The sea trials for the Babur-class corvette PNS Khaibar (F-282), built under the Pakistan-Türkiye MILGEM programme, started sea trials at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, in what comes as a major milestone in the bilateral defence relationship between the two countries. The sea trials come even as there is a major erosion in the relationsip between India and Türkiye amid the latter's strong diplomatic and material support for Pakistan, especially on the Kashmir issue.
PNS Khaibar—reportedly the most important defence initiative between the two countries—was seen being accompanied by the Turkish offshore patrol vessel Akhisar.
"At Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command, following the completion of outfitting and harbor tests on PN Khaibar 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," a statement from the Turkish defence ministry stated.
The multi-mission corvette PNS Khaibar, with a displacement capacity of nearly 3,000 tonnes, has combined diesel and gas turbine, and can speed up to 29–30+ knots. It is equipped wih SMART-S Mk2 3D radar, Aselsan’s Hizir torpedo countermeasure suite, SeaEye-AHTAPOT electro-optical sensors, and ALBATROS NG air defense system.
The integration of advanced sensors, multinational weapon systems including P-282 hypersonic surface-to-surface missiles and a Leonardo 76mm Super Rapido main gun, and hypersonic missiles positions the class among the most capable corvettes in the world.
Under the MILGEM programme, two of these warships are being built in Türkiye, and two in Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works under the technology transfer scheme.
Türkiye is a major arms supplier to Pakistan. The two countries have a strong defence tie-up spanning air, naval, land, and cyber domains, with regular military training exercises, joint defence projects, technology transfers and arms sales.
"Through joint ventures in defense technology, co-production of military equipment, and collaborative training and exercises, Türkiye and Pakistan are committed to supporting each other in achieving self-sufficiency in arms manufacturing," a statement in Defence Turkey reads.
While India should view Pakistan’s acquisition of advanced Turkish-built warships part of the country's naval modernisation efforts a major step regional naval competition as it shows an incresed Pakistan-Türkiye defense ties, the Indian Navy remains significantly larger and technologically advanced, with a broader fleet of destroyers, frigates, aircraft carriers, and submarines.