Iranian Navy Equipped with New Vessel, Submarine

A reconnaissance warship named ‘Behregan’, a Qadir-class submarine, a tow vessel named ‘Arvand’ and an AB212 helicopter joined the Iranian Navy in the Southern territorial waters on Saturday.

“The Navy has been able to turn into an arm for the Armed Forces in line with Supreme Leader’s declared measures for producing power in the region,” Rear Admiral Hassani said, addressing the ceremony.

“Efforts to attain the defensive goals still continue,” he added.

The development came after Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi announced that Damavand destroyer, which has been under overhaul for the past 18 months, would soon be equipped with vertical launching system (VLS) missile cells.

“This year we will celebrate Damavand destroyer joining the Northern fleet of the Navy,” Rear Admiral Khanzadi said, in the Persian Gulf island of Kish.

“Currently we are working on equipping Damavand destroyer with VLS missile cells,” added the commander.

He went on recounting that over the course of the past 18 months of overhaul, the destroyer has been completely resuscitated with all previous edition’s bugs resolved and may new features added.

Damavand destroyer had been equipped with advanced radar systems with long-range radars to detect targets in long distances, the commander highlighted.

Khanzadi went on adding that the same process of overhaul and improving the features of the vessels was underway in the Northern fleet of the navy.

According to the commander destroyer, Dena, along with a new missile launching frigate will join the Southern fleet within the next 7 months.

In addition to the two vessels, according to Khanzadi, also a new minesweeper which can also lay mines both on and under surface would join the fleet.

The Navy commander voiced hope that the military body would celebrate unveiling a 100% home-made hovercraft on November 28, the National Day of the Navy in Iran.

Damavand destroyer sunk in the Caspian Sea in January 2018 after it suffered damages during the stormy weather of Anzali Port in Northern Iran.