Construction of MILGEM corvette: Defence ties between Pakistan and Turkey achieves milestone, says Erdogan

(Karachi) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that defence ties between Turkey and Pakistan have achieved a milestone after collaboration for the construction of warships, Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.

The Turkish president was speaking at the ground-breaking of the third of the four MILGEM corvettes for Pakistan Navy. Ambassador of Pakistan in Turkey Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi also accompanied the Turkish President.

Addressing the gathering, Erdogan said: "Pakistan is our brotherly country with whom Turkey enjoys excellent relations." He said both Pakistan and Turkey are living in difficult geographies and both countries are facing similar challenges.

The Turkish President highlighted that Turkey would continue to support friendly and allied countries in the defence field.

While referring to his last year's Pakistan visit, President Erdogan said the two countries signed a Strategic Economic Framework that would provide the necessary institutional framework to further enhance bilateral ties.

The MILGEM Class Corvettes will be state-of-the-art Surface platform equipped with a modern surface, subsurface and anti-air weapons, sensors and Combat Management System. These ships will be among the most technologically advanced platforms of Pakistan Navy and will significantly contribute in maintaining peace, stability and balance of power in the Indian Ocean Region.

The corvettes are armed with a 76-millimeter gun, missiles and torpedoes. The ship is capable of carrying Sikorsky S-70 helicopter or unmanned aircraft, along with the associated armaments, 20 tons of JP-5 aircraft fuel, aerial refuelling systems and maintenance facilities.