While recent attention from the defense analysis community has largely focused on the aerial domain, defense cooperation between China and Pakistan also extends significantly into other strategic areas. One of the most notable milestones is the modernization of the Pakistan Navy’s attack submarine fleet, highlighted by the joint construction of eight new Hangor-class submarines. Surface sea trials for one of the units built in China were recently recorded, marking a key development in the program.
Aiming to replace its aging fleet of Agosta-class submarines —acquired in the 1970s and 1990s— Pakistan reached agreements with China for the joint construction of a new class of submarines based on the Chinese Navy’s Type 039B design.
Under contracts signed in 2015, the Pakistan Navy will receive a total of eight Hangor-class attack submarines. Four of these are being built by the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Company Ltd. in Wuhan Province, while the remaining four are under construction at the Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Ltd. in Pakistan.
According to the latest updates, the Chinese shipbuilder has already launched two of these submarines, while the Pakistani shipyard is advancing in the local construction of the first two, having completed the keel-laying of the second unit in February 2024.
More recently, a series of photographs circulating online appear to show surface sea trials of one of the Wuchang-built submarines, likely taking place near the Shuangliu Naval Base. However, neither the Chinese company nor the Pakistan Navy have issued official statements providing further details on these tests.
In addition to progress in the submarine domain, it’s worth noting the recent proposal made by Chinese authorities to equip the Pakistan Air Force with Shenyang J-35A stealth fighters, Shanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, and HQ-19 ballistic missile defense systems.
About the Hangor-class attack submarines:
Presumably based on the Type 039B design, though sharing several features with the Type 039A, the Hangor-class submarines represent Pakistan’s effort to renew its underwater warfare capabilities with a modern diesel-electric attack platform. Although limited official information is available, the class is believed to be an export variant of the Type 039B, with a displacement of 2,800 tons, a length of 76 meters, and an estimated beam of 8.4 meters.
Regarding propulsion, several sources indicate that the submarine will feature an Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, most likely powered by Chinese-origin components —as opposed to the original S26 design, which relied on MTU engines subject to third-party export restrictions.
The armament suite remains a major unknown, though it is widely speculated that the submarines will be capable of deploying a variety of torpedoes, as well as submarine-launched anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles. Among the possibilities is the integration of a submarine-launched variant of the Babur-3 cruise missile.
*Photos: credits to respective authors.
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