PNS KHAIBAR’s Eastern Mediterranean Deployment Signals Growing Pakistan–Türkiye Naval Interoperability

The newly commissioned PNS KHAIBAR, during its maiden voyage from Türkiye to Pakistan, conducted a port visit to Aksaz Naval Base and participated in Exercise TURGUTREIS-XIII alongside units of the Turkish Navy.

While routine in form, the deployment carries broader strategic significance. It highlights the expanding operational relationship between the Pakistan Navy and its Turkish counterpart at a time when maritime security, sea-lane protection, and coalition interoperability are gaining renewed importance across connected theatres.

Technical Profile: PNS KHAIBAR

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Naval Diplomacy at Aksaz

During the port call, the Commanding Officer of PNS KHAIBAR met the Turkish Southern Sea Area Commander, where discussions focused on strengthening bilateral naval cooperation and contributing to regional stability through coordinated maritime activity.

Senior Turkish naval leadership, including the Southern Sea Area Commander and the Commander of Aksaz Naval Base, later visited PNS KHAIBAR. Such reciprocal engagements are a standard feature of professional naval diplomacy, reinforcing trust, procedural familiarity, and command-level communication between partner fleets.

Exercise TURGUTREIS-XIII: Interoperability in Practice

Following the port visit, PNS KHAIBAR joined Exercise TURGUTREIS-XIII, a bilateral Pakistan–Türkiye naval drill conducted with the Turkish Navy’s TCG HEYBELIADA and a Turkish Naval Forces SH-70 helicopter.

The newly commissioned, state-of-the-art Pakistan Navy Ship KHAIBAR, during its maiden voyage from Türkiye to Pakistan, visited Aksaz Naval Base, Türkiye, and participated in Exercise TURGUTREIS-XIII and joint patrols with ships of the Turkish Navy. pic.twitter.com/plLBuvdXAL

— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) February 13, 2026

The exercise included a range of sea evolutions designed to rehearse joint maritime operations, including maneuvering, communications coordination, and aviation-ship integration. These activities are central to improving tactical interoperability, particularly between navies operating different platforms but aligned doctrines.

Such drills also allow newly commissioned ships like PNS KHAIBAR to validate crew proficiency and systems performance in a multinational environment early in their operational life cycle.

Coordinated Patrol in the Eastern Mediterranean

Upon completion of the exercise, PNS KHAIBAR and TCG HEYBELIADA conducted a Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) in the Eastern Mediterranean. While limited in duration, such patrols serve multiple functions: they demonstrate shared situational awareness, reinforce freedom of navigation norms, and contribute to a visible naval presence in a strategically sensitive maritime space.

For Pakistan Navy, participation in a CORPAT outside its immediate region reflects an increasingly outward-looking posture and an emphasis on operating seamlessly with trusted partners beyond the Indian Ocean.

Strategic Context: A Maturing Naval Partnership

Pakistan–Türkiye naval cooperation has steadily deepened over the past decade, encompassing shipbuilding collaboration, training exchanges, and recurring bilateral exercises. Deployments such as PNS KHAIBAR’s maiden voyage underscore a transition from symbolic engagement to routine operational cooperation.

From an analytical perspective, the significance lies less in the scale of the exercise and more in its consistency. Regular interaction builds shared procedures, aligns command cultures, and lowers coordination costs in future multinational or coalition settings.

Conclusion

PNS KHAIBAR’s participation in Exercise TURGUTREIS-XIII and a coordinated patrol in the Eastern Mediterranean illustrates how bilateral naval partnerships are increasingly expressed through sustained, professional engagement rather than episodic gestures.

As maritime security challenges grow more interconnected across regions, such deployments reflect Pakistan Navy’s intent to operate credibly with capable partners, while Türkiye continues to position itself as a central naval interlocutor linking the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and wider maritime domains.