Pakistan Navy SSP programmes

The Government of Pakistan approved the construction of new next-generation AIP (air independent propulsion) submarines for the Pakistani Navy. Eight boats have been ordered, 4 of which will be built in China and the other 4 will be built indigenously in Pakistan at Karachi Shipyard. In 2015 Pakistan finalized a submarine contract with China for the joint development and production of the submarines, as of December 2016 the model, subsystems, weapons and specifications are not known to the public.

Propulsion
Pakistani Navy officials have confirmed that air independent propulsion will be implemented on the submarines. The type of AIP system has not been disclosed. China's Stirling AIP system has been speculated as the most likely solution though a Fuel-cell AIP has been deemed as more effective for the warm waters of Pakistan's coastal waters and the Arabian sea.

History
In mid-2006, the Navy announced its requirement of three new fast-attack submarines to replace the two Agosta-70 submarines and expand its submarine fleet. The French defence consortium, the DCN, offered its latest export design— the Marlin class submarine— which uses technology from the Barracuda nuclear attack submarine. However, the Navy chose the Type 214 submarine from Germany's HDW. In 2009, it was reported that the Navy had canceled its plans with HDW. Since 2011 the Pakistan Navy had been negotiating with China for six submarines equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems. In April 2015 the Government of Pakistan reportedly announced that it had approved the procurement of eight such submarines, though the cost or type had not been revealed.