Pakistan Navy to Receive Two Minehunters From the Netherlands Next Month

Two tripartite-class minehunters will be sent to the Pakistan Navy by the Netherlands in order to strengthen its defenses in the country's littoral areas.

Reliable defense sources claim that the tripartite-class minehunters Haarlem and Middelburg are now ready to travel to Pakistan and will join the navy the next month.

The tripartite-class minehunters were produced in collaboration between the navy of the Netherlands, France, and Belgium throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

35 ships in total were produced during this time. These ships are referred to in France as Eridan-class, in the Netherlands as Alkmaar-class, and in Belgium as Aster-class.

A deal to buy three Eridan-class minehunters was made in 1992 between Pakistan and France. These vessels are referred to as Munsif-class in Pakistan. These ships were afterward renamed Munsif, Muhafiz, and Mujahid by the Pakistan Navy.

A minehunter of the tripartite class measures 169 feet 3 inches long, 29 feet 2 inches wide, and 12 feet 6 inches deep.

It has a 5,600 km range and a top speed of 28 km/h. There are two PAP 104 mine disposal units on board. One DUBM 21B sonar radar and one Decca 1229 navigation radar is installed on it. It is equipped with two 12.7 mm machine guns, two 7.62 mm machine guns, and one 20 mm model F2 gun.