Pakistan Navy Accepts Hamza Submarine

Pakistan Navy Accepts Hamza Submarine (NSI News Source Info) PARIS - October 1, 2008: The Pakistan Navy has completed customer acceptance of the Hamza diesel-electric submarine, an Agosta B-class boat equipped with a Mesma air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, French naval company DCNS said Sept. 30. Integration of the Mesma AIP module in the Hamza was a world first, DCNS said in a statement.

Agosta B-class submarine

"Following intensive sea trials, the customer formally declared that PNS Hamza met its acceptance criteria," DCNS said. An AIP system generates electricity without a snorkel, thus decreasing risk of detection as snorkeling requires running at the surface. DCNS hopes to sell further submarines to Pakistan, a company executive said. The Pakistan Navy is understood to have recommended submarines from HDW of Germany. Pakistan Naval Dockyard, Karachi, built the Hamza submarine under a technology-transfer deal with DCNS. Two more Mesma modules are being built for retrofit on the sister boats PNS Khalid and PNS Saad. The Pakistan Navy, PN Dockyard, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) and DCNS cooperated on the Mesma program. DCNS has also sold six Scorpene diesel-electric submarines with MBDA Exocet anti-ship missiles. India will build the Scorpene under license at local yards.