Recent modernizations in military technology have revolutionized warfare. Science and technology have extended the scope and impact of war fighting concepts. Anti-Access / Area Denial (A2/AD) are always present in intended limited domains but modern warfare and massive changes in missile technologies have evolved them from Defensive doctrines to Offensive ones. Traditionally A2/AD refer to the capabilities of the state which are defensive against an offensive state that attempts to intervene or influence or threat to any future prospects.
Pakistan Navy embarked upon its historical largest modernization program. It is not only aimed to plug in the gaps between the organization but also make it a potent 4-dimensional force that can cater to any kind of threats and give befitting response wherever required. It is being equipped with multiple ranges of Anti-Ship missiles to keep Indian Naval Vessels at bay also a very effective and efficient Air Defense System that will deny the Indian Naval Freedom to operate in its area of control. The new vessels induction from Turkiye and China help realizing these objectives. It not only helps increase numeric but is also beneficial with new roles and modern technologies of Surface and Sub-Surface warfare. The Pakistan Naval Modernization plan is exactly in line with the term of A2 / AD (Anti Access / Area Denial) Strategy.
Pakistan Navy in numeric is a smaller force as compared to arch rival Indian Navy, which is more advanced and therefore has a wider scope of operations in its Territorial Waters, Pakistan Navy on the other hand is structured as a defensive force with the objectives of protecting maritime Interest of Pakistan that includes Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and Blue Economy of Pakistan and to deter any kind of terrorism and aggression into it.
Pakistan Navy currently operates 4 x F22P Zulfiqar Class Multi Role Guided Missile Frigates, as PNS Zulfiqar (F251), PNS Shamsheer (F252), PNS Saif
You will have to make up for the smallness of your size by your courage and selfless devotion to duty for it is not life that matters but the courage, fortitude and determination you bring to it. Quaid – e – Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, January 23rd, 1948, at PNS Dilawar.
(F253) and PNS Aslat (F254) respectively, The Surface fleet also comprises of PNS Alamgir Guided Missile Frigate and the newly commissioned 4 x Type 054 A/P Guided Missile Frigates as, PNS Tughril (F261), PNS Taimur (F262), PNS Tipu Sultan (F263) & PNS Shah Jahan (F264). It is also equipped with 4 x Babur Class, Yarmook Class and Azmat Class heavy medium and light corvettes respectively and various kinds of Missile and Patrol Boats and replenishment vessels to fuel its daily operations.
The Sub-Surface fleet includes 3 x Agosta 90B with the Mid Life Upgradation from Turkish Yards as PNS Khalid, PNS Saad and PNS Hamza and Agosta 70 named as PNS Hashmat and PNS Hurmat respectively. Being part of the modernization campaign Pakistan Navy also signed a deal for Type 039-A Diesel Electric, Stirling powered Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Submarines, which has start giving its fruits and 03 out of 8 submarine have been launched from its OEM Yard in Wuhan China, while another is under-construction at KSEW under ToT Agreement between Islamabad and Beijing.
Being the only four-dimensional force of Pakistan, the Air component also plays a very integral role as Pakistan Navy operates P3C Orion’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) also recently inducted modified 4 x RAS 72 Sea Eagles for Rotary Wings, PN operates Zulu Nine’s as on Anti-Ship & Anti-Submarine Role and also numbers of Westland WS-61 Sea King Helicopters with the addition of 4 new Ex-QAeF Airframes. Pakistan Navy realizing the importance of Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft (LRMPA) has inducted 3 x Airframes of Embraer Lineage 1000 as Sea Sultan as Pakistan Navy first Jet powered Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft which is currently under modernization processing of turning that into a LRMPA. In addition to that being part of Joint Force Operations Pakistan Air Force squadrons equipped with JF-17 Block II & Block-III is on Sea support equipped with advance Sub-Sonic & Super-Sonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles.
Indian Navy and its Western Naval command and confrontations:
Indian Navy organizational structure is basically divided into 3 commands, Western, Eastern and Southern with the HQ in Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam & Kochi respectively, as part of our confrontation with Western Command of Indian Navy. In support of INS Vikramaditya (Kiev Class Aircraft Carrier) Scorpène Class Hunter Killer Submarines, Kolkata Class, Delhi Class & Rajpoot Class Destroyers, Talwar Class Frigates and Various Corvettes and missile boats, for air component as major part of 4 dimensional component. Western command also equipped with 3 x Naval Air Station as INS Hansa, INS Kunjali and INS Shikra in Mumbai, Maharashtra respectively operating Mig29K, Various AShW, ASW Helicopters and P8i Poseidon’s as Maritime Patrol Aircraft. While each of the destroyer holds 64 Vertical Launch Cells sub-divided as 32 Cells for Barak-8 Surface to Air Missiles and Remaining 16 for BrahMos AShM, possess a very strong threat in context of A2/AD.
Pakistan Navy & Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR)
The Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR) holds significant geopolitical, economic, and strategic importance due to its maritime trade routes, natural resources, and regional security dynamics. Pakistan Navy (PN) plays a crucial role in safeguarding national interests, ensuring maritime security, and contributing to regional stability in this critical area. Pakistan’s geographic position at the crossroads of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean places it in a pivotal role in regional maritime security.
