The Pakistan Navy Custodian of The Country's Coastline
Thursday, September 29, 2011 5:02 PM Posted by ZAKIR{F}KHURRAM
As the custodian of the country's coastline, territorial waters, and Sea
Lines Of Communications (SLOCs) the Pakistan Navy has a vital role to
play in the defence set-up of the country.
The Pakistan Navy is moving from the old to new technologies at
a rapid pace. The navy will have to consolidate the new weaponry, which
will take time as this will involve a basic restructuring of personnel
and logistics to suit future needs.
The Pakistan Navy's primary role is to guard the country's
territorial waters and oversee enforcement of jurisdiction over nearly
240,000 square miles of waters constituting Pakistan's Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ). The navy is also tasked with protection of
Pakistan's SLOCs, its 960km long coastline and its ports, especially the
port of Karachi. Barely 150 km from the Indian border, Karachi has the
only developed berthing facilities for handling the bulk of Pakistan's
trade, naval dockyards, repair and overhauling facilities as well as the
strategic national petroleum reserves. Another port of significance is
Port Qasim, a more modern commercial port designed primarily for grain
exports, but without naval shore facilities. Of lesser importance are
the subsidiary ports of Pasni. Jiwani and Gwadar. Critical SLOCs are the
maritime routes running from Karachi to the Persian Gulf, the Suez
Canal, East Africa and the Far East.
After the Passing of the UN Law of Sea Convention of 1982,
Pakistan acquired an EEZ of about 240,000 square miles. In order to
provide protection to this vast area, the Pakistan Government decided to
raise the Maritime Security Agency (MSA), which was formally
inaugurated on 1 January 1987. The MSA implements the local and
international laws in the EEZ, and provides surveillance against
poaching by illegal vessels and unauthorised survey by foreign craft. It
also conducts SAR missions, and implements measures for control of
pollution and fishery protection. Available SAR facilities include
aircraft, surface vessels and a network for the reception of distress
signals.
Secondary navy's mission comprise coastal surveillance; SAR
duties, hydro-graphic surveys, maintaining navigational aids, and law
enforcement. As regards in particular the latter, in recent years the
navy's role has been expended to include narcotics interdiction,
anti-terrorist operations, anti-smuggling, elimination of piracy and
combating environmental pollution.
The naval headquarters is situated at Islamabad but the fleet
as logistic commands are in Karachi, together with most of the training
facilities. During the late 1980s, in association with the expansion of
the fleet, the Pakistan Government ordered the construction of a new
major base at Ormara, 200km west of Karachi. The Ormara Project was
named "Jinnah Naval Base" after the founder of the nation.
During the 1980s, the Pakistan Navy went through an
unprecedented period of growth. It virtually doubled its surface fleet
from nine main surface combatants in 1980 up to 16 by 1989, also
acquiring sophisticated long-range anti-ship missiles and enhancing its
maritime reconnaissance capabilities. This expansion process also proved
the navy's ability to manage the added administrative, maintenance and
operational loads.
The submarine force currently consists of two HASTMAT class
(AGOSTA type) built between 1976 and 1980, four HANGOR class (DAPHNE
type) built between 1967 and 1970 and one KHALID class (AGOSTA 90B
type), all of these boats being of French origin. The HASHMATs were
modified in 1985 to fire Sub-HARPOON depth-to-surface anti-ship
missiles. The HANGOR class boats, now close to obsolescence, will be
replaced by three new AGOSTA 90B type submarines, first of which has
already been inducted into Pakistan navy.
The main assets of the naval air wing currently consist of two
P-3C ORION and four improved Breguet ATLANTIC anti-submarine and
maritime patrol aircraft, four F-27 maritime surveillance and EW
aircraft, plus thirteen ship-borne helicopters, comprising six Mk45
SEAKINGs, three LYNX ASW/attack types and four SA-319B ALOUETTE IIIs.
The Marine Corps is the youngest force in the Pakistan Navy.
With its establishment the navy has become capable of operations on four
dimensions, i.e., on the sea with surface combatants, under the sea
with submarines, in the air with naval aircraft and on the ground with
the Marine Corps.
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