
The conference was also aimed at promoting “timely and high quality export projects”, Hu said. The $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a key part of Xi’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative aimed at spurring economic development. All the submarines will be fitted with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems.īoth countries have not identified the type of submarine to be supplied by China but analysts have speculated that it could an export variant of the Chinese Navy’s Type 039 and Type 041 Yuan-class vessel.Ĭhina, which is Pakistan’s largest supplier of military hardware, is expected to provide a long-term loan at a low interest rate for the submarine deal worth between $4 billion and $5 billion.Ĭhina Shipbuilding Industry Corporation chairman Hu was quoted as saying that the conference held on October 12 aimed to continue the spirit generated by President Xi Jinping’s speeches on the Belt & Road Construction Work Symposium in August. Naval officials had also said that four of the diesel-electric submarines will be built at the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.Ĭhina is expected to deliver the first four submarines by 2023 while the others will be completed by 2028. We are listing all tourist submarines available with us for sale. In August, members of the standing committee of defence of Pakistan’s National Assembly had been informed by naval officials about the deal for the eight Chinese submarines. Hu confirmed the “project to export eight attack submarines to Pakistan” at the conference. The China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation held a conference on October 12 to discuss details of the deal, China Shipbuilding Online reported. US lawmakers recently blocked a move to subsidise the sale of eight F-16 jets because of concerns that Pakistan isn’t doing enough to combat terrorism. The deal comes at a time when military cooperation between Pakistan and the US has taken a nosedive. Britain has spent 500 million pounds (US646.4 million) maintaining those decommissioned subs between 19.

Reports in the Chinese state media and the military’s official website quoted China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation chairman Hu Wenming as confirming the submarine deal, which had been in the pipeline for long. China is deepening its military ties with Pakistan by offering it eight attack submarines.(AP) Chinese military officers walk past a photo of President Xi Jinping in Beijing. With the foundation for a “Pacific NATO” coming into focus, all eyes turn to China, which is unlikely to respond well to the news of Australia’s acquisition of several advanced military platforms.China has announced the sale of eight attack submarines to its close ally Pakistan, widely considered to be one of Beijing’s biggest military deals with an estimated value of about $5 billion.

A big, flexible submarine-83 feet longer than earlier Virginia class subs, the expanded platform has the capability to carry everything from commandos to hypersonic missiles-another enormous AUKUS priority. While details on the submarine purchasing agreement have yet to be disclosed, the latest production model, the “Block V” Virginia class variant, seems to be the logical place for the U.S. and Australia need.” A Perfect Tie-In With Hypersonic Missile TechĪnd, finally, the Virginia class sale opens the door to the Australian acquisition of modern, long-range strike weaponry. Navy into building out of some unexciting, long-divested/under-funded submarine maintenance capabilities that both the U.S. As I wrote before, “as submarine builders gradually deliver a few subs to Australia, the Pentagon can use the time to force the resistant U.S. submarine force, deal to sell four Virginia class subs takes the pressure off by keeping U.S. Navy’s ability to operate the growing U.S. With America’s prolific sub-builders outpacing the U.S. Right now, in the U.S., a production and operations mismatch threatens the very viability of the U.S. Second, the Virginia class sale offers America a welcome opportunity to maintain high submarine manufacturing rates while rebalancing a decayed submarine maintenance industrial base.
