The Turkish defense firm Defense Technologies and Engineering (STM) won the tender to modernize Pakistan's submarines against its French competitor DCNS, reports Daily Sabah.
STM and Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) have concluded the deal to upgrade the Pakistan Navy’s three Agosta 90B (aka Khalid-class) submarines. The upgrade will be carried out in Pakistan.
STM noted that the first upgraded submarine will be delivered in “45 months.” This is likely a typo for ‘4-5 months.’ The remaining two, which are currently listed as optional, will be delivered to Pakistan within a year of one another.
"Engineering exports will be initiated in our country for the first time in the field of submarines, a field that calls for advanced technology," Ankara-based STM said in a statement.
The announcement of the contract award came three weeks after Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Işık and his Pakistani counterpart, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, met on June 3 in Islamabad to discuss bilateral defense relations, including the potential deal.
Enhancing defense cooperation is in both countries' strategic interests. "Both Pakistan and Turkey are endeavoring to further accelerate existing defense collaboration, and signing this contract will strengthen these efforts," a source said.
STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret was established in 1991 by the decree of the Defence Industry Executive Committee to provide system engineering, technical support, project management, technology transfer and logistics support services for Turkish Armed Forces and Undersecretariat for Defence Industries.