Home Asia Pacific Pakistan sinks third ex-Royal Navy Type 21 frigate in live fire drill

Pakistan sinks third ex-Royal Navy Type 21 frigate in live fire drill

The Pakistan Navy has sunk another former Royal Navy Type 21 frigate during live-fire exercises in the North Arabian Sea on March 13.

The SINKEX, as the exercises involving the sinking of target ships with missiles and torpedoes are also referred to, was part of the service’s major naval drill Seas­park-2022.

This is the third known SINKEX conducted by the Pakistan Navy that has involved the sinking of former Royal Navy Type 21 (Amazon-class frigates) which were transferred to Pakistan in the 1990s.

Former HMS Avenger (PNS Tippu Sultan in Pakistan Navy service) was sunk in April 2020, while the former HMS Active (ex-PNS Shah Jahan) saw a similar end in January 2021.

The third ship in the class to serve as a torpedo or missile target was hit by a torpedo launched from an Agosta-class submarine. Video footage of the event shared by the Pakistan Navy showed missiles launched from a P-3 maritime patrol aircraft and a Tariq-class frigate hitting what appeared to be another target platform.

The exercise was attended by the Pakistan Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi, who expressed satisfaction over his service’s operational readiness.

While it is unclear which frigate was sunk in the latest maneuver, likely candidates include the PNS Khaibar and PNS Tariq, the only two of six Type 21 frigates that were believed to be still in service with the Pakistan Navy.