Pakistan Navy operates near the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint through which a substantial portion of global oil trade passes. PN presence also includes the EEZ in front of Bab-ul-Mandeb Strait at Port of Djibouti a major chokepoint that leads to the Red Sea and Suez Canal giving short access to North Atlantic Ocean avoiding a longer route from Africa or South Atlantic, its presence also helps in:
• Securing Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) For trade and energy transport.
• Countering maritime threats, Including piracy, terrorism, and illegal smuggling.
• Enhancing naval diplomacy Through regional partnerships and multinational exercises.
While in contribution to International Maritime Security PN is part of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and command CTF-150, 151 various times and patrol in international waters to counter the Ocean Based Terrorism including Piracy, Human Trafficking, Weapon Trafficking and Smuggling and OBIED. Organizing of Ex-AMAN is also part of same effort to bring all International stakeholders on one platform and fight terrorism as our common enemy. While in order to counter rising Indian hegemony in Indian Ocean Region, PN is equipped with various SAM and Super-Sonic & Sub-Sonic Sea Skimming Anti-Ship Missiles that help create Multi Layered Defense
comprises of Heavy Frigates and Corvettes and Coastal Defense Systems includes HQ-16 on Vertical Launch Cells on Tughril Class Frigates and 4 x 2 C-802 Anti-Ship Missiles, Additionally as part of Aerial Assets PN Operates P3C Orion, Ras-72 Sea-Eagles capable to carry out reconnaissance and maritime patrol in EEZ armed with Harpoon Air-to-Surface Missiles, Additionally assets of Pakistan Air Force on Sea-Support such as JF17 Block II & Block III armed with C802 and CM400 AKG Sub-Sonic & Super Sonic Anti-Ship Missiles respectively.
A key component of Pakistan’s Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategy is its investment in advanced missile systems. The induction of SMASH missiles significantly enhances Pakistan’s anti-ship capabilities, providing high-speed, long-range strikes against surface vessels and restricting adversary naval movements near its coastline. Likewise, the Harbah cruise missile bolsters Pakistan’s precision-strike capacity against both land and sea targets, further reinforcing its maritime deterrence. Additionally Sub Surface elements also play very crucial role in A2/AD Approach of PN, providing stealth and offensive capabilities in own territory and adversary ocean armed with State-of-the-Art Torpedoes and missiles that offer a significant leap in sub-surface warfare capabilities and neutralizing any surface or sub-surface threat and to protect vital points and Sea Lines of Communications (SLOC) of Pakistan.
As part of future modernization effort, PN is in the final stages of working on Jinnah Class Multi Role Guided Missiles Air-Defense Frigates, the vessels will be with the displacement of 3,300 tons and are expected to play crucial roles in strengthening Pakistan’s maritime defence. The vessel is designed to perform variety of Anti-Ship, Anti-Submarine and Air-Defense Operations. The ship’s development builds upon the experience gained from Pakistan’s collaboration with Turkiye on the MILGEM-class Corvettes. Additionally, as part of Naval Air Arm, the procured Embraer Lineage 1000 is currently in modernization process and shifting to Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft capacity to patrol in EEZ with long range, endurance and advance multi sensor tracking capabilities.
In Conclusion PN Strategy for adoption toward A2/AD is a strategic prerequisite rather than an option available on the desk as a regional maritime security continues to evolve and threats are also evolving side by side. Pakistan must ensure its naval forces will remain in continuous advancement process to deter any kind of aggression towards the national Interest. Ultimately this not only benefits us but a secure ocean and maritime boundaries will be beneficial for the whole south Asia region and Pakistan is integral part of that.
Pakistan Navy in Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos
In context of the recent escalation and announcement of Operation Bunyan-Um-Marsoos by Tri-Forces of Pakistan, Pakistan Navy played a pivotal role by effective application & utilization of its Anti-Access / Area Denial (A2/AD) strategy to safeguard national maritime interests, This approach, designed to deter Indian Navy access to Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) enabled Pakistan to secure its territorial waters and critical Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC). The naval deployments of Submarines, Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles, Maritime Surveillance assets and coastal defense systems formed a comprehensive Multi-Layered defense that deterred Indian Naval forces from approaching Pakistan’s EEZ. As a result strategic maritime infrastructure including ports of Karachi, Gwadar and Port Qasim remained fully operational, supporting uninterrupted logistics and trade activity between the conflict and supporting national economy through local and all international trades.
Furthermore, Pakistan Navy’s A2/ AD strategy significantly enhanced national resolve by constraining Indian Navy and its Air Craft Carrier (INS Vikrant) freedom of maneuver in the North Arabian Sea through real-time maritime domain awareness, precision targeting capability and rapid response deployments of all naval assets. The navy established a credible threat posture that reinforced strategic stability in the region. These operations underscored Pakistan’s growing indigenous capabilities in naval warfare and reflected a doctrinal shift towards proactive maritime defense. The successful implementation of A2/AD not only demonstrated operational excellence but also re-affirmed Pakistan Navy’s being the only Four-Dimensional force that plays an integral role in maintaining regional balance and defending national sovereignty in a highstakes security environment. “Let it not be said that we are not proven equal to the task”
