06 April 2020

Iran plans to construct 6,000-tonne destroyer

by Jeremy Binnie

Iran is planning to build a destroyer that displaces about 6,000 tonnes, according to an interview with Admiral Amir Rastegari, the head of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL)’s Maritime Industries Organisation.

Iran already refers to its Mawj frigates ( Sahand pictured) as destroyers. A 6,000-tonne warship would be appropriate for this classification. (Defapress.ir)

Admiral Rastegari identified the “heavy destroyer” as the Negin in an interview published on the MODAFL’s website on 4 April, saying that its design had been completed and that he hoped its construction will start in the Persian year 1399, which began on 20 March. He said that its size would enable it to conduct long-range patrols for up to two months, giving the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) a strategic capability.

The largest warships that Iran currently builds are the Mawj frigates (referred to as destroyers by the IRIN), which is a local development of the Alvand -class light frigates that were delivered in the 1970s and displace approximately 1,400 tonnes. Adm Rastegari said that the Mawj ships displaced about 1,500 tonnes.

He said that the next in the class would be Dena , which will join the IRIN in the month of Bahman (20 January to 18 February 2021). He said that it would have a vertical launch system, a phased-array radar, major changes in its propulsion system, as well as a new communications system.

He added that the Kamand close-in weapon system first seen on Sahand

Iran is planning to build a destroyer that displaces about 6,000 tonnes, according to an interview w...

Jane's Find unrivaled intelligence, consultancy and advertising solutions to the defence and national security sectors.