COMMENT
After numerous unconfirmed Pakistani reports going back to 2011 at last China has officially confirmed it is providing submarines to Pakistan. Perhaps 4 built in China and 4 built in Pakistan.
The actual type of submarine China will supply to Pakistan is unknown.
- if it has AIP it is most likely to be a development of China's Yuan class. In that case it may be a S20. As Pakistan has a French designed MESMA AIP system in its 3 latest French designed Agosta 90B Khalid class submarines Pakistan may be pressing for China to include AIP in the 8 future submarines..
- if it is has no AIP (making it cheaper) it may be a non-AIP S20 perhaps derived from China's older Song class.
CHINESE ARTICLE
On October 15, 2016 the People's Republic of China’s state owned media outlet China Radio International (CRI) reported http://english.cri.cn/12394/2016/10/15/2281s942655.htm.
“Submarine exports to Pakistan officially confirmed”
“On Wednesday [October 12, 2016], China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation confirmed a project to export 8 attack submarines to Pakistan, China Shipbuilding Online reports. The corporation held a conference to discuss the details of the arrangement.
The corporation's chairman, Hu Wenming, said the conference aimed to continue the spirit generated by Chinese President Xi Jinping's speeches on the Belt & Road Construction Work Symposium.
...Reuters reported back in April that Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved the deal and called the deal could be "one of China's largest overseas weapons sales once it is signed".
The deal could cost between 4 billion to 5 billion USD, Reuters quoted a Financial Times report..." See WHOLE CRI report.
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“BEIJING/KARACHI – China will export eight stealth attack submarines to Pakistan [by 2028.] as part of a deal signed earlier this year, according to People’s Daily.
…Four of the eight submarines will reportedly be built at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW) while the remaining four submarines will be built in China.
The majority of analysts speculate that the new submarine will be a lighter export version [S20] of the People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)’s …Yuan-class conventional attack submarine, excluding the sub’s AIP system, which might be procured independently.
According to IHS Jane’s Fighting Ships, the Type 041 Yuan-class is “a diesel electric attack submarine (SSK), potentially with Stirling air-independent propulsion, that is armed with YJ-2 (YJ-82) anti-ship missiles and a combination of Yu-4 (SAET-50) passive homing and Yu-3 (SET-65E) active/passive homing torpedoes.”
…The first four submarines are expected to be delivered by the end of 2023; the remaining four will be assembled in Karachi by 2028. The new subs are expected to form the sea-based arm of Pakistan’s nuclear second-strike triad.
The Pakistan Navy is in middle of upgrading its undersea warfare capabilities. In June, Turkish state-owned defense contractor STM won a contract for the mid-life upgrade of three Agosta 90B-class (aka Khalid-class) diesel-electric attack submarines equipped with air-independent propulsion systems.” See WHOLE DAILY PAKISTAN report.
It is not precisely known what submarine China has designed for Pakistan. Above is a model of the future S20 export derivative of China's Yuan class submarine.
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Pete