MILGEM ship
Last week, the keel-laying – or the formal recognition of the start of the construction ceremony for the first ship was held at Turkey’s Istanbul Navy Shipyard. During a previous ceremony, in October 2019, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi cut the first metal plate of the first MILGEM ship.
The Pakistani Navy will receive the first two MILGEM ships in 2023 and the remaining two by 2025.
A spokesperson of the Pakistan Navy said that the domestic construction of the ships will help promote the shipbuilding industry. He added the construction of MILGEM-class ships reflects the strong bonds that exist between Pakistan and Turkey.
According to Pakistan’s The Nation, these ships will be among the most technologically advanced platforms in the country. They will significantly contribute to maintaining the balance of power in the Indian Ocean Region.