Recent open source imagery confirmed that Pakistan recently acquired a spy ship from China. The new vessel, the PNS Rizwan, was seen on recent satellite imagery docked at Karachi Naval Base. The new spy ship is reportedly Pakistan’s response to India’s acquisition of the INS Dhruv in 2021.
Sources also indicate that the Pakistani Navy operates the Rizwan closely with China, with the country deploying a People’s Liberation Army’s Strategic Support Force team to serve on the vessel.
Pakistan now joins the list of countries, such as the US, UK, and Russia, that operate this type of vessel.
The ship was inducted last year and designated an offshore support vessel, with a length of 286 feet (87.2 meters) and a width of 62 feet (19 meters). These ships play a crucial role in modern-day navies, providing Pakistan and other countries the capability to track aircraft, other vessels, or potentially ballistic missiles.
