Karachi Shipyard to launch fourth Babur class corvette Tariq in May.

According to a tweet published by Global Defense Insight on April 28, 2023, Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW) will launch the 4th Milgem class guided missile corvette at the end of the month.
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Keel laying ceremony of the fourth MILGEM class (Babur class) corvette Tariq. (Picture source: ASFAT)

The Babur-class corvette, also known as the PN MILGEM class, is a subclass of the Turkish MILGEM project and consists of four heavy corvettes being constructed for the Pakistan Navy. Larger and heavier than the Turkish Ada-class corvette, these ships are also equipped with Vertical Launching Systems (VLS).

The origin of the Babur-class corvette can be traced back to the collaboration between Pakistan and Turkey, two countries with a long-standing history of close diplomatic and military ties.

The Babur-class corvettes are fitted with several radar systems, including the SMART-S Mk2 passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar and the Aselsan ALPER low-probability-of-intercept radar (LPI), along with the AKREP (AKR-D Block B-1/2) fire-control radar. The corvettes also feature the Meteksan YAKAMOS sonar system for their primary sonar suite.

For electronic warfare, these corvettes are equipped with the Aselsan ARES-2N radar ESM system, along with ELINT and SIGINT modules. The ships have a maximum speed of 27-31 knots and a range of 3,500 nautical miles, with an endurance of 15 days.

In terms of armament, the Babur-class corvettes feature a wide range of capabilities. For anti-surface warfare (ASuW), they possess two triple-cell launchers for six anti-ship missiles, possibly the Harbah anti-ship cruise missiles.

For anti-air warfare (AAW), the corvettes are equipped with a 12-cell GWS-26 VLS configuration or a 16-cell VLS arrangement at the bow, utilizing the Albatros NG surface-to-air missiles developed by MBDA.

Additionally, they feature anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, which include two 3-cell Mark 32 324mm lightweight torpedo tubes and an anti-submarine helicopter, likely the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat.

The corvettes' guns comprise an OTO Melara 76mm naval gun, an Aselsan GOKDENIZ 35mm close-in weapon system, and two Aselsan STOP 25mm remote weapon stations for short-range point defense against both aerial and surface threats.