Thondar Fast Attack Missile Boat
The Houdong is a Chinese missile boat, based off of the Huangfeng missile boat, itself a copy of the Russian Osa class missile boats. It is armed with a four round launcher for the C-802 cruise missile, as well as a turreted twin 30mm cannon and crewed 23mm cannon for self defense. In total China reportedly sold Iran between 10 and 40 Houdong missile boats, officially named Thondar in Iranian service and possibly more than 80 C-802 anti-ship cruise missiles during the mid-1990s. These formed a major part of Iran's offensive naval capabilities during the 1990s.
One of the most significant Islamic Revolutionary Guards Revolutionary Guards Navy units are the fast-moving Thunderbolt crews that play an important role in deploying them in different areas with one of the longest-range available anti-ship cruise missiles. In the protection of the waters of the country in the Gulf are always the Strait of Hormuz. A total of 10 units of the Thunder boats were delivered to the Navy in April of 1997. The Thunder is in the international ranking of a Missle Boat.
With a displacement of 205 tons, a length of 38.6, a width of 6.8, and a 2.7 meter draft, it has a maximum speed of about 65 km / h, with a speed of 55.5 km / h, with a range of 1480 km. So, if necessary, the Thunder can patrol several days in the water. Surface radar for the detection and tracking of surface targets and enemy vessels with the ability to identify dozens of targets, navigation radar for guidance and radar, fire control for weapons guidance, radar alarms, electronic warfare and telecommunication systems including Marine Flotation equipment.
Thunder bow has two 30-mm AK-230 barrels with a high beam radar that is used on many eastern vessels. The gun, which fires projectiles of 270 grams each of 30 grams of explosives, has a firing rate of 1,000 to 2,000 bullets per minute, with a range of 2500 to 4000 meters for combat purposes and a maximum range of 6 to 7 kilometers. Therefore, this gun, while being used against marine targets, is effectively used against air threats such as manned airplanes and UAVs. The mass of the gun is 156 kg and the mass of the whole set is 1905 kg. Its rotation speed is up to 87 degrees at 50 degrees per second. In fact, it only takes 1.74 seconds to orientate the ball from the horizontal. The outlet speed of the tube is also 1050 m / s.
A 23mm double gun is also located in the middle of the boat behind the riggin. This well-known gun is also used against the enemies, in its limited range of 2000 to 2500 meters, is a great weapon for the destruction of UAVs and helicopters, and the insecurity space for missiles and enemy aircraft. The practical shot is 800 rounds per minute, and on these boats it has the ability to rotate completely to the sides to over 110 degrees in each side and there is no limit to the rotation upwards. The bullet of 186 grams has a speed of 970 meters per second. Given the fact that the 23mm-gun remote control system is equipped with optical systems for targeting, the use of such guns, while increasing the likelihood of strike, will increase the operational efficiency of this weapon.
A 12.7 mm shotgun has been installed in every Thunderbolt side and is an effective weapon against aircraft targets for engagement with helicopters, UAVs and boats, according to its 1600-meter range. Bullets that contain explosives are shot at 800 m / s. It is likely that a number of launchers, such as Covenant -1 or 2, should also be present on the boat to provide effective fire protection against enemy threats at low to medium altitudes, when needed. These missiles can destroy targets of up to 5,000 meters and flying heights of 30-4,000 meters at a significant speed of 600 meters per second.
But the main weapon of the Thunder is four anti-ship cruiser missile launchers. The light anti-ship missile has a range of 120 km and has a rocket booster for initial speeds that, after being detached from the missile, the turbojet engine started to operate and 155 kg semi-armored warhead at very low altitudes and near water level Kills the target. A more capable rocket, but with a range of 220 km, has doubled the action radius of Thunder and increased the dangerous distance for enemy ships by 83.3%. In fact, in the event of a clash, enemy troops are at risk of being destroyed up to more than 200 kilometers from any Thunder's side, while the Thunder itself is less threatened because it is less distant from its own coast and less to vessels The enemy is approaching, thus, the deterioration rate of the naval units of the IRGC has been able to significantly increase by equipping Thunder.
