Türkiye formally handed over the Babur-class warship PNS Khaibar (F-282) to Pakistan at a ceremony held in Istanbul, marking a key milestone in bilateral defence cooperation between the two allies.
The event highlighted the deepening strategic partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye, particularly in the maritime and defence sectors. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the ceremony, where he reaffirmed strong defence ties and long-standing cooperation between the two countries.
PNS Khaibar is part of Pakistan Navy’s Babur-class corvette programme, which is based on Türkiye’s MILGEM design. The warship is equipped with modern sensors, weapons and combat management systems, aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s maritime security and operational capability.
Naval officials say the addition of PNS Khaibar will strengthen the Pakistan Navy’s ability to safeguard sea lines of communication and respond to evolving regional maritime challenges. The programme also reflects close collaboration in defence production, technology transfer and capacity building.
The handover of PNS Khaibar comes as Pakistan and Türkiye continue to expand defence and security cooperation, with an emphasis on indigenous shipbuilding, joint projects and long-term strategic partnership.
