Fincantieri signs R&D and training agreement with Pakistan Navy
The view from onboard a Pakistan Navy OPV. (Picture: Pakistan Navy)
A Memorandum of Understanding signed during an event in Karachi between the Italian shipbuilder and the Pakistan Navy covered naval training, research and development, and project-based collaboration.
Fincantieri has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Navy that has opened the door to the future exploration of co-operative or collaborative operations in naval training, and research and development activities. It has also opened up the potential for project-based collaboration down the line.
The MoU was signed at the 12th edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) in Karachi. Commander Syed Ali Sarfraz of the Pakistan Navy and Mauro Manzini, VP of sales for Fincantieri’s naval vessels division, agreed the Memorandum during the event.
The partnership will be based at the Pakistan Maritime Science & Technology Park (PMSTP), and the basis of the ongoing understanding will be that Fincantieri will strengthen its presence within the industrial landscape in Pakistan and its relationship with the Pakistan Navy, in support of the navy’s strategic objectives.
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The PMSTP was specifically launched to facilitate growth within Pakistan’s maritime sectors, including shipbuilding, and was designed to foster innovation and support new projects for the Pakistan Navy.
In July 2024, the Pakistan Navy took possession of its third Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), and the first in the OPV 2600-class, the PNS Hunain. The other two are OPV 2300-class vessels. The OPV 2600 is the largest member of four new second-generation offshore patrol vessels designed by Damen Shipyards in Romania.
The OPV 2600 will have a multi-mission operational life, supported by up to five containerized mission modules, (with the potential for five more). It could be fitted for duties as an anti-submarine vessel, a mine countermeasures patrol, an unmanned aerial vehicle or surface vehicle platform, or a floating hospital.
It is as yet unclear how the MoU with Fincantieri will see the Pakistan Navy specifically develop its defence capabilities, but areas and directions for that expansion will be expected to become clearer as the co-operation matures.
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