In 1996, the China National Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation, a state-run enterprise, delivered 60 C-802 model cruise missiles to Iran. These missiles were mounted on patrol boats for use by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy. The China National Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation markets the C-802 in its sales brochure as a missile with "mighty attack capability" and "great firepower" for use against escort vessels such as the USS Stark. This was the same company that supplied missile technology to Pakistan, a transaction that led the United States Government to impose economic sanctions for violating US law and international non-proliferation guidelines.
In addition, China reportedly was supplying Iran with a land-based version of the C-802 cruise missile. Iran had been constructing several sites along its coastlines to accommodate Transporter-Erector-Launchers (TELs), from which the Iranian Revolutionary Guard could fire these cruise missiles at targets in both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The C-802 model cruise missile provides the Iranian military a weapon with greater range, accuracy, reliability, and mobility than it previously possessed and shifted the balance of power in the Gulf region.
In November 1996, Iran conducted land, sea and air war games in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and successfully test-fired a C-802 anti-ship cruise missile from one of its Houdong patrol boats. Admiral Scott Redd, the former commander-in-chief of the United States Fifth Fleet stationed in the Gulf, said that the C-802 missiles gave Iran a "360-degree threat which can come at you from basically anywhere." Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert Einhorn told the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee on 11 April 1997, that the C-802 cruise missiles "pose new, direct threats to deployed United States forces."
Elaine Sciolino pointed out in her 20 April 1997, article in The New York Times, the potential for real conflict between the United States and Iran was significant, "when two enemy navies with vastly different military missions and governments that do not talk to each other are crowded into such a small, highly strategic body of water." The acquisition by Iran of advanced cruise missiles, like the C-802 model, had to be considered a serious threat to stability, given the explosive situation that already existed. Iran's intent seemed clear: to challenge the United States for predominance in the Gulf.
The United States sought to pressure China over these sales and their potentially destabilizing character. The Chinese government agreed to US requests in 1998 to halt further C-802 sales. Circumventing this restriction, Iran obtained a license to produce the weapons, primarily for its Thondar missile boats.It is also covered by a long, accurate and intelligent missile with a limited number of boats, or with the same number of boats available to cover areas of much greater scope. Some foreign sources are likely to have ultrasonic velocity, similar to the C-802 Chinese cruise missile, which led to ultrasonic prototype, a missile capable of upgrading a light missile (Native Sample C-802). However, according to the published images of the missile, the nose profile does not fit the ultrasonic speed regime.
These boats have recently been operational and well-functioning before they are completed, repairs and, most importantly, upgrade systems and equipment. Among the Thunder improvements, we can mention the use of a long range rocket, a new fire control system, radar switching with a longer range radar, and the ability to track further targets and rebuild defense systems. Improvement of the body, gearbox, fire and safety systems, floating control systems, motors, generators, electrical systems and rebuilding of the pumps were among the measures that, while addressing the basic issues of these vessels, provided them with a reassessment. And by exploiting new equipment and weapons, the operational value of these vessels has doubled.
Berlin promised Ukraine further arms deliveries worth €2.7 billion ($2.95 billion) ahead of the 14 May 2023 visit to Germany by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the German Defense Ministry said on 13 May 2023. The package, which is Germany's biggest yet to Ukraine, included 20 more Marder infantry fighting vehicles, 30 Leopard-1 tanks and four IRIS-T-SLM air defense systems. the package would also include 15 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, 200 reconnaissance drones, anti-aircraft ammunition, additional artillery ammunition and more than 200 armored combat and logistics vehicles.
The refugee camp in Jenin had regularly been the scene of violence and Israeli military raids as it has become a stronghold for militant Palestinian factions. Ten Palestinians were killed in a raid on the camp in January and four more were killed in March. Israel announced plans for more than 4,000 settlement units in the occupied West Bank at the end of June. Suxh settlements are illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten the viability of the two-state solution. Violence erupted 09 May 2023 when Israeli airstrikes killed three senior Islamic Jihad commanders. Israel said the airstrikes were in response to a heavy burst of rocket fire the previous week and that its attacks have been focused on Islamic Jihad targets. But residents in Gaza said homes of people uninvolved in fighting also had been struck. Israel has conducted more airstrikes, killing other senior Islamic Jihad commanders and destroying their command centers and rocket-launching sites. But the airstrikes showed no signs of stopping the rocket fire.
