Damen’s PNS Yamama Empowers Pakistan Navy to Secure Exclusive Economic Zone.

According to information published by Damen on December 17, 2025, the Naval Shipyard has delivered the second Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) 2600 to the Pakistan Navy. The vessel, PNS Yamama, was officially handed over during a ceremony on December 17 at the Damen Shipyards facility in Constanta, Romania. This follows the delivery of the first OPV, PNS Hunain, earlier in the summer of 2024.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Artist rendering of the Yarmook-class corvette PNS Yamama. (Picture source: Damen)

The delivery of PNS Yamama underscores a long-standing partnership between Damen and the Pakistan Navy, which began with the construction of two Yarmook-class OPVs in 2020. These earlier vessels, based on Damen’s OPV 1900 platform, set the stage for the advanced capabilities of the OPV 2600 series. With a displacement of 2,600 tons and a length of 98 meters, the new vessel is designed for diverse maritime operations. Its capabilities include patrolling, maritime security, and search and rescue missions.

Pakistani Dutch relations

Since the 1960s, the Netherlands has been involved in development cooperation with Pakistan, focusing on areas such as water management, education, and governance. This collaboration laid the groundwork for broader bilateral relations, including defense.

An aspect of Dutch-Pakistani defense relations is naval cooperation. In the early 1980s, the Royal Netherlands Navy introduced the Alkmaar-class minehunters, known internationally as the Tripartite-class. These vessels were a product of a collaborative effort between France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In 2021, the Netherlands agreed to transfer two of these minehunters, HNLMS Haarlem and HNLMS Middelburg, to Pakistan. The ships were transported to Pakistan in late 2022.

High-level visits have further strengthened defense ties. In October 2024, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan, visited the Netherlands. During his visit, he met with senior Dutch military officials, including Vice Admiral René Tas, Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy, and Vice Admiral Boudewijin Boots, Deputy Chief of Defence. Discussions focused on enhancing bilateral naval collaboration, joint exercises, and training exchange programs. Admiral Ashraf also visited the DAMEN Shipyard and a Zeven De Provinciën-class frigate.

Foreign built ships

The Pakistan Navy’s fleet includes several foreign-built warships, with countries like China, Turkey, the Netherlands, France, and the United States.

From China, the Navy has added multi-role Tughril-class and Zulfiquar-class frigates, both equipped for a range of missions, including anti-surface and anti-submarine operations. China has also supplied Azmat-class fast attack craft, designed for coastal defense and swift engagements, and Hangor-class submarines.

Turkey has provided MILGEM-class corvettes, primarily for anti-submarine and patrol operations, and collaborated on the construction of the fleet tanker PNS Moawin, used for logistical support and extended missions.

The United States transferred the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate PNS Alamgir, originally built for the U.S. Navy, to Pakistan as part of a military assistance program.