PNS Munsif (M166)

PNS Munsif (M166) (formerly Sagittaire) is the lead ship of the Munsif-class minehunter currently in service with the Pakistan Navy.[3]

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Sagittaire.
In the left (or first) column: PNS Munsif (M166) (behind HMS Ramsey, the second ship behind USNS Catawba) in Indian Ocean.
History
France
Name: Sagittaire
Builder: Lorient Arsenal, Lorient
Launched: 9 November 1988
Commissioned: 27 July 1989
Identification: M650
Fate: Sold to Pakistan
Pakistan
Name: Munsif
Acquired: 24 September 1992
Commissioned: 26 October 1992
Homeport: Karachi Naval Dockyard
Identification: M166
Status: Ship in active service
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Munsif-class minehunter
Displacement:
  • 535 t (527 long tons) empty
  • 605 t (595 long tons) full load
Length: 51.6 m (169 ft)
Beam: 8.96 m (29.4 ft)
Height: 18.5 m (61 ft)
Draught: 3.50 m (11.5 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h)
Range: 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 × PAP 104 ROV
Complement: 55 (10 officers, 45 Enlists):174[2]
Sensors and
processing systems:
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × Aérospatiale Alouette III
Aviation facilities: Flight deck

PNS Munsif is based on the French design, the Tripartite-class minehunter, and actively served in the French Navy as Sagittaire (M650) before being refitted according to the Pakistani military's service when the Pakistan Navy had bought her in 1992.[4]

Construction, procurement, and deployment

French Navy service

Sagittaire was laid down in 1988, and launched on 9 November 1988 by its builder by French DCNS in Lorient Naval Yard in France.[4] Her design was based on the Tripartite-class minehunter, a joint venture by the Belgium, France and the Netherlands, and was commissioned as Sagittaire (M 650) into the French Navy on 27 July 1989.[5] Her technology came from the Dutch Stork B.V. and Belgian ACEC, while DCNS designed the vessel.[3]

In 1990–1991, she saw war operations during the military operation took place in the First Gulf War, and played a supporting role in the Gulf of Oman to clear the naval minefield.:311[6]:822[7]

Pakistan Navy service

In 1992, Pakistan entered in talks with France for acquiring the minehunters to improve its naval capability.:154[8] The French Navy offered to sell Sagittaire which was immediately acquired through a quick payment transaction took place between the two countries in 1992.[9]

Upon reporting to its homeport, the Karachi Naval Base, she was commissioned in the service of Pakistan Navy as Munsif on 26 October 1992[3] and went through the refited modernization at the Karachi Naval Base according to the specifications required by the Pakistan military, including the installation and engineering of the flight deck to accommodate the Aérospatiale Alouette III.

In 1994, Pakistan entered in discussion with the France to design to build to commission the Munsif-class minehunter based on the Tripartite class, with PNS Munsif becoming the lead ship of her class.:174[2] Based on Munsif, her two sister ships were eventually built in a cooperation between the DCNS and the KSEW Ltd. in 1996 and 1997.[9]

As of 2005, PNS Munsif remained in active service for the Pakistan Navy.[9]

References
  1. Baker 1998, p. 581.
  2. The Defence Reporter: Australia & Asia-Pacific. Asia-Pacific Defence Publications. 2001. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  3. ISPR, Naval. "Minehunters of Pakistan Navy". www.paknavy.gov.pk. Naval ISPR. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  4. "Tripartite Minehunter - Archived" (word.docs). Forecast International. Paris, France. 11 November 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  5. "Sagittaire (6127949)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  6. Tucker, Spencer C. (2014). "§(Minesweepers and Minehunters)" (google books). Persian Gulf War Encyclopedia: A Political, Social, and Military History: A Political, Social, and Military History (1st ed.). New York, US: ABC-CLIO. p. 550. ISBN 9781610694162. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  7. Tucker, Spencer C. (2010). The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts [5 volumes]: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781851099481. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  8. USA, IBP (2009). "§(Pakistan Navy)" (google books). Pakistan Intelligence, Security Activities and Operations Handbook (1st ed.). New York, US: Lulu.com. p. 230. ISBN 9781438737218. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  9. Pike, John (27 August 2005). "Munsif Class (Fr Eridan)". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 14 October 2009.

Further reading
  • Baker, A.D. The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999. Annapolis, Maryland, US: Naval Institute Press, 1998. ISBN 1-55750-111-4.


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