Israel reported over 1,200 launches throughout the fighting, with some rockets reaching as far as the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas. Israel said about a quarter of the rockets were misfired and landed in Gaza, while most of the rest were either intercepted or landed in open areas.
Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip agreed to an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire late Saturday, ending five days of intense fighting that left 33 Palestinians, including at least 13 civilians, dead. Two people in Israel were killed by rocket fire. the agreement did nothing to address the underlying issues that have fueled numerous rounds of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip. Israeli-Palestinian fighting has surged in the West Bank under Israel’s most right-wing government in history.
At least five Palestinians, including a 15-year-old, were killed 19 Junw 2023 in a large Israeli military operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin. The raid marked a rare use of Israeli airpower in the territory. The Israeli army said a "massive exchange of fire" erupted as forces entered the northern West Bank city to arrest two wanted suspects. A "large number" of explosive devices were also thrown at the soldiers, it said. The IDF added that "helicopters opened fire toward the gunmen in order to assist in extraction of the forces." An Israeli military vehicle was damaged in an explosion as it exited the city, the IDF said. Israeli media reported that it was the first use of an attack helicopter in the territory since the early 2000s. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on 23 June 2023 that the situation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank was having a terrible impact on people in the region and was being worsened by political rhetoric and the use of advanced weaponry. Türk called for an immediate end to the violence in the Occupied West Bank. The violence risks spiralling out of control, fuelled by strident political rhetoric and an escalation in the use of advanced military weaponry by Israel. According to UN figures cited by Türk, Israeli Security Forces have killed at least 126 Palestinians in the West Bank and east Jerusalem this year. Without providing the figures, the UN said that 2022 saw the highest number of Israelis killed since 2016. Israeli officials have said 24 Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians in 2023. http://www.hisutton.com/Iran-IRGC-Drone-Carrier-Update.html">Iran's First Carrier Expected To Be Launched In 2023 30 December 2022 By H I Sutton
IRGCN Shahid Mahdav
Two new military vessels capable of carrying helicopters will join the fleet of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, a senior commander said 06 September 2022. Speaking at a televised interview on 09 October 2022, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said the two warships, named after IRGC Navy martyrs Mahdavi and Baqeri, are 240 meters [790 feet] long and 21 meters [6 feet] in height. He noted that both of them can carry helicopters, missiles and tens of drones, while the Baqeri warship is also equipped with a runway for unmanned aircraft. The two new vessels can cruise in faraway waters and ensure the security of the Iranian trade vessels in high seas, he added.
HISutton wrote "Based on analysis of open sources I believe the first one to be the Shahid-Mahdav (110-3) although it is also being reported in Iranian social media sources as Shahid Bagheri. The two ships are likely similar or identical so this detail may be less important at this point.... Information suggests that the ship was originally Perarin (IMO: 9209350), a large container ship. Perarin was built in 2000 and operated under an Iranian flag. Specifications for Perarin are a carrying capacity of 3,280 TEU, length overall (LOA) of 240.2 meters and beam of 32.2 meters. Her reported draught was 7.8 meters."
On 24 February 2023, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri announced the unveiling of the Shahid Bahman Bagheri warship in the near future and said, "This vessel is a UAV carrier with a runway of 180 meters, on which the aircraft has landed [vertically] on wheels and will also fly on wheels." He added, "About 30 Ashura-class destroyers are carried in the lower part of the Shahid Bagheri carrier."
The original superstructure is retained, spanning the deck, so a traditional aircraft carrier layout is not possible. The conversion adds a large cantilever flight deck to the port, possibly a flight deck running across from port to starboard ahead of the superstructure. It was initially unclear whether an offsetting sponson will be added to the starboard side, though there was no indication of such a design feature.
The shipboard aircraft on a traditional aircraft carrier adopt two main types of gliding takeoff and catapult takeoff, and each type has advantages and disadvantages. The main defect of the sliding takeoff is that the oil consumption of the short-distance takeoff is large, so that the operational radius of the airplane is reduced; the operation difficulty is high; the occupied space is large during taking off. During takeoff, the aircraft carrier needs to sail against the wind at full speed, so that the energy consumption of the aircraft carrier is high, and the difficulty of attacking the aircraft carrier is reduced.
