INS Visakhapatnam(left), PNS Shah-Jahan(right)
Naval analysis often focuses on numbers, but individual warship capabilities reveal the true balance of power at sea. A clear example lies in comparing Pakistan’s premier surface combatant with a standard frontline destroyer of the Indian Navy.
The Pakistan Navy’s most advanced surface vessel is the Chinese-built Tughril-class (Type 054A/P) guided-missile frigate. Meanwhile, the Indian Navy regularly fields the Visakhapatnam-class (Project 15B) guided-missile destroyer. Examining these two platforms highlights the vast structural and technological gap between the two forces.
Displacement and Hull Endurance
The most fundamental difference begins with size. The Tughril-class is a multi-role frigate displacing roughly 4,200 tonnes with a length of 134 meters. It is designed primarily as a defensive escort for regional sea lanes.
In contrast, a Visakhapatnam-class destroyer is a massive capital warship. It displaces 7,400 tonnes and stretches 163 meters in length.
In naval architecture, greater tonnage provides direct operational advantages. The larger Indian destroyer offers superior sea-keeping stability in rough waters, heavier structural armor, and significantly longer endurance for open-ocean operations.
Offensive Firepower and Strike Capacity
When comparing missile capabilities, the difference in firepower becomes stark.
Pakistan’s Tughril-class carries 4 supersonic CM-302 anti-ship cruise missiles. These are capable weapons, but the vessel’s small magazine limits its offensive persistence.
The Indian destroyer carries 16 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles in vertical launch cells. BrahMos flies at Mach 3 and offers versatile anti-ship and precision land-attack capabilities. With four times the heavy anti-ship missile capacity, a single Indian destroyer can deliver a saturation strike that can overwhelm enemy defense systems.
Air Defense and Sensor Capabilities
Both warships carry 32 vertical launch system (VLS) cells for anti-air missiles, but their radar suites operate at completely different performance tiers.
- Pakistan’s Tughril-Class: Uses 32 cells for LY-80N medium-range surface-to-air missiles. Its primary sensor is a single rotating AESA radar panel.
- Indian Destroyer: Features 32 Barak-8 long-range missiles guided by the Israeli-designed MF-STAR radar. This system uses four fixed AESA radar faces mounted on the main mast, providing continuous 360-degree tracking of multi-directional threats simultaneously.
Aviation and Anti-Submarine Warfare
A warship’s reach relies heavily on its airborne assets. The Tughril-class accommodates a single light Harbin Z-9EC anti-submarine helicopter.
Conversely, an Indian destroyer features an expanded flight deck and dual hangars capable of operating two heavy multi-role helicopters, such as the MH-60R Seahawk or Sea King. Operating two helicopters allows the Indian vessel to maintain continuous, round-the-clock anti-submarine patrols while providing over-the-horizon targeting for its missiles.
Final Perspective
Comparing Pakistan’s flagship frigate to an Indian Navy destroyer is not an apples-to-apples comparison. The Tughril-class modernizes Pakistan’s defensive capabilities, but it remains a medium-class frigate.
An average Indian Navy destroyer belongs to a far higher class of naval engineering. Armed with heavy supersonic cruise missiles, multi-panel AESA radars, and twin-helicopter capability, the Indian warship is built to project power and command the open ocean.
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