Agencies, Islamabad: The United States has offered to sell two Perry class Naval Frigates to Pakistan Navy besides providing eight long-range maritime patrol aircraft fitted with Harpoon Missiles.
The offer for sale “has been made by the US Navy” and the price of the frigates will be negotiated once the US Congress gives its approval, Chief of Pakistan Navy Admiral Shahid Karimullah told reporters here yesterday.
Named after an American Naval hero, Oliver Hazard Perry, the frigates were designed by the US in the 1970s as general-purpose Escort Vessels.
Although some Perry-class vessels are slated to remain in the US service for years, many others are being de-commissioned and transferred to other countries after necessary modifications.
Besides the two US Frigates, Pakistan Navy is also acquiring four P-22 F Frigates from China, Admiral Karimullah said.
The frigates, three of which will be built in China and one in Pakistan, will form part of the Navy`s fleet by 2013, he added.
Since the delivery of the first Chinese frigate will take about three years to materialise, the US frigates could be a good stop-gap arrangement, he said.
Pakistan Navy is also holding talks with the UK to acquire British frigates, he said, adding the talks have not yet borne fruit as the prices are not acceptable to Pakistan.