Catapult takeoff takes up a large amount of space for equipment and takeoff, and steam catapult or electromagnetic catapult has different adverse effects on an airplane and a pilot. The high risk of the carrier-based aircraft landing is referred to as "dancing on the nose". Therefore, the safe, stable, efficient and flexible taking-off and landing of the carrier-based aircraft are always the problems faced by the aircraft carrier.
Vertical takeoff and landing ("VTOL") aircraft may be manned or unmanned. An unmanned aerial vehicle ("UAV"), also commonly referred to as a "drone," is an aircraft without a human pilot aboard. UAVs may be used to perform a variety of tasks, including filming, package delivery, surveillance, and other applications. A UAV typically forms a part of an unmanned aircraft system ("UAS") that includes the UAV, a ground-based controller, and a system of communication between the vehicle and controller.
At present, in the field of aviation, vertical take-off and landing airplanes in various modes in various countries around the world have technical limitations of large energy consumption (such as a vertical take-off and landing airplane with jet engine thrust steering), poor safety (such as a tilting rotor aircraft V-22 'osprey') and the like.
The landing and take-off of an unmanned aircraft presents problems in providing necessary communication links between ground controllers and the unmanned aircraft. Operation of unmanned aircraft from typical airports presents a potential safety problem to other aircraft and populated areas, thereby making conventional unmanned aircraft approaches for cargo shipment unattractive. Operation of unmanned aircraft from an airport or airbase also requires ground based personnel with special training in take-off, landing and ground support of unmanned aircraft.
Some aircraft are equipped to carry multiple payload types. For example, a military aircraft may include a radar system for reconnaissance and one or more weapons systems, such as missiles, mounted thereon. In some cases, payloads are externally mounted on the aircraft, which increases the amount of drag experienced by the aircraft in flight. Typically, payload bays on conventional aircraft are built and intended for a single type of payload, and therefore do not support multipurpose use. For example, a weapons bay on the underside of an aircraft is unable to contain non-weapon payload types, such as a radar system, and may even be unable to contain weapons other than the specific type of weapon for which the bay was intended.
By recessing a modular bay, a payload module may be fully or partially "internalized" within the fuselage, thereby avoiding a drag penalty during flight and improving the cruise efficiency and endurance of the aircraft. Avoiding such a drag penalty may be especially important in unmanned aerial vehicle missions in which endurance is a priority. The modular payload system on unmanned aerial vehicle eliminates the need for multiple aircraft to perform multiple mission types. For example, on an aircraft carrier, instead of storing different types of aircraft, each for a respective mission type, a single aircraft using the modular payload system may use interchangeable payload modules to perform different missions, thereby conserving space on the aircraft carrier. Payload modules may also be shared and interchanged among multiple aircraft that utilize the modular payload system.
Gholam Hossein Afshordi (Hassan Baqeri) - Iran's Account of a Martyr
They called him “The defense genius,” a slight, dark-skinned boy who looked several years younger than his age. He entered the field of defense at the age of 24 and became a great war strategist in just two years time. He was a person whose name and surname were changed to a pseudonym, Martyr Gholam Hossein Afshordi (Hassan Baqeri), due to security issues.
He was born on March 16, 1956 in the Iranian capital, Tehran. He was born at seven months and no one thought he would survive. His mother worked as a seamstress, his father worked as a laborer, and they raised their son in a house they had rented. His birth coincided with the anniversary of the birth of Imam Hussain (pbuh) on the third of Sha’ban. That’s why he was named Gholam Hossein. His childhood was at a time when there were epidemics of infectious diseases such as diptheria and whooping cough. According to Gholam Hossein’s mother, there was almost no disease that Gholam Hossein hadn’t contracted during his childhood and adolescence.
