for the second Type 054A frigate for the Pakistan Navy (PN) was held in China on 19 December 2018, marking the beginning of construction of the vessel at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, China. On 1 November 2019, China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding held a steel cutting ceremony for the Pakistan Navy's third and fourth Type 054A frigates. Pakistan Navy outgoing Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi said Navy will add more than 50 vessels, including 20 major ships, to its fleet as part of an ambitious modernisation plan to improve its capabilities. According to outgoing Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) statement, experts suggest Navy would induct Six Chinese Type 054A frigate, four Jinnah class frigate under the transfer of Technology agreement from Turkey. Lastly, outgoing Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi revealed contract for Six more heavy tonnage warships has been signed. Experts believe these ships would be based on Chinese destroyers. In addition, Navy would operate four modified Ada class corvette's from Turkey, two multi-purpose Yarmook class corvettes built by Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards and twenty fast attack missile boats. Submarines Established in 1964, the Submarine Command is a major component of the Navy whose primary mission is to conduct clandestine military reconnaissance for intelligence and carry out precision strikes on enemy positions from underwater during war. There are eight submarines in active service including the submarines, based on the Agosta-70A class, and three Italian–designed and locally–built midget (designated as X-Craft) submarines. The submarines are powered with diesel-electric and air-independent propulsion. The Hashmat-class submarines are equipped with an air-independent propulsion system giving a capability of deeper dives and the ability to submerge for a longer period of time without detection. They are armed with Exocet and Babur-III missiles, which can be launched from underwater. Two of the three Agosta-90B class are currently undergoing refitting and modernisation by the Turkish firm, STM, and are expected to return to full active duty in 2020–21. In 2014, Pakistan Navy entered in defence discussions with the People's Liberation Army Navy for the procurement of the Yuan-class AIP powered submarines, and eventually succeeded when the technology transfer agreement was signed between two nations in April 2015. This national submarine program is known as features air-independent propulsion is being constructed as a joint-venture with China with the expectation of being commissioned between 2023 and 2028. In a direct response to