Pakistan Navy submarine force is a major combat component of the Pakistan Navy whose primary mission is to effectuate peaceful engagement by undertaking clandestine military reconnaissance as well as conducting precision strikes on enemy positions from underwater whenever called upon. PN became the first Navy in the region to operate submarines when the sub-surface arm was raised in 1964. It has an applaudable history spanning over 6 decades and has the exceptional distinction of operating nearly five different types of platforms to date.
In the late 1960s, 03 Daphne class submarines were inducted into the PN Fleet from France and were named Hangor, Shushuk and Mango. These units actively participated in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, whereby PNS/M Hangor became the first conventional submarine after WW-Il to successfully sink a ship ie INS Khukri. Pakistan Navy submarine Hangor in the silent hours of 22 November 1971 slipped with a full wartime load of torpedoes for establishing patrol off the Indian coast under the command of Commander Ahmad Tasnim. On 26 Nov 71, Hangor established patrol in her assigned area and thereby remained ready to hunt enemy warships.
For Hangor, the period of patience and waiting reached a climax on 9 Dec 71 when for the first time since the onset of war, the enemy ships came within effective weapon range of the unit. Hangor classified two enemy frigates as INS Khukri and Kirpan. Despite the risks involved, the commanding officer chose to close the enemy ASW frigates.
Pak Navy has an applaudable history spanning over 6 decades with an exceptional distinction of operating nearly five different types of platforms to date.
The Commanding Officer with caution, prudence and exercising all professionalism closed on to enemy frigates while avoiding detection and calculating the best possible fire solution. Patience is probably the greatest virtue in submarine warfare. Seconds ticked away, as all sonar information was fed into the Fire Control System. Hangor was ready and at 1957 hours on 9th Dec 1971, the sharp command ‘shoot’ rang out and the first torpedo sped away. The torpedo homed on to the target, passed under and did not explode. At 2014 hrs, ‘shoot’ was again ordered for the launch of the second torpedo.
The sonar operator concentrated and tracked the torpedo with resoluteness till it found its mark. As he listened, the headset was virtually ripped off by the deafening roar of a mighty explosion. The pressure wave rocked Hangor and the explosion was heard clearly by all onboard, who immediately reacted with a resounding shout of “Allah-O-Akbar”. The torpedo exploded under the magazine of INS Khukri and the huge explosion broke the ship in two and she sank in less than two minutes causing heavy causalities.
There was, however, little time for celebration as the other frigate Kipran having located Hangor started a counter attack and all minds turned to the task of meeting the threat. The enemy was approaching at speed and was ready to commence firing anti-submarine mortars. Reacting instantly, Hangor fired her third torpedo at 2024 hrs down the throat. The torpedo hit her at a long distance causing severe damage and eventually disabled her for a lifetime.
Despite these potentially life-threatening and restless events, the morale onboard Hangor never wilted. As a member of the crew put it, “The crew always felt that death would not matter so long as they succeed in destroying the enemy”. The ship’s crew was justifiably satisfied with their achievement under challenging conditions.
The significance of this encounter increases manifold when viewed in retrospect that it was only the first occasion after World War-II that a War ship was conventional S/M in a live encounter at sea. To recognize the valor and heroism of submarine force 04 Sitara-e-Jurrat, 06 Tamgha-e-Jurrat and 14 Imtiazi Sanads were awarded. PNS/M Hangor has the honour of having the highest number of gallantry awards during combat to date.
The writer is a freelance columnist.