The launching ceremony of the Pakistan Navy's new submarine this time has taken the navies of the entire Asian region by surprise. What is so special about this new submarine that makes everyone pay so much attention? Also, there has always been military competition between Pakistan and India, will this time because of this submarine be the winner?
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In fact, this launching ceremony is not just as simple as the launching of a submarine. This submarine is the first of China's $5 billion Kirin-class conventional submarines, built specifically for the Pakistan Navy. This is a big list and a great joy for China's shipbuilding industry. For the Pakistan Navy, this is a major breakthrough in their submarine forces.
Speaking of which, this business did not go so smoothly at the beginning. Pakistan originally wanted to buy new submarines from France, but India disrupted it. Later, they wanted to buy it from Germany, but it still didn't work. In the end, I had no choice but to find China. Fortunately, both parties were quite sincere, and in the end, the business was finally completed.
The name of this "Kirin"-class submarine sounds quite majestic, as if it is some mysterious and powerful existence. But in fact, it is an upgraded version of the kind of old submarine that our Chinese Navy has been using. Don't underestimate this "upgraded version", it is equipped with a lot of high-tech things, making its performance particularly good, and it can be said that it is one of the best submarines in the world right now.
All eight Kirin-class submarines are equipped with AIP systems. This AIP system is like adding a super battery to the submarine, so that it can stay underwater for a longer time and will not be easily detected by others. Therefore, the endurance and concealment of this "Kirin" class submarine are first-class. If it were to deal with those carrier battle groups, it would be like a snake dealing with passers-by, giving the enemy a headache.
As for the Indian Navy, they now have a few aircraft carriers to support them, but their destroyers and frigates are a bit old and not as good as the new technology they have now. They will have to wait until 2028 for their second aircraft carrier, the Sigbe, to be fully ready and enter service. But by that time, Pakistan's Kirin-class submarines would have been ready for a long time and would become an important counterweight to India's aircraft carriers. It's like a race, India is still slowly preparing, and Pakistan has already rushed to the finish line early, waiting to surprise them.
The Pakistan Navy has always valued submarines. A long time ago, one of their French-built "Hango" submarines sank an Indian frigate in the war, winning honor for the Pakistani Navy. This time, the first Chinese-built "Kirin"-class submarine they bought was also called "Hanguo," which shows how much they attach importance to submarines.
In fact, there is a small story behind the reason why Pakistan finally bought Chinese submarines. It turned out that they had earlier wanted to buy it from France, but they were disrupted by India. Later, they went to Germany again, but India still refused to let them. In the end, I had no choice but to buy Chinese. This is a bit like the United States did not sell F-16 fighters to Pakistan in the past, and in the end they could only buy J-10CE from China. In this way, when the United States and India are guarding against Pakistan, they have brought Pakistan closer to China.
If the Pakistan Navy's "Kirin" fleet is used together with the 054A frigate, Thunder early warning aircraft and other Chinese weapons they bought before, then their combat effectiveness will definitely be stronger. This kind of all-round operational concept is actually the experience accumulated by our Chinese armed forces over the years, and it is also something that many developing countries want to learn.
We have been helping Pakistan since many years ago, from J-6 fighters to J-7s and tanks, we have always been good partners for them. Now, we are their main source of weapons and military partner. Although there were twists and turns in the middle, we never gave up, and finally gained this rare friendship and cooperation.
For China, being able to export such a good submarine is certainly a big step for military products to enter the international market. For Pakistan, they also get an advanced submarine force that is very cost-effective. Although both sides have paid a lot, the gains have also been extraordinary. Therefore, the launching of this "Hanguo" submarine is not just a submarine, but also a historic moment in the cooperation between our two countries for several decades. As for the Indian Navy, they may now have to think hard about how to deal with this new situation.