Pakistan: Naval and Maritime Security Agency Warship Names 1947-2005
v.2.0 January 23, 2005
Source: Conway 1947-82 Volume II; Jane’s Fighting Ships, 1994-95 and 1998-99; various websites.
The Pakistan Navy has shown great concern for continuity of names in its service. It may hold a record in number of ships bequeathed previous names: within 50 years it has had four ships each with the names Badr and Kahiber.
The Royal Pakistan Navy received, as its share on independence of the Royal Indian Navy, the following ships:
|
RINS |
Renamed RPNS |
Ended Service |
|
Godavari [UK Bittern FF] |
Sindh |
|
|
Narbada [UK Bittern FF] |
Jhelum |
|
|
Shamsher [UK River FF] |
Shamsher |
1960 |
|
Dhanush [UK River FF] |
Zulfiqar |
|
|
Kathiwar [Bangor MSC] |
Chittagong |
1956 |
|
Baluchistan [Bangor MSC] |
Baluchistan |
1960 |
|
Oudh [Bangor MSC] |
Dacca |
1960 |
|
Malwa [Bangor MSC] |
Peshawar |
1960 |
The availability of US MAP funds from 1954 onward permitted an expansion of the severely neglected Pakistan Navy. Because of its association with the Royal Navy, ex-British ships were the logical choice. The first ex-US Navy ships began arriving in 1977. The first lot consisted of 8 Gearing destroyers, followed by their replacement, starting 1988 with an equal number of Brooke and Garcia frigates. Concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear program led the United States to impose an embargo in 1990, and the eight frigates were returned in 1993-94 without replacement. Pakistan next returned to the Royal Navy, buying 8 Leander and Amazon frigates which today form the mainstay of its surface forces.
Pakistan has, before 2004, never purchased a single new major surface warship: the program 2004-09 to buy four Chinese frigates (1 built in China, 3 in Pakistan) for $750 million+(credit arranged with PRC) is the first time major new surface ships will be inducted. Pakistan is also to build additional submarines. We have no information on names for any of the new ships. Presumably, however, the new submarines will take the names of the Daphnes.
In view of Pakistan’s reemergence as a US partner post September 11, 2001, it remains to be seen what benefit the Pakistan Navy will get from the United States. So far, Pakistan has gained only helicopters, P-3s, and the release of spares for aircraft like the F-16 and C-130.
The table below does not as yet have a complete set of dates for entry and departure from PN service. A date written as 1976- means we do not know the year of disposal, a date written as – 56 indicates we do not know the year of acquisition.
Color Key
| August 14, 1947; from Royal Indian Navy | |
| Submarines | |
| Auxiliaries, commissioning dates yet to be determined | |
| Maritime Security Agency, commissioning dates yet to be determined | |
| Patrol Craft | |
| Patrol Craft, class and commissioning dates |
|
1954-71 |
1972-87 |
1988-93 |
1994-2005 |
|
Babur [UK CL Bellona] |
Babur [UK County DLG] |
|
Babur [Amazon] |
|
Alamgir [UK Cr DD] 1956- |
Alamgir [Gearing] |
|
|
|
Jehangir [UK Cr DD] 1956- |
|
|
|
|
Taimur [UK Ch DD] 1954-60 |
Taimur [Gearing] 1977- |
|
|
|
Tughril [UK O DD] 1977 |
Tughril [Gearing] 1980- |
|
|
|
Tariq [UK O DD] –59 |
Tariq [Gearing ] 1977- |
|
Tariq [Amazon] |
|
Tipu Sultan [UK O DD] 1980 |
Tippu Sultan [Gearing] 1980- |
|
Tippu Sultan [Amazon] |
|
Khaiber [UK Battle DD] 1971 |
Khaiber [Gearing] |
Khaiber [FF Brooke] |
Khaiber [Amazon] |
|
Badr [UK Battle DD] |
Badr [Gearing] |
Badr [FF Brooke] |
Badr [Amazon] |
|
Shahjehan [UK Ch DD] 1958- |
Shah Jehan [Gearing] |
|
Shah Jehan [Amazon] |
|
Zulfiqar [UK River FF] |
|
Zulfiqar [Leander] |
|
|
Shamsher [UK River FF] |
|
Shamsher [Leander] |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Ghazi [US Tench SS] 1964-71 |
Ghazi [SS Daphne] 1972 - today |
|
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|
Hangor [SS Daphne] 1971 – today |
|
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|
Mangro [SS Daphne] 1971 – today |
|
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|
Shushhak [SS Daphne] 1971 – today |
|
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|
Khalid [SS Agosta 90B] |
|
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|
Saad [SS Agosta 90B] |
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|
Hamza [SS Agosta 90B] |
|
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Hunain [Brooke] |
|
|
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|
Aslat [Brooke] |
|
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Hashmat [SS Agosta 70] |
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Hurmat [SS Agosta] 70 |
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Saif [Garcia FF] |
|
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Siqqat [Garcia FF] |
|
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Tabuk [Garcia FF] |
|
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Harbah [Garcia FF] |
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Nizam [Tippu Sultan] |
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Muhafiz [MSC] |
|
|
Muhafiz [ MSC Eridan] |
|
Mujahid [MSC] |
|
|
Mujahid [ MSC Eridan] |
|
Munsif [MSC] striken 1979 |
|
|
Munsif [MSC Eridan] |
|
Mehmud [MSC] |
|
|
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|
Momin [MSC] |
|
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Mashal [MSC] |
|
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Mubarak [MSC] |
|
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Muktia [MSC] |
|
|
|
| Jalalat [PFM PRC design] | |||
| Shujaat [PFM PRC design] | |||
| Quwwat [PFM PRC design] | |||
| Jurat | |||
| Haibat | |||
| Azmat | |||
| Dehshat | |||
| Himmat | |||
| Nazim [ex-Tippu Sultan, Gearing DD] | |||
| Vehdat | |||
| Barakat | |||
| Sbqat | |||
| Rehmat | |||
| Rafaqat | |||
| Nusrat | |||
| Mowain | |||
| Kalamat | |||
| Attock | |||
| Bholu | |||
| Gama | |||
| Nasr |
Commissioning dates not known
Azmat, Dehshat, Haibat, Himmat, Jurat
Notes
1. None of the original ship names from the Post August 14, 1947 navy was kept except for Samsher and Baluchistan: these were the only names with a geographical or historic connotation for the new country.
2. The ex-UK “O” destroyers were modernized with US Military Assistance Funds to Type 16 frigate standards. The first four US Gearing destroyers [Tariq, Taimur, Tughril, Tippu Sultan] had been modernized in US Navy service to FRAM I standard
3. Nizam, ex Tippu Sultan, is flagship of the Maritime Safety Agency. Prior to that, Tariq had that duty, and was also named Nizam.