Gholam Hossein was interested in reading and writing from the time he was a teenager. He read many books and wrote his memories in his diary on a daily basis. He didn’t take his schoolwork seriously though, and for that reason he failed the eighth grade. In those days, other people weren’t aware of his intelligence, and he didn’t insist on revealing it either. The days were passing by and Gholam Hossein was approaching the third decade of his life. Despite this, not only had his interest in books not decreased, it was actually increasing. After completing his secondary education in 1975, he was accepted into the field of animal husbandry in the Urmia University. However, he was expelled because of his political activities after three semesters. After that, he went to the city of Ilam for military service. A year later, in 1979, which coincided with the height of the people’s uprising against the Shah’s monarchy, he returned to Tehran at Imam Khomeini’s order [to the soldiers] to leave the forts, and he joined the other revolutionary fighters. He played an important role in taking control of a fort and a police station.
This is what Gholam Hossein has written in his diary about the 11th of February, 1979, which coincides with the victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, “On Saturday, February 11, 1979, I rushed toward Khorasan Square. There were quite a large number of bullet marks on the windows and walls of the street, which indicated that an intense conflict had taken place. From an emotional point of view, a strange sense of anxiety had overtaken everyone. It was a state that a person may not experience the rest of his life."
After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, he decided to change his field of study to the area of the humanities. His fate led him to the field of Judicial Law in Tehran University. While studying, he also worked as a journalist in the newspaper Jumhuri Islami, and he published first-hand news that was taking place at the time. Gholam Hossein’s entry into the field of journalism and his activities in the newspaper Jumhuri Islami allowed him to gain accurate information about the country’s situation in different areas. At that time, anti-revolutionary groups were trying to disrupt the country’s security with their terrorist activties. He became a member of the Revolutionary Guards with the aim of transferring the information he had collected to help control and reduce the acts of terrorism that were being carried out in society. After becoming employed in the Intelligence Organization of the Revolutionary Guards, his name was changed to Hassan Baqeri for security reasons.
Ahmad, Gholam Hossein’s brother, said, “Gholam Hossein joined the IRGC in 1979. A year later he went to Lebanon to teach military courses. He was not there for long. His return to Iran coincided with the beginning of the Imposed War. After the victory of the Revolution and before becoming a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he worked as a reporter for the Jumhuri Islami newspaper. He was also good at photography. On September 23 or 24, 1980, he went to the battlefronts as a reporter. He was used to making a note of all daily events. He wrote 700 pages about the days of the Imposed War, which have now turned into several volumes of books.”
When the Imposed War began, Saddam Hussain ordered Iraqi troops to head toward the southern fronts of Iran in the Khuzestan province. At that time, there was no accurate information about how far the Ba’athist forces had advanced. Hassan was assigned the responsibility of collecting information for the Southern Operations Headquarters. He collected information from all areas of the southern front. Hassan’s work was in fact the beginning of the establishment of the Intelligence and Combat Unit in the IRGC.
Despite the military responsibilities that he held, which were at a high-level, his life was simple and far from luxurious. His brother narrated, “Gholam Hossein had a simple wedding ceremony in our father’s house. One night he invited his friends, and another night he invited relatives. He despised anything luxurious. He had a catch phrase that we used to laugh at a lot. I never saw him get angry and that was his key characteristic.” Despite his busy schedule, Hassan was not at all indifferent with regard to the people around him. He never hesitated to help anyone. “Gholam Hossein had a kind heart. He had great respect for the needy. I remember one cold winter night, he came home late accompanied by a man who didn’t have a proper appearance. Gholam Hossein guided the man to the second floor. In a very friendly manner, he laid out a clean mattress for him and asked him to rest. I just watched. When he came out of the room, I asked, ‘Who’s that man? What’s he doing here?’ Gholam Hossein said, ‘I was passing by Khorasan Square when I saw him sitting hunched on a step. I asked him, ‘What are you doing here?’ He said, ‘I’ve come from another city and I don’t have a place to sleep. I don’t have any money to pay for a motel either.’ He’d invited the man to come to our house. He gave him a big breakfast the next day and bid him farewell.”
Gradually, as Hassan Baqeri obtained information from different areas of the southern front, he started working on the cognitive processes of the enemy. The information that Hassan provided his commanders with from the beginning led them to gain trust in him. The time had come now to use Hassan Baqeri’s information on the battlefield.
