PNS Saad
{{Short description|Pakistan Navy air-independent propulsion submarine.}}
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{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = | Ship caption = }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Pakistan | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Pakistan|naval}} | Ship name = PNS Saad | Ship namesake = Sa`d | Ship ordered = 21 September 1994 | Ship builder = KSEW Ltd in Pakistan | Ship yard number = | Ship laid down = 6 June 1998 | Ship launched = 24 August 2002 | Ship acquired = 20 January 2003 | Ship commissioned = 12 December 2003 | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = 2003–present | Ship out of service = |Ship homeport = Jinnah Naval Base | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship identification =S138 | Ship fate = | Ship status ={{Ship in active service}} }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Agosta 90Bravo/{{sclass|Khalid|submarine}} |Ship displacement=
|Ship length= |Ship beam=
|Ship draught=
|Ship propulsion=2 × SEMT Pielstick 16 PA4 V 185 VG AIP MESMA: {{convert|3600|hp|lk=in|abbr=on}}, 1 × shaft. |Ship power=2 × Jeumont-Schneider alternators producing: {{convert|4600|hp|lk=in|abbr=on}}. |Ship speed=
|Ship range= {{convert|8,500|mi|km}} at {{convert|9|kn}} |Ship endurance=90 Days |Ship test depth=
|Ship complement=41 (7 officers, 35 enlisted){{cite web |title=Agosta 90B |url=http://www.deagel.com/Fighting-Ships/Agosta-90B_a000771002.aspx |website=www.deagel.com |accessdate=30 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022012452/http://www.deagel.com/Fighting-Ships/Agosta-90B_a000771002.aspx |archive-date=22 October 2018 |url-status=live }} |Ship sensors=Towed array sonar |Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
|Ship notes= }} |
PNS/M Saad (S-138) is a diesel-electric fast-attack submarine equipped with an air–independent propulsion system and the second of the Agosta-90B/Khalid-class submarines jointly designed and constructed by France and Pakistan.{{cite web |last1=Gady |first1=Franz-Stefan |title=Turkey to Upgrade Pakistan Navy Attack Sub |url=https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/turkey-to-upgrade-pakistan-navy-attack-sub/ |website=The Diplomat |accessdate=29 December 2018 |language=en |date=6 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221134634/https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/turkey-to-upgrade-pakistan-navy-attack-sub/ |archive-date=21 December 2018 |url-status=live }}
PNS Saad is regarded as the Pakistan's first home-built long-range submarine and one of the complex project of submarine construction using the military-grade steel to be built in Pakistan.{{cite news |title=Pakistan Navy commissions indigenously built Agosta 90B |url=https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1408110&language=en# |accessdate=29 December 2018 |agency=Kuwait News Agency |publisher=Kuwait News Agency |date=12 December 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229171844/https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1408110&language=en |archive-date=29 December 2018 |url-status=live }}
Overview
After the series of complicated and lengthy negotiations between the governments of Pakistan and France, she was placed on order by the Pakistan Navy on 21 September 1994.{{cite book |last1=Waters |first1=Conrad |title=Seaforth World Naval Review 2012 |date=2011 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |location=Barnsley, Yorkshire, UK |isbn=9781783466320 |pages=191 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lc87DAAAQBAJ&dq=Agosta+90b+21+September+1994&pg=PA74 |accessdate=19 December 2018 |language=en-us |chapter-format=google books |chapter={{small|§(Pakistan Navy)}}}}
In June 1998, she was laid down by the French contractor, DCNS, in Cherbourg in France.{{rp|530}}{{cite book |last1=Wertheim |first1=Eric |title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World |date=2005 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=9781591149347 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoo-AQAAIAAJ&q=PNS+Khalid+Laid+down+1997 |accessdate=19 December 2018 |language=en}} Saad is unique among her class because she was partially built in Cherbourg and was shipped to Naval Base Karachi to be completed by the KSEW Ltd. in Karachi.{{rp|308}}{{cite book |title=Selections from Regional Press |date=2006 |publisher=Institute of Regional Studies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zOAuAQAAIAAJ&q=PNS+Saad |accessdate=29 December 2018 |language=en}} Meanwhile, Khalid, the lead ship, was built entirely in France, while {{ship|PNS|Hamza|S139|2}}, the third submarine of the class, was built entirely in Pakistan.{{cite web | title = Khalid Class (Fr Agosta 90B) | url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/khalid.htm | publisher = GlobalSecurity.org | date = 20 February 2009 | accessdate = 5 September 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090724133938/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/khalid.htm | archive-date = 24 July 2009 | url-status = live }} In 2009, there were several proposals that called for a further three submarines of the class to all be built entirely in Pakistan.
