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PNS Khaibar (F-282): How Pakistan Quietly Changed the Naval Balance in the Indian Ocean

PNS Khaibar (F-282), Pakistan Navy’s second Babur-class MILGEM corvette, has been commissioned in Türkiye. From Harbah cruise missiles to network-centric warfare, this deep dive explains why the ship is a strategic game-changer for Pakistan and the Indian Ocean region.

PNS Khaibar in Istanbul at sunset
  • Hull design

  • Combat management systems

  • Sensor fusion

  • Naval software architecture

This is how navies are built for decades, not press cycles.


PNS Khaibar by the Numbers (Why Rivals Are Paying Attention)

Displacement: ~3,000 tons
Speed: ~31 knots (CODAG propulsion)
Range: Long-endurance Indian Ocean operations

Combat Systems That Change Calculations

  • 12-cell Vertical Launch System (VLS)
    → CAMM-ER / Albatros NG (area air defense beyond 40 km)

  • 6× Harbah cruise missiles
    → Dual-role: anti-ship + land attack
    → Sea-skimming, terrain-hugging, fire-and-forget
    → Quietly one of the longest-reach naval strike options in the region

  • SMART-S Mk2 3D radar + Aselsan sensor suite
    → Network-centric warfare, not isolated ship combat

  • GÖKDENİZ CIWS (35 mm)
    → Last-ditch missile and drone defense

This is not a patrol ship.
This is a denial platform.


Harbah vs Atmaca: The Subtle but Crucial Difference

Türkiye’s Ada-class corvettes carry Atmaca missiles—excellent anti-ship weapons.

Pakistan’s Babur-class carries Harbah.

That difference matters.

Capability Harbah (Pakistan) Atmaca (Türkiye)
Role Anti-ship and land attack Primarily anti-ship
Range (domestic) ~450–700+ km ~220–250 km
Guidance INS + GPS + DSMAC + IIR/ARH INS + GNSS + RF/IIR
Doctrine Standoff strike + deterrence Sea denial

Harbah turns a corvette into a floating launch authority.

That shifts escalation math.

READ:   Kashmir Banay Ga Pakistan in light of Indo-Pak War 1965 Short note

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