Navy Commander: Iran to Stage Massive Drills, Unveil New Naval Equipment

“Two destroyers namely Sahand and Dena are being built by the Defense Ministry’s Naval Industries and the Fateh submarine which is in the final stages of production and has gone under naval tests and will be unveiled by the end of fall,” Rear Admiral Khanzadi told reporters in Tehran on Tuesday.

He added that Damavand destroyer is also being overhauled and will be launched again before the end of the current year.

“Some major naval drills will also be held late fall and the Armed Forces’ joint massive drills will be staged on the final days of this year,” Rear Admiral Khanzadi said.

The Iranian navy commander had announced in June that the country’s naval forces would soon be supplied with a new home-made destroyer named Dena.

“Dena has been manufactured by the defense ministry’s marine industries organization and it will join the army’s naval fleet in the South soon,” Rear Admiral Khanzadi told FNA, adding that Dena is the latest version of Mowj-class vessels.

He also said that the construction jobs and naval tests on the home-made destroyer, Sahand, are also being accomplished, adding that it will be put into operation by the end of this fall along with Dena.

“Fateh submarine which is the first mid-class submarine built by the Islamic Republic of Iran will also be unveiled soon,” Rear Admiral Khanzadi said.

He also referred to efforts to overhaul Damavand, a destroyer which sunk in the Caspian Sea in January after it suffered damages during the stormy weather of Anzali Port in Northern Iran, and said overhaul of the giant vessel will end by the yearend “and it will have the same, and even more, capabilities in less than two years”.