Pakistan's new Hangor-class submarine conducts maiden live weapon firing in Arabian Sea
ISPR says PNS/M Hangor accurately engaged a designated long-range target with an anti-ship cruise missile in the Arabian Sea, in a 'major demonstration of operational readiness'.
Pakistan’s first Hangor-class submarine has conducted its maiden live weapon firing in the Arabian Sea, the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday.
The newly inducted PNS/M Hangor “accurately engaged a designated long-range target with an anti-ship cruise missile” during the exercise, ISPR said, calling the firing “a major demonstration of operational readiness”.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf witnessed the firing, praising the submarine’s combat power and emphasising “the strategic importance of enhancing subsurface capabilities for credible maritime deterrence”, according to Dawn.
ISPR said the milestone underscored the Pakistan Navy’s commitment to maintaining “a modern, combat-ready force to safeguard national maritime frontiers and regional peace”.
The submarine arrived at Karachi Port in June, reflecting deepening strategic defence cooperation between Pakistan and China; the first boat was commissioned in Sanya, China, in April with President Asif Ali Zardari as chief guest, The News reported. The navy plans to induct eight Hangor-class submarines in total.
The name carries deep significance in Pakistan’s naval history: during the 1971 Pakistan-India war, the original PNS Hangor became the first submarine since the Second World War to sink a warship when it torpedoed the Indian frigate INS Khukri, Dawn reported.
Sources
- Dawn: “Newly inducted Hangor-class submarine conducts maiden live weapon firing: ISPR” (27 September 2026) — https://www.dawn.com/news/2033036
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