As he continued his work, he used everything that was at his disposal to gather the required information and plans as well as identifying the exact operational axes. He turned these documents into organized reports. In the Karbala Central Command, with complete and comprehensive information about the enemy’s position along with intelligence information, he analyzed and evaluated the enemy and prepared detailed maps of the operational areas. He organized the intelligence forces and held brief training sessions for them. His activities in this field led to the strengthening of the operational intelligence unit in the southern operational headquarters.
The 24-year-old student from Tehran University’s Judicial Law department played a fundamental role in the formation of the combat organization, the operation plans, and the training of influential, efficient commanders. He did this with the in-depth knowledge that he had of the enemy, command he had of the geographical areas of the war, and the resulting changes, as well as by designing and implementing important operations. In this regard he wrote, “This war has given us many golden opportunities to develop our talents. Considering the revolutionary dimensions of our forces and the fact that they refuse to blindly follow the laws that have been brought in here, our troops are able to break out of pre-constructed molds. With their creative minds, they can invent methods that will not allow the enemy to easily defend itself.”
Whenever an operation ended, the design and reconnaissance of another operation would begin. There was no end in sight to Hassan Baqeri’s work. Hassan had to work on something greater now. There was a major operation called Fath al-Mobin. Four encampments were put in place to implement this operation and Hassan Baqeri was responsible for commanding one of them. In this operation, Hassan Baqeri was able to achieve all the predetermined goals by accurately guiding the units under his command, who in return showed great initiative in the very first stage of the operation. In the second stage, he played a big role in the victory of this operation by capturing Radar Heights. Efforts to take back Khorramshahr began immediately after this operation. Despite the sensitivity of the operation and the problems that arose for the troops, Hassan was able to manage and guide them to encircle the enemy’s forces. And so, the city of Khorramshahr was liberated after months of occupation by the enemy. Before the operation had officially begun, he said, “By the will of God, the asphalt road of Khorramshahr will be taken back.”
After the liberation of Khorramshahr, Hassan Baqeri played an exceptional role in designing and directing other operations. The final role that he was assigned was to be the IRGC Ground Forces Deputy Commander.
Finally, he was martyred at the age of 27 on January 29, 1983 by an enemy mortar when he was identifying one of the operational axis in the area with a few other people. His grave is located next to other commanders of the Sacred Defense in section 24 of Tehran’s Behesht Zahra Cemetery.
This is how the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khamenei, describes the greatness of this man, “Martyr Hassan Baqeri was undoubtedly a military planner. … When? In 1982. When did he become involved in the war? In the year 1980. This path of growth from an inexperienced soldier to a military strategist takes 20 to 25 years. This young man was able to travel this path in two years time… .”
IRGCN Shahid Soleimani corvette
The first of 12 in this class corvette-sized catamaran warship, Shahid Soleimani is named after former IRGC Gen Qassem Soleimani who was killed in a US strike in January 2020. Available open-source intelligence obtained from satellite imagery during the construction phase indicates that the new catamaran is about 65m long. The multi-hulled Martyr Soleimani warship is equipped to transport helicopters. It can also discharge VTOL drones and many types of strike speedboats into the water.
The patrol combat warship is the first Iranian military vessel to be fully equipped with air defense missiles with a vertical launching system that can fire mid- and short-range missiles, according to remarks made at the event by Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces. The commander pointed out that the warship can cruise through oceans and rough seas for a variety of activities since its hull material uses stealth technology building techniques with a low radar cross-section. He stated that the new Soleimani warship, with four potent domestically developed engines, is capable of completing long-distance naval missions without the use of shore resupply.
The craft designed to harass large naval units, such as aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers and other escorts of all kinds, intended to be operational for combat in essentially shallow waters deep (Ports, marine plateaus, channels, canals, fjords etc ...). In this same type of water and place this material can be used for land purposes for sabotage operations or landing preparation, or for the destruction of commercial units intended for warlike or strategic uses (freighters, oil tankers, etc.)
