PNS Ghazi

: "For the submarine named Ghazi, bought by the Pakistan Navy in 2000, see NRP Cachalote (S165)"

PNS Ghazi (SS 479) was a United States-built submarine that was leased by Pakistan in 1963. It operated in the 1965 and 1971 wars between India and Pakistan and was Pakistan's first submarine and remained the flagship submarine for Pakistan Navy until it sank in 1971. It sank off the fairway buoy of Visakhapatnam near eastern coast of India under unclear circumstances during the 1971 war. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZcejlMRYNAAC&pg=PA179&dq=PNS+Ghazi&ei=LKdDSKG0H4KijgGs1qG-BQ&sig=9YcFuLJttkAY3wIH965XTx6eU1Y Seapower: A Guide for the Twenty-first Century] By Geoffrey Till]

History

Originally launched in 1944 as the USS "Diablo" (SS/AGSS-479), it was a long-range "Tench"-class submarine. Her keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched on 1 December 1944, and commissioned on 31 March 1945.

In 1962, her hull classification symbol was changed to AGSS-479.

In 1963, "Diablo" was transferred to the Pakistan on a four-year lease under the terms of the Security Assistance Program. After an extensive overhaul and conversion to Fleet Snorkel configuration in the United States, she was commissioned into the Pakistani Navy as PNS "Ghazi" on 1 June 1964. She reported for duty in Karachi in September of that year.

Capability

It could carry up to 28 torpedoes and in later years was refitted in Turkey for mine-laying capabilities.

Operational Service

"This section deals with the Ghazi's service record with the Pakistan Navy. For more information about its previous service with the US Navy, see USS Diablo (SS-479)"

= 1965 war =

Ghazi was used in the Second Kashmir War in 1965 to attack heavy ships of the Indian Navy or ships aiding Operation Dwarka, though it didn't score any hits. It was a significant threat in the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war. It won 10 awards including two decorations of Sitara-e-Jurat and the President's citations.

After the war, the submarine was sent to Turkey for a $1.5 million refit in 1967-68. Her spares were to be provided from Turkish stocks.

= 1971 War =

Sensing a deteriorating military scenario with the transfer of Indian aircraft carrier INS "Vikrant" close to East Pakistan, Pakistan Military decided to negate the threat by deploying its only submarine. On November 14, it sailed out of harbour on a reconnaissance patrol under the command of Cdr Zafar Muhammad Khan with 92 hands on board. It was expected to report on 26 November. [http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/navy/1971navalwar/lossofghazi.htm Operations in the Bay of Bengal: The Loss of PNS/M Ghazi] .] The submarine was to sail 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometres) around the Indian peninsula from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal.

According to Vice Admiral Mihir K. Roy, who was Director of Intelligence during this period, its existence was revealed when signal addressed to naval authorities in Chittagong was intercepted, requesting information on a lubrication oil only used by submarines and minesweepers.Mihir K. Roy (1995) War in the Indian Ocean, Spantech & Lancer. ISBN 978-1897829110] Vikrant was immediately moved to Andamans. It is assumed that Ghazi, not able to locate Vikrant decided to mine the port of Vishakapatnam - the headquarters of India's Eastern Naval Command.Nasir Khan (2000) A Forgotten Heroic Feat. Pakistan Military Consortium. Dawn. 18 December, 2000] What followed was a deadly game where both sides were on tenterhooks. Indians are reported to have nicknamed the Ghazi as "Kali" because it could have been destructive if it succeeded in its mission.fact|date=April 2007 Though patrols were sent to be on the lookout the submarine was not spotted. However, it turned out to be a case of hunter hunted when the submarine was sunk at around midnight on 3 December 1971 off the coast of Vishakapatnam, India, in a series of events still not entirely clear. The vessel sank with all 92 hands on board. Its destruction allowed India to easily effect a naval blockade of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

Aftermath

After the incident, Indian Navy claimed that the submarine was sunk by two depth charges from the destroyer INS "Rajput" after it sighted "Ghazi" diving from periscope depth. Pakistan however has maintained that Ghazi sank when the mines it was laying were accidentally detonated. Another more plausible theory is that the explosive shock from one of the depth charges set off the torpedoes and mines (some of which may have been armed for laying) stored aboard the submarine.

Admiral Roy acknowledges in his book that there was no Indian ship in the vicinity at that moment Ghazi exploded: "The theories propounded earlier by some who were unaware of the ruse de guerre leading to the sinking of the first submarine in the Indian Ocean gave rise to smirks from within our own (Indian) naval service for an operation which instead merited a Bravo Zulu (flag hoist for bravery)".

Later some items of the ship like the log book and official Pakistani tapes, were displayed in India's Eastern Naval Command. [citeweb |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020721/spectrum/main2.htm |title=Naval museums give glimpse of maritime history |author=Trilochan Singh Trewn |month=July 21 |year=2002 |publisher=The "Tribune" |accessmonthday=May 16 |accessyear=2007] A submarine rescue vessel, INS Nishtar was sent to check the debris. India later built a "Victory Memorial" on the coast near where the Ghazi was sunk. [citeweb |url=http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=17718673&x=83332275&z=17&l=0&m=a&v=2 |title=India/Andhra Pradesh/Visakhapatnam |publisher=WikiMapia |accessmonthday=May 16 |accessyear=2007]

The only information on the subject from an independent source comes from an Egyptian naval officer serving at that time on an Egyptian submarine under refit in Visakhapatnam harbour. He has confirmed the occurrence of a "big explosion" in the vicinity of the harbour "around late night". So powerful was the explosion that rocked the harbour, according to this officer, that some of the shores supporting the submarine in the graving dock, where she was docked, fell off. There were no naval ships, as reported by this officer, outside the harbour at that time and it was not until about an hour after the explosion that two Indian naval ships were observed leaving harbour.

Following this both the Americans and the Soviet Union offered to raise the submarine to the surface at their own expense. The Government of India, however, rejected these offers and allowed the submarine to sink into the mud off the fairway buoy of Vishakapatham, where it still lies buried under the muddy waters. [B. Harry (2001) [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE4-2/harry.html The Sinking of the Ghazi] ." Bharat Rakshak Monitor, 4(2). Indian Military's Website]

The sinking of the Ghazi was unique in the annals of naval warfare, becoming the first submarine casualty in the waters around the Indian subcontinent.

References

External links

* [http://www.ussdiablo.com/TheDiabloAdvocatepage11.htm Pictures of the Ghazi]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/1971/Dec05/Art03.htm The PNS Ghazi incident as described in an article from "The Liberation Times"]
* [http://www.indiadefence.com/navyday05.htm India Defence report on the Ghazi's sinking]
* [http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/navy/1971navalwar/lossofghazi.htm The Loss of PNS/M Ghazi] ,
* [http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/navy/ghazi.html The Ghazi That Defied The Indian Navy By Ghani Eirabie] - Articles in Pakistan Military Consortium
* [http://orbat.com/site/history/volume4/438/pn_warships_part4A_submarines.htm Orbat article on PNS Ghazi]

See also