Posted on 08/24/2002 5:55:11 PM PDT by fiftymegaton
August 24, 2002
Pakistan launches Agosta submarine By Aamir Shah UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Pakistan on Saturday launched its first submarine built in the country, an Agosta 90B Class attack submarine, manufactured in its naval facility with French assistance and now heading out to sea for six months of field trials.
"Today Pakistan joins the elite club of a very few countries that have the ability to construct submarines," Adm. Abdul Aziz Mirza said in Pakistan's port city of Karachi. Mirza, who is Pakistan's chief of naval staff, also paid tribute to the 11 French technicians who were killed in a suicide attack launched by Islamic militants in Karachi on May 8. "Though this incident could have inflicted irrevocable damage, the project remained on track thanks to the excellent cooperation between France and Pakistan," he said. "This is a message to those who committed the cowardly act of terrorism that such incidents will not deter or dissuade the two countries from achieving the common desired objectives." Pakistan has named the submarine -- the eighth in its fleet -- S/M Saad after Saad Bin Waqas, a famous warrior who captured Iran in the early days of Islam. It is the second of three submarines ordered in an agreement with France, under which Pakistan purchased one built in France and is constructing the other two itself with guidance by French experts. Mirza on Saturday also directed that one section of the naval facility responsible for building the Agosta be named Cherbourg Hall, after the city in France where the 11 technicians were based. The naval chief described the launching of the Agosta as a momentous event, one that will go down in history as one of the Pakistani navy's biggest achievements and contribution toward indigenization and self-reliance. It conveys a decided edge over Pakistan's rival India, he added. Construction of the second Agosta-90B started in 1998. The first was built under the same contract with DCN International of France at DCN Cherbourg, France. It was commissioned as PNS/M Khalid in September 1999 and is operating successfully. DCN and the French navy designed the Agosta 90B to operate as an anti-submarine, anti-surface vehicle to gather intelligence as well as to patrol the sea. It is equipped with four bow torpedo tubes and is also capable of diving deeper than 300 meters (325 yards) with a maximum sprint speed of 20 kilo knots. With its 36-man crew, Agosta can carry and fire up to a total of 16 ECAN F17 Mod 2 torpedoes and Exocet SM39 missiles. The torpedoes are a wire-guided design that can deliver a warhead down to almost 2,000 feet below the water's surface; the missiles, a sea-skimming airborne warhead that can hit targets up to 30 miles away at just below the speed of sound, which is about 750 miles per hour. Mirza, noting Pakistan's gratitude to the French, termed Saad's launch an important event for both countries. "For France it has opened new markets in submarine construction," he said, "whereas for Pakistan it is a major step towards gaining the confidence and expertise in undertaking construction of modern-day ships and submarines indigenously." He added, "I am confident that the cooperation between France and Pakistan will continue to grow further." As part of their agreement, DCN gave license to Pakistan to build and sell more Agosta submarines. Currently, the Spanish as well as French and Pakistani navies sail the sub. The naval chief also announced that Pakistan and China are expected to sign a contract shortly for the construction of four surface naval ships F22-Babr of 2500 tons, with first constructed in China and remaining three at Naval Dockyard Karachi. He said government approved this priority project, under which Chinese technology would also be transferred to Pakistan navy.
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In Pakistan, Agosta B90 Pakistan Submarine builtwith the assistance of France.
The Exocet is a French missile. There are a few versions. The Exocet SM39 is sub lanched. It is carried by French subs (Rubis/Amythist class SSN's, Agosta SSK's, and Triumphante SSBN's). It is also carried on the old Daphne class SSK and newer Agosta SSK of the Spanish, Portugese, and Pakistani navies.
The Exocet SM38 is a ship and air-lanched version. It gained notoriety during the Argentie war when the Agentine Navy Super Enterdes used them to sink some British ships. Likewise Iraq mounted them on Mirage 2000's during the Iran-Iraq war. One of those fired on and hit the USS Stark.
Finally, there is the Exocet SM40 which is a more advanced and longer ranged ship lanched version.
The Exocet SM39 has a conventional shaped charge warhead.
I doubt Pakistan has the advanced miniturization technology to make a small warhead. The warhead would have to weigh under 1000 pounds and be smaller than 21 inches (533mm) around.
The Soviets and now the Russians use nuclear anti-shipping missles.
I don't know if India has puchased any Klub ASM's for its Kilo 877EKM's. India has at least one Charlie class SSGN with its SS-N-7 asm.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/navy.htm
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