In a general and simplified way, military navies with planetary basing require the close protection of their main war units, under the cut of detection elements of the radar, sonar or satelite type, put in place to activate an effective defense by artillery, missiles, torpedoes, anti-submarine grenades, submarines, or various aircraft, clean or annexed. In shallow water, ships as a whole and in particular large units become vulnerable, if increased security is not deployed, namely that it is necessary to keep the enemy globally whatever its form or power, at good distance of the units during certain maneuvers made delicate by the shallow draft and the reduced navigation space.
“SWATH” is an acronym for “small waterplane area twin hull.” A SWATH craft consists of one or two lower hulls or pontoons that are connected to an upper hull by fixed struts. The lower hulls are completely submerged such that they ride below the surface of the water. A SWATH craft does not rely on dynamic lift (i.e., the hydrofoil principle) to support the vessel or augment buoyancy; all lift is provided by the buoyancy of the craft.
The struts, which lift the upper hull completely above the water, have a small waterplane area (i.e., the cross sectional area at the waterline). This results in longer natural periods and reduced buoyancy-force changes. The submerged hulls of a SWATH craft do not follow surface wave motion. Control planes, which depend from the submerged hulls, provide additional motion damping and dynamic stabilization when underway. The net result of the SWATH configuration and mode of operation is extraordinary stability. That is, a SWATH craft is typically much more stable in high sea-state conditions than conventional hulls of the same length.
The stability advantage of a SWATH craft is lost, however, if the upper hull comes into contact with waves. As a consequence, the greater the distance between the lower and upper hulls, the higher the sea state in which the SWATH craft can maintain stable operation.
Referring to the features of the Martyr Soleimani vessel, the commander of the IRGC Navy Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said, "This vessel is the first vessel built by the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is equipped with 12 Nawab defense missiles and can easily go from Chabahar to India with an operational range of 5,000 miles."
On 09 October 2022, IRGC Navy Commander pointed to the homegrown patrol combat warship named after Lt. General Qassem Soleimani, saying the advanced vessel is furnished with air defense missiles, including 16 Navvab short-range and 6 Sayyad mid-range missiles. Tangsiri also said that four cruise missiles have been installed on the patrol combat warship that can hit targets at ranges of 90, 140, 300 and 750 kilometers.
In September 2022, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said the patrol combat warship is the first Iranian military vessel equipped with air defense missiles with a vertical launching system that can fire mid- and short-range missiles. The warship’s hull material employs stealth technology construction techniques with a low radar cross section, the commander noted, noting that it can navigate in the oceans and rough seas for various operations. Furnished with four powerful homegrown engines, the martyr Soleimani warship can carry out long-range naval missions without coastal logistics.
Referring to the equipment that is used in the IRGC Navy today, all of them are domestically produced by committed young Iranian scientists, most of whom are under the age of 35, and said: "Today we have reached a level of capability that we can launch sea cruise missiles with a range. We will build 40, 180, 750, and 2000 km, we will build new vessels in different operational classes, in the near future the blessed name of Martyr Rais Ali Delvari will be placed on one of the Martyr Soleimani class vessels, which is a proud symbol of national production from idea to phenomenon, with Capabilities and high operational combat capacities are decorated."
Stating that one of these vessels is named Haj Qasim Soleimani, he said: The other vessel of this complex is named Shahid Bagheri, which is stationed in the second region of the IRGC Navy. Referring to the construction of the third vessel of the Haj Qassem Soleimani class under the name of Martyr Sayad Shirazi, the commander of the IRGC Navy said: The next vessel of this class will be built under the name of Martyr Rais Ali Delvari. Tangsiri said: "We are proud that another Haj Qassem Soleimani-class vessel will be named Rais Ali Delwari after a martyr from the Delwar region to stand against global arrogance in the Persian Gulf."
Rear Admiral Tangsiri added: "The secret of our victory in the holy defense was unity around the province, trusting in God, sincerity, honesty, having the spirit of indefatigability, sacrifice, self-sacrifice and having the spirit of brotherhood." He said: "Those in charge must fasten their efforts to serve the people and work day and night to serve these dear and noble people and work for the people. The world is like electricity, so we can work for these honorable and noble people." Let's work for them as long as there is an opportunity and we are responsible."
