AISLAMABAD (PTI): Pakistan recently decided to acquire three “French made “Agosta 90-b Sub Marines at a cost or nearly one “million U.S. dollars. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between ‘Pakistan defense minister, AFTAB Shahban Mirani and his rench counterpart, Francois Leotard to ensure Jong term logistic “support and supply of spares, updating of equipment and machinery of Agosta submarine alongwith transfer of technology. Mirani told reporters in Rawalpindi that the Agosta 90-B Submarines were a “fully modernized and updated version of the Agosta submarines with Pakistan and French Navies.” He said that decision to purchase the submarines from France was taken after thorough study of their Capabilities by experts and extensive negotiations with various suppliers for two and a half years. It would take about three and a half to four years before Pakistan acquired its first Agosta 90-B, he Said adding that the basic consideration was to use them for defense and not for offence purposes.
The sophisticated Agosta 90-B is fitted with most modem fire control system, latest type of Sonar and modem long range torpedoes ‘with the capacity of firing SM-39 (Excocet) submarine launched anti-ship missile.
APP said that the later system, equivalent to the US made sub-harpoon system currently in service with the Pakistan Navy, has been offered by France to Pakistan as part of the French designed Agosta 90-B weapon system.
In addition, the Pakistani Agosta 90-B would be equipped with the newly developed air independent propulsion (AIP) system “Mesma,” which would enable the war marchine to remain underwater for longer duration without surfacine.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 21, 1994
