KARACHI: The Pakistan Navy on Saturday [March 7] carried out a demonstration in the deep waters of the Arabian Sea under the direct supervision of the Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral S. Muzaffar Hasan.

The participating fleet included the Dwarka-operation fame cruiser PNS Babur and destroyers “Khaibar”, “Shahjahan”, and “Jahangir” besides the oil tanker PNS “Dacca”. The exercise was code-named “Operation Shopwindow”.

For the first time, a cross-section of citizens, including businessmen, bankers, industrialists and newsmen were invited to witness the operation. The aim of the exercise, as it was officially stated, was to provide the officers an opportunity to handle the ships and carry out accurate station keeping close formation on one hand and to familiarise the civil population with the functions and operations of the Navy on the other.

Live ammunition used in the demonstration thrilled the onlookers. The exercise included close range anti-aircraft gunfire, naval gunfire support, squid firing and a torpedo firing exercise. There was also a demonstration of refuelling at the high seas from the tanker. Close range anti-aircraft guns are used against attacking aircraft at short ranges. These guns are very rapid-firing, approximately 120 rounds per minute.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2020