Iran seeks to mission energy by enhanced navy | Center East

As Iran celebrates Navy Day on Friday, the country has been trying in recent years to bolster its naval capabilities to project power far beyond its shores, while sanctions have spurred Iranian defense production.

The Iranian naval forces are roughly divided into two parts. The navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCN) is responsible for the area of ​​operations in the Gulf and is mainly stationed on the coast.

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s conventional navy (IRIN) operates in the Gulf of Oman and the Caspian Sea.

Traditionally, the two Marines have rightly focused on coastal defense, and their skills have reflected that. Large numbers of patrol boats and missile attack boats are used to defend its banks. However, both navies have recently increased their numbers with more advanced ships and submarines.

The IRGCN received 100 new rapid attack vehicles in May and took possession of a native-designed ocean-going catamaran, the Shahid Nazeri. It has a double hull, can carry 100 soldiers and is said to have a range of thousands of kilometers – and to position it firmly as a deep-sea ship.

This – plus a new base support ship, the Abdollah Roudaki – will allow the IRGCN to increase its support for operations outside of Iran.

The Abdollah Roudaki, a converted roll-on-roll-off merchant ship, has been touted as a multipurpose helicopter carrier.

Pictures of it show its deck with various drones, anti-ship missiles and attack boats.

While it actually carries helicopters, it is in no way like a standard aircraft carrier and in no way comparable to helicopter carriers like the Japanese Izumo or the Turkish Anadolu, which are both purpose built and extremely powerful.

It signals the IRGCN’s intention to project power beyond its traditional Gulf territory, and there are plans for a naval base in the south of the country across the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, which will give it access to the Indian Ocean and beyond.

This would help provide protection and safety for Iranian fishing vessels that have been harassed by pirates and foreign naval vessels alike. It would also act as a bulwark against growing United States maritime activity and an increased Israeli presence in the region.

IRIN already has two bases in the Gulf of Oman, in Chabahar and Jask, and its focus is on longer-range patrol boats and their rapidly growing submarine fleet.

New ships: above and below

While large ships are the focus of media attention, the smaller ships designed in Iran enhance the IRIN’s combat capabilities.

New destroyers like the Dena-class will be equipped with vertical launch systems for their missiles. It can pack more missiles into a given space and the load can be mixed to include air defense, anti-ship or land attack depending on the mission.

The ships will be equipped with an improved anti-submarine suite and will improve Iran’s blue water or seafaring capabilities.

The Iranian naval forces have not only increased on the surface. Submarines are being built that can now be used in the deeper Indian Ocean and no longer in the shallow waters of the Gulf.

The Fateh or Conquerer submarine was manufactured on site. As a diesel-electric submarine, it’s quiet, with a decent range that’s more suited to oceans than coastlines, but small enough to be a harder-to-find target.

While not revolutionary in design, it shows steady improvement in performance and design and would still pose a threat to any marine.

The weapons have also improved. Long-range anti-ship missiles now have greater penetration and range – like the Noor, which has a range of 180 km and the Gadir, which can hit and destroy targets up to 300 km. .

There’s even a semi-stealth missile, the Nasr-e Basr, which is currently being tested. These new missiles can be mounted on a variety of platforms, from destroyers to fast attacking vehicles, greatly increasing their lethality.

Domestic industries

These new designs, along with catamarans; faster, more capable destroyers; calm, deadly submarines; and long-range anti-ship missiles are all locally deployed. While older foreign designs were initially used as templates, they have steadily improved over time as Iran’s military-industrial complex matures.

It’s often counterintuitive, but sweeping sanctions against the country have left Iran with no choice but to design and build the weapons it needs to protect itself and project power in the region .

Iran has gotten into the chicken and egg situation that all sides face during a regional arms race. Its neighbors have increased defense spending and launched crash rearmament programs, which has led to an increase in arms manufacturing.

Iran’s neighbors have watched Iran’s military capabilities grow and ramp up their arms procurement campaigns.

The IRGCN once focused solely on the Gulf, but is now trying to project its naval presence beyond the Strait of Hormuz as it is involved in conflicts outside its coasts.

The focus on light, fast and heavily armed vehicles that are supposed to swarm and overwhelm an enemy is now complemented by baseships that can advance further and provide the armed forces on land with military aid and logistics.

The IRIN now has bigger, better ships and submarines that allow it to patrol the Gulf of Oman and continue to conduct operations from its own bases to secure its trade routes and fend off potential enemies.

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