Turkey will sell four corvette ships to Pakistan’s navy, Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli was quoted as saying by state-run Anadolu agency on Thursday.
Turkey said last year it signed a memorandum of understanding for the sale, and Canikli said the tender was now finalised, describing it as Turkey’s biggest single miltary export deal and “a very important day” for the defence industry.
Last October, the Turkish corvette TCG Buyukada arrived in Karachi to take part in exercises with the Pakistan Navy.
The Ada class corvettes’ weapons include a 76 millimeter naval gun, four 324 mm torpedo tubes, eight launchers for anti-ship missiles and the RIM-116 close-in weapon system.
The corvette can accommodate a crew of 93 and a Seahawk helicopter on its flight deck.
Turkey aims to be self-sufficient in defense by 2023, when it hopes to be producing its own aircraft carrier.
The country has long-standing defense ties with Pakistan, such as helping Islamabad modernize its ships and U.S.-made F-16 fighter aircraft.
“No Turk forgets the help of Pakistani Muslims during the War of Independence, neither today nor tomorrow,” Isik said. “For this reason, the contribution of Turkey to Pakistan’s development will always be given at a high level and will continue to be given.”
