Pakistan's Hangor class inherits main features of China's Type 039

Pakistan's first Hangor-class submarine seen here approaching a naval pier at Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia. (Royal Malaysian Navy)

Images released by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) indicate that Pakistan's Hangor-class submarine has inherited almost all of the design features associated with China's Type 039 (Yuan) class.

These images – published on 9 May to mark the arrival of the first-of-class PNS Hangor at the Teluk Sepanggar Naval Base in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – provide a rare view of the class' configuration given the limited imagery released by the Pakistan Navy.

The China-built diesel-electric submarine's (SSK's) stop in Malaysia was part of a replenishment, logistical co-ordination, and crew rest activity before continuing to Pakistan. Hangor was commissioned in Sanya, China, on 30 April.

The imagery shows a tear-shaped hydrodynamic hull optimised for submerged operations, with a conventional cruciform stern arrangement and sail-mounted horizontal diving planes. This control-surface layout is typical of Chinese conventional submarines, emphasising predictable low-speed handling and acoustic discretion.

A rectangular recessed panel is visible on the side of the sail, likely serving as an access point into the vessel. Along the submarine's upper forward casing, there are multiple slotted drainage openings arranged in horizontal rows. These free‑flooding ports are evenly spaced and follow the curvature of the hull, allowing water to drain quickly when surfaced. The casing forward of the sail slopes gently upward toward the sail base.

No external weapons or deck fittings are visible, indicating reliance on internally housed torpedoes and, potentially, missile systems launched from standard bow tubes.

The images also confirm that like the Type 039, Hangor