Commander of the Iranian Army’s Navy Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said that the country’s destroyers will be equipped with the homegrown “Abu Mahdi” naval cruise missiles.
Rear Admiral Irani noted that efforts are underway to install the missile on Iranian military watercraft, adding that the country’s destroyers would be equipped with “more powerful cruise missiles”.
“Abu Mahdi naval cruise missile can well undertake its tasks once employed in electronic warfare systems and has undergone several tests,” he continued, stating that the enemies are aware of the missile’s features and have seen its capabilities in action, Fars News Agency (FNA) reported.
“The combat capability, destructive power and operational range of Abu Mahdi cruise missile are significant, and we have set higher ranges on our agenda,” the Navy Commander underlined.
He explained that the Iranian Navy’s surface-to-surface cruise missile power has doubled and that the country’s destroyers will be deployed to high sea for the first time with 8 cruise missiles mounted on them.
He further underscored that Nawab, a domestically-developed medium-range surface-to-air missile system, has already been installed on the Sahand destroyer. Point-defense weapon systems for detecting and destroying incoming missiles and enemy aircraft and anti-missile systems have also been used in the destroyer.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Irani noted the homegrown Damavand destroyer is undergoing final tests and will hopefully join the Navy’s fleet on November 28.
He noted that Shuhada-ye Konarak support vessel has been redesigned and bears no similarities to its predecessor, which was heavily damaged in a friendly fire incident during a naval exercise in the Sea of Oman on May 10, 2020.
“The new generation of the vessel enjoys advanced and more sophisticated technologies and is going through construction phases. At the same time, various pieces of military equipment are being installed on it. It’s worth mentioning that the vessel can fire cruise naval missiles as well,” Irani explained.
