A new Iranian made destroyer, Dena, and a minesweeper warship, Shaheen, joined the country’s naval fleet in the Southern territorial waters in Bandar Abbas on Monday.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi and Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami participated in the ceremony to launch the two giant vessels, Fars News Agency (FNA) reported.
“It is a very good day as the country’s defense industry has made and prepared a large destroyer for operation with its own hands in a period of 8 years. This destroyer is ready to carry out its missions,” President Rouhani said, addressing the ceremony via video conferencing.
“We are very happy with the continued efforts of the Armed Forces for self-sufficiency and self-reliance, and today’s product is a sign of continuity on the path of self-sufficiency by the Armed Forces,” he added.
For his part, General Hatami said that “Iran’s powerful presence in international waters and high waters is a great honor resulted from national power”.
He added that the Defense Ministry has succeeded in meeting the Armed Forces' need to vessels and equipping them by organizing an important independent industry, noting that 110 high-speed vessels have been delivered so far and the Law Enforcement Police has also been equipped with special and 12 Heidar-class vessels for border guard missions.
“The Mowj-class destroyer Dena and Shahin minesweeper will be delivered to the Navy today and these products are the result of a close cooperation between the defense industries and the Navy which increase the depth of defense and power to fight against enemy’s surface and sub-surface vessels,” General Hatami continued.
Head of the Marine Industries Organization of Iran Rear Admiral Amir Rastegari announced in April 2020 that the country will build a 6,000-ton destroyer, and said it has the ability to produce nuclear-powered submarines.
“The destroyer will be a trimaran ship - a vessel consisting of multiple hulls - equipped with very special capabilities,” Rear Admiral Rastegari said.
He noted that the destroyer will extend the capabilities of the Iranian Navy for longer operations in the seas with very special defensive and offensive capabilities.
“The vessel can conduct operations for at least two months without docking for supplies,” he added.
Rastegari further said that the construction of the vessel is expected to start soon. He also declared Iran’s readiness to produce nuclear submarines, and said: “Submarines are a vital asset in naval conflicts and their production is a matter of state-of-the-art technology across the world.”
“Thankfully we have acquired such a knowhow and capability,” he said, adding that “we have not yet received orders” to produce nuclear submarines.
The Rear Admiral stressed that the production of nuclear-powered submarines does not go against Iran’s commitments to the 2015 nuclear deal.
Rastegari added that Iran has fast-attack craft which can sail to speeds of up to 130 kmph and is currently developing craft with can reach speeds of up to 170 kmph.
“We truly do not have high-speed craft that can travel beyond 130 kmph and carry missiles and military radar systems with them produced anywhere. The Americans have high-speed craft which can travel about 105 kmph at most,” he noted.
The Rear Admiral explained that the development of the fast-attack craft was a very “complex field” which demanded advanced designs that allow the craft to travel at high speeds without detaching from the water level.
Highlighting other undergoing projects of the marine organization, Rastegari added that all Iranian ships under development will be equipped with point-defense systems. The military official also underlined plans for future production of the “Pirouzan” hovercraft and a complete composite-body minesweeper.
