ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has praised the Pakistan Navy on the first successful live weapon firing of the new submarine Hangor in the North Arabian Sea.
The President commended the Pakistan Navy’s operational readiness and enhanced maritime defence capabilities, the President Secretariat Media Wing said in a press release on Sunday.
Equipped with modern combat capabilities, the Pakistan Navy is playing a vital role in protecting the nation’s maritime boundaries and ensuring regional peace and security, he added.
Praising the leadership of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, the President noted that the continuous strengthening of Pakistan’s naval defense capabilities reflects its firm resolve for the effective defense of territorial waters and the promotion of regional peace.
صدرِ مملکت آصف علی زرداری کا پاک بحریہ کی نئی آبدوز ’ہنگور‘ کی پہلی کامیاب لائیو ویپن فائرنگ پر پاک بحریہ کو خراجِ تحسین۔
صدرِ مملکت آصف علی زرداری نے پاک بحریہ کی آپریشنل تیاری اور بحری دفاعی صلاحیتوں میں اضافے کو سراہا۔
جدید جنگی صلاحیتوں سے لیس پاک بحریہ قومی بحری حدود کے…
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) September 27, 2026
It may be recalled that President Zardari was the chief guest at the handover ceremony of this submarine to the country on April 30 this year, which was held in the Chinese city of Sanya.
Pakistan Navy’s Hangor submarine conducts missile test
The newly inducted submarine PNS/M Hangor has successfully conducted its maiden live weapon firing in the North Arabian Sea, accurately engaging a designated long-range target with an anti-ship cruise missile, the military said on Sunday.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf witnessed the firing, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
“In a major demonstration of operational readiness, Pakistan Navy’s newly inducted submarine PNS/M HANGOR successfully conducted its maiden Live Weapon Firing in the North Arabian Sea, accurately engaging a designated long-range target with an anti-ship cruise missile,” the ISPR stated.
Milestone for Pakistan Navy
The successful firing demonstrated the submarine’s operational readiness and combat capability, while marking a significant milestone in the Navy’s induction of the Hangor-class submarine into its fleet.
Admiral Ashraf praised the submarine’s combat capabilities and emphasised the strategic importance of strengthening Pakistan’s subsurface warfare capabilities to maintain credible maritime deterrence.
The milestone underscores the Navy’s commitment to maintaining a modern, combat-ready force to safeguard national maritime frontiers and regional peace, it added.
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“It is Pakistan’s fourth class of submarine that carries a cruise missile,” said security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali.
The first was the Daphme class, followed by the Agusta-70 class, which included the Hashmat and Hurmut submarines; next came the Khalid class (Agusta-90 model), which included three Saad, Hamza and Khalid submarines; all were capable of carrying and firing cruise missiles from underwater.
“Now it is the fourth and latest class, equipped with the latest Chinese propulsion system that can stay underwater for weeks,” he said. “The latest Hangor-class submarine carried out the live missile test from underwater,” he added. Pakistan Navy would have eight submarines of the latest Hangor class
The Navy also said the development was part of its efforts to strengthen maritime security and contribute to regional peace.
