Pakistan's newest submarine has just fired its first live weapon, and the military is calling it a major show of strength. According to the military, PNS/M Hangor conducted its maiden live weapon firing in the North Arabian Sea, accurately hitting a designated long-range target with an anti-ship cruise missile. Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf was on hand to witness the launch and praised the boat's combat power. The Navy says the test validated Hangor's weapon systems, combat readiness, and operational effectiveness. The submarine only joined the fleet this year, having been commissioned in Sanya, China, in April 2026 before arriving in Karachi in June.

Hangor is the lead boat of an eight-submarine class being acquired from China, and it carries a name with real weight in Pakistani naval history. The original PNS Hangor became famous in the 1971 war with India, when it sank the Indian frigate INS Khukri and became the first submarine since World War II to sink a warship. Pakistan's navy says the new boat has advanced combat systems, modern sensors, air-independent propulsion, and enhanced stealth. Still, key details remain under wraps, since the Navy has not named the missile used or said exactly when the firing took place. That secrecy leaves a big question hanging over the Arabian Sea: just how far can this new submarine really reach?