Prior to her launch, the 11 of the 80 French naval personnel in Pakistan to supervise the completion of Saad were killed when their transit bus was struck by a car filled with explosives. Contemporary news accounts reported that the French Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jean-Pierre Kelche, blamed the al-Qaeda for the attack took place on 8 May 2002.{{cite news | title = Al-Qa'eda 'behind' Karachi car bomb | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1393531/Al-Qaeda-behind-Karachi-car-bomb.html | work = The Daily Telegraph | date = 8 May 2002 | accessdate = 6 September 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121112102812/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1393531/Al-Qaeda-behind-Karachi-car-bomb.html | archive-date = 12 November 2012 | url-status = live }}
On 24 August 2002, Saad was launched in Karachi's coast before being set for further trials in deep sea.{{rp|143}}{{cite book |title=Sea Breezes: The Ship Lovers' Digest |date=2003 |publisher=C. Birchell |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ZQqAQAAIAAJ&q=Saad |accessdate=29 December 2018 |language=en}}
On 20 January 2003, Saad was tested for its propulsion system, chain steering system, fuel system, speed monitoring system, communication system and submarines habitability and atmospheric control system, according to the Pakistani military's ISPR.{{cite news |title=Sea trial of Agosta sub begins |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/78498 |accessdate=29 December 2018 |work=DAWN.COM |publisher=Dawn newspapers |date=20 January 2003 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229171507/https://www.dawn.com/news/78498 |archive-date=29 December 2018 |url-status=live }} She was reportedly tested for her depth ratings, reaching at 400m under the sea.{{cite book |title=Jane's International Defense Review: IDR. |date=2003 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SuC5AAAAIAAJ&q=Saad+depth+test |accessdate=29 December 2018 |language=en}} Her successful depth ratings were reported by the French Navy who later marked Pakistan's entry into the small club of countries to be able to build the modernized diesel-electric submarines.
On 12 December 2003, she was commissioned into the Pakistan Navy as PNS Saad, a namesake after Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas– the companion of Muhammad.{{cite news |last1=Habib |first1=Younis |title=Pakistan submarine ready for trials |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2677371.stm |accessdate=29 December 2018 |work=BBC Pakistan Burea |agency=BBC |publisher=BBC |date=20 January 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229172848/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2677371.stm |archive-date=29 December 2018 |url-status=live }} At the time her launching, India reportedly bought the aircraft carrier from Russia to counter the submarine's threat in the Indian Ocean but did not enter in the service of the Indian Navy until 2013. Her complement crew varies but is reported at 41 personnel (7 officers, 35 enlisted).
Upgrades
In 2011, she underwent with overhauling, and retrofitted her propulsion system with the air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems by the technicians at the KSEW Ltd.{{cite news |last1=Syed |first1=Baqir Sajjad |title=China to build four submarines in Karachi |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1211363 |accessdate=30 December 2018 |agency=Dawn Newspaper |publisher=Dawn Newspaper |date=7 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629021837/https://www.dawn.com/news/1211363 |archive-date=29 June 2018 |url-status=live }}
On 6 March 2018, the DCNS, its original builder, lost the bidding competition with the Turkish firm, STM, for its refitting and upgradation of her weapon system, combat control system, missile rooms, and periscope upgrades, and will receive her upgrades by the Turkish technical firms at the KSEW Ltd. in 2021 following the delivery of the PNS Khalid that is slated to be return to her military service in 2020.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Agosta class submarines}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saad (S138)}}
Category:Khalid-class submarines
Category:Ships built in France