The Commander of the IRGC Navy said: Advanced and modern vessels of the Haj Qassem Soleimani class will be built in the name of the martyrs of this border, including the martyr Rais Ali Delvari. General Tangsiri, commander of IRGC Navy, said at the commemoration ceremony of the brave martyrs of Bushehr province: "Martyrs are the light of our path, and as long as we are on the path to the school of martyrs and act like martyrs, all our problems will be solved. and the way of growth and progress is attainable for us."
Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri added: "Holding memorials of martyrs has both worldly and hereafter effects, the least worldly impact of these memorials is getting familiar with the martyrs, knowing and succeeding in following the lives of the martyrs, and thousands of other blessings that enlighten and make our worldly life enjoyable, including but its effect in the afterlife consists of martyrs interceding for the forgiveness of our sins and faults, acceptance of obedience and worship, promotion of our spiritual ranks, and dozens of other good deeds and blessings in the afterlife."
The commander of the IRGC Navy said: "One of the prominent features of the lives of the martyrs was vilayat-domar in action. The martyrs were vilayat-domar in the true sense of the word, that is, they looked at the blessed mouth of the Imams of the Revolution, they acted exactly as the imam said, they did not interpret their vote at all, they said. Because the imam's opinion is this, we do it, even though it might be a hard work and a heavy act, but they did it, the reward of the martyrs is enough because God has established eternal life."
Sardar Tangsiri clarified: "Dear brothers and sisters, what has given us dignity and honor and kept us safe from all the attacks of enmity and sedition is the precious existence of the dear and wise leader of the Islamic Revolution. I am not the least one to give you advice. But in the presence of the blessed statues of these martyrs and the noble souls of the well-known martyrs buried in this place, I swear that you can be grateful to this son of Hazrat Zahra (PBUH), the deputy of Imam Zaman (AS), the supreme leader of Imam Khamenei (Mad Zala Al-Aali), for him. Pray day and night and follow his orders, according to Haj Qasim, let us consider him as our dear, do whatever he says, the secret of all our success lies in this important point."
Referring to the martyr Rais Ali Delwari as a symbol of anti-colonialism and the martyr Nader Mahdavi as a symbol of anti-arrogance, the commander of the IRGC Navy said: "Bushehr province is the only province that is proud to stand and fight against the three enemies of the old aggressors of British colonialism, American global arrogance and American mercenaries. Saddam is a Baathist, the people of this region have been fighters and zealous since ancient times and did not go under the oppression of the aggressors into the country's territory, and even today our zealous youth continue the path of martyrs, the spirit of standing, resistance, authority and zeal today is taken from the IRGC Navy. It is from the dignity and honor of great martyrs like Rais Ali Delwari and Martyr Mahdavi, who made a difference for us."
Sardar Tangsiri thanked the people for their love towards the soldiers of the Heroic Nation and paid tribute to the martyrs' holy ground.
| Ship List | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Builder | Laid Down |
Launch | Comm | Decomm | Notes | ||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| 20 | 202 |
202 |
|||||||
| Type | Two-hull ( catamaran) with marine aluminum alloy |
| Function | Helicopter and UCAV carrier, Command, patrol |
| Status | Under Sea Trials by IRGC Navy |
| Year of Operation | 2021 (Sea Trials) |
| Build | IRGC naval shipyards (Shahid mahallati shipyard) |
| Displacement, full | 1400 metric tons |
| Displacement, light | tons |
| GT (Gross Tonnage) | tons |
| NT (Net Tonnage) | tons |
| DWT (Deadweight) | tons |
| Length, O/A | 65 meter (213 ft) |
| Length, W/L | meters / feet |
| Length, B/P | meters / feet |
| Max Beam | 14.1 meters (~50 ft) |
| Draft | meters / feet |
| Height | meters / feet |
| Propulsion Type | |
| Engines | Diesel |
| Number of Main Engine(s) | 2 |
| Main Engine builder | |
| Main Model | |
| Main RPM | |
| Main power | |
| Propeller(s) | 2 independent shafts and propellers |
| Speed, maximum | 45 knots |
| Speed, Cruise | Knots |
| Range | 10,000 KM / nautical miles at knots |
| Stores endurance | days |
| Electronics | AESA search and Track radar |
| Weapons Systems | |
| Aviation | Helicopter, UCAV (probably) |
| Complement |
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