Iran says it has launched a domestically made destroyer
State TV says the Sahand is equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles as well as anti-aircraft batteries and sophisticated radar capabilities
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Saturday it had launched a domestically built destroyer in the Persian Gulf capable of traveling some five months without refueling.
State TV reported it took six years to build the 1,300-ton vessel named Sahand after a mountain in northern Iran.
The Sahand has a helicopter landing pad, is 96 meters (105 yards) long and can cruise at 25 knots. It is equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles as well as anti-aircraft batteries and sophisticated radar and radar evading capabilities, the report said.
Iran, which has been developing its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes as a part of an arms development program initiative since 1992, often boasts of new achievements or acquisitions that cannot dependently verified.
Iran added the first domestically made destroyer to its fleet in 2010 in the Persian Gulf. Reportedly it has five other destroyers.
On Thursday the Islamic Republic said its navy had acquired two new mini submarines designed for operations in shallow waters such as the Persian Gulf.
The report said one of the mini submarines — also known as midget submarines — was dubbed Ghadir-955 and was built in 18 months. The other, a previously built Ghadir-942, took 10 months to overhaul.
The subs have sonar-evading technology and can launch missiles from under water, as well as fire torpedoes and drop marine mines, state TV said. Iran began manufacturing Ghadir subs in 2005. The first was unveiled in 2007 and by 2012, five such submarines were incorporated into Iran’s navy.
