Pakistan is expected to receive the first hull of its new Hangor-class(S26) diesel-electric submarines from China in 2026, part of an eight-boatprogramme that Pakistan and Chinese state shipbuilders have been advancingover the past two years. The class is widely reported to be derived fromChina’s export S26 design and the People’s Liberation Army Navy’sType-039A/Yuan family.
A key feature highlighted in multiple defence reports is the submarines’fitted air-independent propulsion (AIP) system — a closed-cycleStirling-type arrangement in the Chinese designs — which can extendsubmerged endurance from days to measured weeks depending on operationaltempo and payload. Some recent reporting cites submerged endurance measuredin “up to two–three weeks” under patrol conditions, a capability thatsignificantly increases stealth and time on station compared withtraditional diesel-electric boats that must surface or snorkel frequently.
Regional analysts say the Hangor programme will strengthen Pakistan’sunderwater deterrent and complicate surface operations in the Arabian Seaand northern Indian Ocean. Longer submerged endurance, quieter operationand modern sensors allow conventional submarines to conduct sustainedpatrols, sea denial and covert surveillance, raising the risks for surfacetask groups operating without robust anti-submarine warfare (ASW) cover.
India’s submarine fleet composition and modernization plans are central tohow the new Hangor boats alter the balance. While the Indian Navy operatesa mix of diesel-electric and a small number of nuclear-powered boats,India’s conventional boats have until recently lacked widespread AIPretrofits; New Delhi has also pursued domestic and foreign options toacquire AIP-equipped hulls and is working on larger conventional andnuclear attack submarine projects. Analysts therefore characterise theHangor deliveries as a near-term tactical enhancement for Pakistan ratherthan an irreversible strategic advantage.
Some commentators and social-media posts have claimed the Hangor boatscould carry advanced anti-ship or even hypersonic weapons launched fromsubmarine tubes. These claims appear in open-source outlets and unverifiedposts, but defence reporting does not confirm operational deployment ofsubmarine-launched hypersonic missiles on Pakistan’s Hangor boats; sucharmaments would require validated integration and testing before beingtreated as established capability. Observers caution against acceptinguncorroborated weapon-specific claims without official confirmation.
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Pakistan and China have framed the programme as part of bilateral defencecooperation; Pakistan Navy press material for recent launches and trialsemphasises improved sensors, weapons fit and indigenous assembly plans forlater hulls. New Delhi, for its part, continues to press ahead withsubmarine modernization and local construction, including internationalpartnerships aimed at fielding AIP-equipped conventional boats in thecoming decade.
What to watch next: formal induction dates and capability declarations fromthe Pakistan Navy, the results of sea trials (noise, sensor performance andweapons testing), and any independent verification of claimed weaponsystems. Those elements will determine whether the Hangor class produces atactical shift limited to the Arabian Sea or contributes to a deeper changein regional naval power projection.