Pakistan’s Hangor-class submarine program has been touted as a cornerstone of its naval modernisation, promising a leap in undersea warfare capabilities. Yet, beneath the fanfare lies a critical distinction: the Hangor is not the cutting-edge Yuan-class submarine that improves China’s naval capabilities. Instead, it is a scaled-down export variant, the S26, deliberately stripped of the advanced features that make the Yuan a formidable asset in the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
Hangor: A Tamed Version of the Yuan
The Hangor-class submarines, constructed with Chinese assistance, are based on the S26 design, a derivative of the PLAN’s Type-039A/B Yuan-class. The Yuan is China’s premier conventional submarine, blending diesel-electric propulsion with a sophisticated Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) system. Deployed extensively in the East and South China Seas, it provides China with a stealthy, enduring undersea presence.
However, the S26 variant supplied to Pakistan omits key technologies to safeguard China’s strategic edge. This aligns with Beijing’s consistent policy: export models, even to close allies, never match the capabilities of domestic frontline assets. The Hangor is a tailored package, offering Pakistan enhanced capabilities without compromising China’s most sensitive innovations.
Limitations of the Export Model
Export submarines like the S26 typically lag behind their domestic counterparts in three critical areas: sensors, combat management systems (CMS), and acoustic stealth.
The PLAN’s Yuan-class submarines are equipped with advanced flank-array and towed-array sonars optimised for long-range detection in contested waters. In contrast, the S26 likely features less sophisticated sensor suites, diminishing its ability to detect stealthy adversaries at extended ranges.
Modern submarines rely on CMS to integrate sonar, electronic warfare, and tactical data into precise targeting solutions. The Yuan benefits from China’s advanced, network-centric CMS platforms, enabling seamless data fusion and interoperability. The S26, however, is equipped with simplified systems, which reduce its networking capabilities and overall combat effectiveness.
Stealth is a submarine’s greatest asset, achieved through advanced hull coatings, machinery isolation, and hydrodynamic design. The Yuan incorporates state-of-the-art quieting technologies to minimise its noise profile. The Hangor, by contrast, is unlikely to feature the same level of acoustic dampening, making it more vulnerable to detection by Indian Navy anti-submarine warfare (ASW) assets.
From Blueprint to Reality
While Pakistan Navy officials and Chinese promotional materials emphasise the Hangor’s AIP endurance, modern combat systems, and anti-ship cruise missile capabilities, the submarine’s true potential will only become clear after rigorous sea trials and system integration. Submarine programs are notoriously complex; discrepancies between promised specifications and real-world performance are common if propulsion, sensors, and weapons systems are not perfectly synchronised.
The PLAN’s Yuan-class submarines reportedly achieve weeks of submerged operations thanks to their AIP systems. Whether the S26 can match this endurance in the challenging conditions of the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean remains unproven. Post-launch trials will be critical to validating these claims.
Beijing’s Strategic Calculus
China’s decision to export a downgraded submarine reflects both security and strategic priorities. By limiting the S26’s capabilities, Beijing preserves its technological superiority, even among trusted partners like Pakistan. Simultaneously, supplying the Hangor strengthens the Sino-Pakistani alliance by aligning the Pakistan Navy’s operations with Chinese logistics, training, and doctrine. This fosters long-term dependency while minimizing the risk of sensitive technologies leaking to adversaries.
For Pakistan, the Hangor represents a significant upgrade over its ageing Agosta-90B and Agosta-70 submarines. Despite its limitations, the S26 offers extended underwater endurance, modernised combat systems, and enhanced weapons options, including anti-ship cruise missiles capable of projecting power across the Arabian Sea.
India’s Perspective
The Hangor’s introduction heightens the undersea threat in the Indian Ocean, but it is not a game-changer. The Indian Navy’s Scorpène-class Kalvari submarines, built with advanced French quieting technologies, remain a formidable counter. India’s expanding fleet of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and indigenous ASW helicopters further bolsters its ability to detect and track the Hangor. The technological gap between the PLAN’s Yuan and Pakistan’s S26 provides India with exploitable advantages in undersea surveillance and engagement.
Beyond the Brochure
The Hangor-class submarine may be marketed as Pakistan’s equivalent to China’s Yuan, but it is a deliberately restrained export model. Downgraded sensors, simplified combat systems, and reduced stealth capabilities ensure it falls short of the PLAN’s frontline standards. While it enhances Pakistan’s naval capabilities, its true performance will hinge on post-launch trials. For now, the Hangor underscores Pakistan’s growing reliance on China but remains a shadow of the Yuan Beijing reserves for itself.
