Pakistan Inducts First Hangor-Class Submarine After Years of Delay
Pakistan has inducted the first of eight Hangor-class submarines under a deal signed with China in April 2015. The submarine, PNS Hangor, entered service in 2026, several years after the original deadline of 2023.
The project, valued at an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion, is the largest defence acquisition in Pakistan’s history. Under the agreement, four submarines were to be built in China and delivered by 2023, with the remaining four assembled at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) by 2028.
As of 2026, only one submarine has been inducted. Three other China-built vessels — PNS Shushuk, PNS Mangro, and PNS Ghazi — have been launched and are undergoing sea trials. The original delivery deadline for these four submarines has passed without any having entered service on schedule.
Multiple factors contributed to the delays. Germany refused to issue export licences for MTU engines originally selected, forcing the use of Chinese CHD-620 engines instead. The COVID-19 pandemic and challenges in integrating a new submarine design also slowed progress. Pakistani authorities have not disclosed revised deadlines.
The four submarines to be built at KSEW face additional hurdles. Construction of the fifth submarine began in December 2021, and the keel for the sixth was laid in February 2025. While infrastructure investments, such as a new Ship Lift and Transfer System, have been made, experts note that building a new submarine class is complex. Pakistan previously built the Agosta 90B-class submarine PNS Hamza in 2008, but the Hangor class involves greater cost and technology.
It is expected that all eight submarines will be delivered between 2028 and 2030. Defence analysts suggest the remaining China-built boats could enter service relatively quickly. The Pakistan Ministry of Defence has not commented on whether penalty clauses exist in the contract for delays or cost overruns.
