Sword (F-22P)

The F-22P Zulfiqar-class frigates are multi-mission warships designed for anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare. They are equipped with a range of sensors and weapon systems, including anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and a main gun.

Developed by China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard under a 2005 bilateral agreement, the F-22P (Zulfiquar or "Sword" class) was designed to modernize the Pakistan Navy's surface fleet by replacing its aging Type 21 frigates. The lead vessel, PNS Zulfiquar, entered service in 2009, with three units constructed in China and a fourth built locally in Pakistan under a technology transfer agreement by 2013. These frigates have been actively deployed for counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and participated in numerous multinational maritime exercises, though PNS Zulfiquar notably survived an attempted Al-Qaeda hijacking in Karachi in 2014. Today, all four ships of the class remain in active service as vital components of Pakistan's maritime defense, serving alongside newer Chinese-built Type 054A/P frigates.