PNS Babur (D-182)

For other ships with the same name, see PNS Babur.

PNS Babur (D-182) in the Persian Gulf in 2004.
History
Pakistan
NamePNS Babur
NamesakeBabur[1]
BuilderVosper Thornycroft in England
Laid down6 November 1969
Launched26 April 1971
Acquired18 January 1994
Recommissioned30 September 1993
DecommissionedDecember 2014
In service1993–2014
HomeportNaval Base Karachi
IdentificationPennant number: D-182
StatusDecommissioned—awaiting disposal.[2]
General characteristics
Class and typeTariq-class destroyer
Displacement3,700 long tons (3,759 t) full load
Length384 ft (117 m)
Beam41 ft 9 in (12.73 m)
Draught19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
Propulsion
Speed32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Complement192, 14 officers, 178 enlisted: contents [3]
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilitiesFlight deck and hangar

PNS Babur (D-182) was a Tariq-class destroyer that served in the Surface Command of the Pakistan Navy from 1993 until being decommissioned in 2014.[4][5] Before commissioning in the Pakistan Navy, she served in the Royal Navy, formerly designated as HMS Amazon as a general purpose frigate.[6]

Upon being acquired by Pakistan in 1993, she went through a modernization and refitting program by the KSEW Ltd. at the Naval Base Karachi in 1998–2002 to be classified as destroyer.[6]

Service history

Acquisition, construction, modernization, and deployments

Designed and constructed by the Vosper Thornycroft in Southampton in England in 1969, she previously served in the Royal Navy as HMS Amazon as a "general purpose frigate", witnessing actions in the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s.[6]

During her service with the Royal Navy, she suffered an incident involving a fire in an engine room caused by a fuel leak, while docking in Singapore in 1977, drawing attention to the risk of building warships with aluminium superstructure.: 176–177 [7]: 134 [8]

After successful negotiations took place between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, she was procured in 1993, and reported to its base on 8 January 1994.: 67 [9]

She was named after Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled the Indian subcontinent for nearly three centuries.[1]

Upon reporting, she underwent an extensive modernization and mid-life upgrade program by the KSEW Ltd. at the Naval Base Karachi in 1998–2002.[6]

The Royal Navy refrained from transferring the Exocet and Seacat missile systems to Pakistan, instead Pakistan installed the LY-60 in place of Exocet system.[6] Her electronic system had the Signaal DA08 air search radar replaced the Type 992 and SRBOC chaff launchers and 20 mm and 30 mm guns were fitted.[6] Her wartime deployment included her actions in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.[1]

On 3 August 2011, she was reportedly deployed in support of PNS Zulfiquar, the F-22P-class frigate, to conduct a cross-border rescue operation in the Somali coast but was involved in an incident when her commander advertently brushed against the Indian Navy frigate Godavari in the Gulf of Aden, causing strain in the bilateral relations between two nations.[10]

A video surfaced on the Internet reportedly showing Babur taking measures that brushed off against the Indian Navy frigate Godavari, causing material damage to Godavari.[11][12]

It was reported by the Indian news station, NDTV, "the helicopter net of Godavari was reportedly damaged from Babur's maneuvering."[13]

After serving with 22 years of military service, Babur was reportedly retired and decommissioned from service in December 2014.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "PNS Tariq". www.paknavy.gov.pk. ISPR Navy. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Ex-Royal Navy vessels serving with other navies • The Military Times". The Military Times. 2 May 2018.
  3. ^ Anwar, Dr Muhammad (2006). Stolen Stripes and Broken Medals: Autobiography of a Senior Naval Officer. Author House. p. 131. ISBN 9781467010566.
  4. ^ "Guided-Missile Destroyer Warship - Pakistan". www.militaryfactory.com. militaryfactory. 9 September 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Sailing under a different flag – former Royal Navy vessels serving with other navies". Save the Royal Navy. The Type 21 Club. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Shabbir, Usman (1 June 2003). "Tariq (Amazon) Class (TYPE 21) (DD/FF) « PakDef Military Consortium". pakdef.org. Karachi, Sindh Pak.: Pakistan Military Consortium. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  7. ^ Preston, Antony (2002). The World's Worst Warships. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-754-6.
  8. ^ Critchley, Mike (1992). British Warships Since 1945: Part 5: Frigates. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Press. ISBN 0-907771-13-0.
  9. ^ Pakistan inducts into Navy another Type 21 Frigate. Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. 1994.
  10. ^ "MV Suez: Pak lodges protest against Indian warship". India Today. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Video Shows PNS Babur Brushing Against INS Godavari". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  12. ^ "INS Godavari damaged in PNS Babur manoeuvres". The Hindu. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  13. ^ NDTV correspondent, staff (4 August 2011). "Celebrations on Pak warship after it hit INS Godavari". NDTV. NDTV. NDTV. Retrieved 20 November 2018. {{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)

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