant defense initiative between Türkiye and Pakistan to date. The contract was signed in 2018 for four corvettes based on the Turkish navy's MILGEM Project design.
Two vessels are being constructed at Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command, while the other two are being built at Pakistan's state-owned Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW).
The F-282 PNS Khaibar, the third ship in the series, was laid down on May 1, 2021, in Istanbul.
The PN MILGEM/BABUR Class corvette measures 108.2 meters in length with a 14.8-meter beam and 4.1-meter draft. The vessel displaces 2,985 tons and accommodates 142 personnel.
The propulsion system combines two MTU 16V 595 TE90 diesel engines with one General Electric LM2500 gas turbine motor. The Pakistan Navy corvette achieves speeds of 29 knots with a range of 3,500 nautical miles.
Electronic systems include Aselsan's Hizir torpedo countermeasure and deception system, ARES-2N electronic warfare system, SMART-S Mk2 S-Band 3D radar, ALPER LPI radar, and AKREP fire control radar.
The SeaEye-AHTAPOT electro-optical surveillance system and PIRI infrared search and tracking system provide additional capabilities.
Navigation relies on the Northrop Grumman LN-270 INS/GPS, while underwater detection uses the Meteksan YAKAMOS hull-mounted sonar.
The weapon suite includes one Leonardo 76mm Super Rapido main gun and 16 MBDA CAMM-ER air defense missiles in the ALBATROS NG system. Six P-282 hypersonic surface-to-surface guided missiles are housed in two triple launchers, providing the Pakistan Navy corvette with advanced strike capabilities.
Close-in defense features one Aselsan 35mm Gokdeniz CIWS and two Aselsan 25mm STOP stabilized machine gun systems. Two triple Leonardo torpedo launch systems provide underwater warfare capabilities.
The Pakistan Navy corvette built by ASFAT incorporates weapon systems from Türkiye, Pakistan, and European sources. The STIR MK-2EO fire control radar system by Aselsan manages targeting operations alongside the SMART-S 3D search radar.
The ALBATROS NG air defense system replaced the initially planned Chinese HHQ-16 medium-altitude air defense missiles. The cold-launch vertical launch system includes fire control units and CAMM-ER medium-range air defense missiles, adaptable to land platforms.
Pakistan's P-282 hypersonic surface-to-surface ballistic missile selection adds strategic importance to the Pakistan Navy corvette. The high-speed missiles offer long range and maneuverability, making them difficult to intercept against enemy ships and strategic land targets.
The P-282 system was announced in 2020, though no visual documentation is publicly available. The hypersonic speeds enable both extended range capabilities and enhanced strike effectiveness through superior maneuver capabilities.
The vessels maintain the Havelsan ADVENT combat management system and ship data distribution for Turkish ships.
The integration of weapon and sensor systems from multiple countries demonstrates the MILGEM design flexibility and ADVENT combat management system adaptability for potential export customers.
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