Türkiye has handed over the second MILGEM-class corvette, PNS Khaibar, to the Pakistan Navy during a ceremony in Istanbul on 20 December 2025. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presided over the event, emphasising the "brotherly" ties between Ankara and Islamabad amid shared strategic interests in the Indian Ocean and Middle East.

This delivery follows the induction of PNS Babur in May 2024, marking the second vessel from a 2018 contract for four corvettes.

PNS Khaibar belongs to the Babur-class variant of the MILGEM family, scaled up to nearly 3,000 tonnes with a length of 108 metres. It employs CODAG propulsion using two diesel engines and a gas turbine, achieving speeds over 26 knots, a range of 3,500 nautical miles, and endurance of about 15 days.

The warship supports anti-submarine warfare via 324 mm torpedoes and hull-mounted sonar, alongside a flight deck for medium helicopters suited to ASW, surveillance, or search-and-rescue roles.

Aselsan provides an integrated suite including 3D air-search radar, low-probability-of-intercept navigation radar, torpedo countermeasures, a 35 mm close-in weapon system, and 25 mm remote stations, all linked through a modern combat management system.

Armament features long-range cruise missiles and medium-range surface-to-air missiles for anti-surface, anti-air, and area defence missions. Prior to handover, PNS Khaibar completed successful live-fire trials in October 2025, striking sea, land, and aerial targets with precision.

The program divides construction evenly: PNS Babur and PNS Khaibar were built at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, while PNS Bedir and PNS Tarik proceed at Karachi Shipyard with Turkish assistance.

This setup transfers design expertise, enabling Pakistan to adapt the MILGEM design towards an indigenous frigate. Turkish firms like ASFAT, Aselsan, and Havelsan sustain their defence exports through such deals, bolstering Ankara's shipbuilding reputation.

Operationally, PNS Khaibar enhances Pakistan Navy capabilities in the Arabian Sea, integrating with Chinese, Western, and local systems for networked multi-role operations.

It diversifies Islamabad's suppliers away from traditional sources, fostering industrial localisation to reduce costs and create jobs. The partnership aligns with warming Türkiye-Pakistan relations, including counterterrorism coordination and regional support.

This milestone underscores non-Western defence cooperation, positioning both nations for strategic autonomy in contested waters. With two ships delivered and two pending by 2027, the Babur-class will reshape Pakistan's naval posture. The project exemplifies complete naval solutions from hulls to training, amid global shifts in defence sourcing.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)