PN Fleet Tanker (PNFT) is a fleet replenishment vessel built by Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW), in co-operation with Turkish-based Savunma Teknoloji Mühendislik ve Ticaret (STM), for the Pakistan Navy.
The PNFT is the biggest warship ever built in Pakistan to date and will be delivered to the Pakistan Navy in April 2017.
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The ship will supply fuel, water and ammunition to Pakistan Navy’s combat and auxiliary units. It is also equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities to support the Pakistan Navy during war and disaster relief missions.
PN Fleet Tanker construction
The Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP), Pakistan, signed a contract with STM for the construction of a fleet tanker for the Pakistan Navy in January 2013. Under the contract, STM provided the design along with the technical data package (TDP) and kit of material (KoM) of the ship, whereas construction and outfitting activities were carried out by KS&EW.
KS&EW began the construction of the ship with a steel cutting ceremony held in November 2013. The keel for the vessel was laid down in March 2014, and the fleet tanker was launched in August 2016.
The vessel was constructed using 5,600t of sheet metal, 750t of profiles and 290t of welding rods. Approximately 25,000m of pipe, 15,000m of hydraulic circuit, 2,200m of air conditioning ducts, 10,000m of cable channels and 230,000m of electric cables were used in the outfitting. The ship’s surface was covered with 200t of paint and 50t of insulation material.
Design and features of PN Fleet Tanker
Featuring a double-hull configuration, the vessel complies with the latest International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and marine pollution (MARPOL) regulations.
The vessel has a heli-deck to support helicopter operations during the day and night. The two embarked medium-weight Sea King Mk.45 helicopters allow the ship to support anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missions. The helicopters can also be used for search and rescue (SAR) operations.
The fleet tanker has an overall length of 158.4m, beam of 22m, draught of 6.85m, depth of 10.5m and scantling displacement of 17,000t. It is operated by 169 crew members and can house up to 228 personnel including crew and additional troops.
Cargo capacities
The fleet tanker has a storage capacity of 8,158t of high-speed diesel oil (HSDO), 150t of JP5 fuel for helicopters, 1,002t of fresh water and 100t of dry cargo.
The stores can be transferred to other platforms through two replenishment-at-sea (RAS) rigs and three fuel-at-sea (FAS) refuelling stations with day and night operational capability.
Two FAS stations on either side of the hull and a third station at the stern allow the tanker to replenish three ships simultaneously, while the embarked helicopter ensures vertical replenishment (VERTREP) at sea.
Weapon systems on the fleet tanker vessel
The fleet tanker is armed with two 20mm Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS) and two remote-controlled 12.7mm naval gun systems. The CIWS protects the ship against small vessel threats, low-flying aircraft and incoming anti-ship missiles.
Propulsion of PN Fleet Tanker
The fleet tanker is powered by two diesel engines driving two controllable pitch propellers through two shafts. Each engine generates a maximum power output of 6,000kW.
The shipboard power is supplied by four diesel generators producing 1,000kVA each. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 20k and maximum range of 10,000nmi at 15k cruising speed. The fleet tanker can autonomously endure at sea for a period of 90 days.
