Despite French Sanctions, Turkey Making Progress in Pak's Agosta 90B Sub Upgrade

Turkish firm STM has said that it is making progress in the modernization of Pakistan’s Agosta 90B submarines despite “sanctions and restrictions” imposed by France whose Naval Group was the submarine's manufacturer.

"This project is progressing very successfully despite the sanctions and restrictions imposed by France, the producer of the [submarine] platforms," Murat İkinci, General Manager of STM, which is undertaking the modernization project said in Ankara today.

The official did not elaborate against whom France had imposed sanctions or the nature of the “sanctions and restrictions.”

STM signed the contract to modernize Pakistani submarines in 2016.

"Hopefully, by the end of this month, we are will complete the outfitting of our first ship and launch it and begin its tests, including diving tests," İkinci told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

The STM initially signed contracts for two submarines within the scope of the project. Although the contract on the third ship has not been signed yet, the STM aims to finish it quickly after the first ship's navigational experience is completed, the general manager said. “Pakistan also aims to modernize three submarines in its inventory. We can clearly say that we will sign the contract as a result of the success of the first vessel. We do not think there will be any setbacks here,” he added.

The tender, which included the half-life modernization of the Agosta 90B-class submarine, was later expanded with the addition of the modernization of the second submarine. The contract change, which included torpedo countermeasure systems and acoustic measurement sensors, is aimed at giving new capabilities to Pakistani submarines.

Within the scope of modernization activities undertaken by the STM, the entire sonar suite of the submarine ship, periscope systems, and command and control system, as well as the radar and electronic support systems, are being replaced by Turkish military software developed by HAVELSAN, the Anadolu Agency report said.

KAŞİF, the geographic information system (GIS) software developed by HAVELSAN through domestic means, is being used in the infrastructure of the Command and Control System of Pakistan’s submarine. The Sonar Integrated Submarine Command Control System (SEDA), developed by HAVELSAN, is also being integrated into the Agosta 90B submarine.

ASELSAN’s Zargana Torpedo Countermeasures System has also been used in the modernized Agosta 90B submarine of the Pakistan Navy.