Pakistan to construct multipurpose OPV indigenously

Pakistan on Monday signed a contract with Dutch firm to manufacture State of The Art multipurpose Offshore Patrol Vehicle (OPV) indigenously.

A contract for indigenous construction of OPV at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Ltd was signed by Managing Director Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Rear Admiral Hasan Nasir Shah, Director Military Procurement (Navy) Commodore Shafqat Azad SI (M), and representative of Messrs Damen (The Netherlands) in Ministry of Defence Production, press release here said.

Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Muhammad Owais, Secretary Defence Production and Ambassador of Netherlands, Mrs. Jeannette Seppen were present at the occasion.

OPV will have Full Load Displacement of 1900 Tons (approx) with overall length of 90 m and maximum speed of 22knots. The vessel is especially suited for Anti Surface, Anti Air Operations, Maritime Security Operations (MSO), Day & Night Helicopter Operations, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) and Surveillance and Intelligence Gathering Operations.