Overview of Pakistani Navy’s Ormara Naval Base

COORDINATES: 25.201862° 64.674147°

Ormara Naval Base, formally called PNS Jinnah or Jinnah Naval Base, is Pakistan’s major western-seaboard naval installation located at Ormara on the Makran Coast between Karachi and Gwadar. Built to reduce the Navy’s dependence on Karachi and to place key assets farther from India, it offers naturally sheltered geography, berthing for warships and submarines and serves as the primary operational hub for Pakistan’s western maritime security. It is the country’s first purpose-built defence-only naval base.

The attached map has some more locations: https://earth.google.com/earth/d/11hRAVYcod5BRQctza-OyiLSGtdZXUjx6?usp=sharing

Naval Piers.

The berthing area can accommodate 8 vessels and 4 submarines simultaneously, with the option to expand capacity in the future if needed.

Helipads

Fuel Storage

Hardened Storage facilities

There are three reinforced storage bunkers meant for storage of war supplies. Possibly missiles and other ammunition. Additionally, digging work is going on for some storage tunnels a few 100 m west of the base’s entrance.

Possible Radar Site

YLC-18A radar spotted, but will probably have another on the ramp.

Miscellanous

Halcrow Ltd (U.K.) was associated with the construction of the base in 1995. They were involved with planning and designing of individual buildings, namely: P.N. Central Mess, Submarine Sailors Barracks,Transport pool, Naval Supply Centre, Maritime Head Quarter, Central Fire Brigade, Workshops, Boat pool, Mosque, Sport Complex, Harbour Master Tower, MESS building, Commercial Complex, Hospital, Library, Bahria College, Community Centre and Auditorium

Some other buildings were constructed by Friends Construction Syndicate Pvt Ltd.

PNS Ahsan Naval Air Station

Previously known as RDS Mianwali, it serves as an ELINT facility and logistical support base.. Located 1400 feet high right on the easternmost end of the cliff and connected via single road and multiple helipads along the cliff. Has multiple antennas, solar power plant, helipad and perhaps a reinforced bunker.

Sensors and antennas at PNS Ahsan (formerly RDS Mianwali)

NAVAL VESSELS, AIRCRAFT & OTHER EQUIPMENT SPOTTED

SUMBARINES

i) PNS Hamza. Agosta class submarine. Spotted in late 2024-25

SHIPS

i) PNS Yanama (F-274) . 4th Yarmook-class OPV in series, Purchased from DAMEN Shipyard, Romania. 1st commander: Capt Abdur Rehman

ii) PNS Yarmook (F-271), a Yarmook-class OPV.

iiI) PNS Hunain (F-273), a Yarmook-class OPV.

iv) PNS Babur (F-280), a Babur class corvette.

v) PNS Rizwan, a SIGINT ship, Spotted in 2023

vi) PNS ZARRAR Multi Role Tactical Platform(MRTP33) Spotted in 2021

vii) PNS Shamsheer (F252) Zulfiquar Class frigate, Spotted in 2021

Other Spotted Vessels

NO.	NAME	TYPE	COMMISSIONED	PENNANT NUMBER
1	PNS KHALID	AGOSTA 90B CLASSSUBMARINE	SEPT 99	S137
2	PNS SAAD	AGOSTA 90B CLASS SUBMARINE	DEC 03	S138
3	PNS HAMZA	AGOSTA 90B CLASS SUBMARINE	SEPT 08	S139
4	PNS HASHMAT	AGOSTA 70 CLASS SUBMARINE	FEB 79	S135
5	PNS HURMAT	AGOSTA 70 CLASS SUBMARINE	FEB 80	S136

AIRCRAFT

333 ASW Squadron based at PNS Mehran has detachment flights based at PNS Ahsan.

The Squadron is equipped with French Alouette III helicopters with focus on anti-submarine warfare and SAR missions. Westland Seaking helicopter was used for humanitarian missions during floods in Balochistan operating from PNS Ahsan.

More information is not available currently

Ormara Naval Air Station

The dual-use airport serves as a logistical node for the base which sees the movement of transport aircrafts like atr72 and c130 occasionally. It has a 3000 mts long runway capable of handling every aircraft in Pakistan’s inventory and a wide apron area with helipads. No hardened shelter, ammo storage bunkers or fuel storage facility can be seen.

It has very limited civilian flights. Coordinates: 25.276847° 64.591355°

MILITARY UNITS

Not enough information is available for exact identification of other units in the area

Pakistan Navy Marines’ 21st Air Defence Battalion

COORDINATES: 25.260318° 64.603138°

WEAPONS: Possibly Mistral MANPADS and 35 mm AAA

HISTORY: Originally raised around 2005 in Manora, Karachi, shifted to Ormara in Aug 2019

Additional support infrastructure was inaugurated by the then Naval chief in September 2020.

Pakistan Navy Marine’s 6th Force Protection Battalion

Exact location is not available. A probable location is 25.198130° 64.636570°. 3rd FP Battalion is in Gwadar.

Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Omara

Coordinates: 25.202311° 64.643708°

Possible Missile Launches From Omara

According to one source, some missiles were launched from Omara towards Kolwah and Awaran in Balochistan on 11th July 2025. The debris seems to be of Ababeel ballistic missile. There were reports of multiple explosions near Kolwah and Awaran in Balochistan which are 95 and 150 km away from Ormara. This could be the confirmation of one of a few failed test launches of this MIRV equipped missile in July-August 2025.

COAST GUARD:

5th Battalion of Pakistan Coast Guards is located here. Coordinates: 25.209950° 64.622157°

Naval Cadet College

Academic building inaugurated in 2017. Cadets are divided into 8 houses. Additional housing blocks were constructed for Naval Cadet College in October 2019. Coordinates : 25.260336° 64.615202°

PNS Darmaan Jah Hospital

Naval hospital with 100 beds.

COORDINATES: 25.225349° 64.621047°

CSD Shop, Ormara

CSD Shop, Jinnah Naval Base (Jnb) Ormara Phone : 0300-6373562

PN Central Mess, Ormara

Coordinates:- 25°11’50.57″N 64°39’4.26″E

All of the above mentioned buildings are located inside the Naval Village which is north of the Jinnah Naval Base. Around 60% of the Naval village is still empty and available for expansion and accommodation of additional personnel if required.

Other Photos & Miscellaneous

Other Facilities in the area:

1. Cantonment Board Ormara: +92-863-310202 Fax: +92-863-310202
2. HBL Bank ATM
3. Bahria Model College, Naval Village, Jinnah Naval Base, Ormara, 021-32322953 Co-Education Lt.Cdr Ambreen Nighat0335-2963355
4. Cadet College Ormara, Jinnah Naval Base Ormara, Makran Div.Balochistan 021-32322947-50, Capt Masood Ul Hasan 0342-83157242
5. Siemens switchboards installed by M/s Siddiko at Jinnah Naval Base, TAK A0770 3000704435, 01x200kVA PMT 4/23/2007 4/25/2007 4/30/20
6. National Bank of Pakistan branch.
7. Proposal for a Basool dam
8. Custom Station connected via Fiber and wireless (secondary)
9. Synergy Corp was in process of installing a generator in 2024
10. Baharia College Omara

CREDITS

Thanks to @MalaySamani @Mrcool63040811 @sayareakd @DfIlite @Kyangs_Thang and others for their help with compilation of this data.

REFERENCES

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