The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps is going to equip its Navy with oceangoing warships capable of carrying helicopters, a senior commander said.
Speaking at a televised interview on Thursday night, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said oceangoing vessels will join the naval fleet in the near future.
The homegrown oceangoing warships, 65 meters in length, will carry helicopters, he noted.
The commander also unveiled plans to equip the IRGC Navy with vessels with a velocity of 94 knots and powerful missile-launching ships.
On the new drones and helicopters that joined the IRGC Navy’s fleet on Wednesday, Tangsiri said the advanced combat and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones can carry a payload of laser-guided accurate bombs in an operational range of 1,500 kilometers.
The commander also said the IRGC Navy operates “flying boats” that can carry divers and fire missiles in major operations, saying they would cruise as a watercraft in case of any engine trouble.
The IRGC Navy on Wednesday received 188 new naval drones and helicopters, including Sepehr VTOL drone, Shahab-2, and Hodhod-4 VTOL drone.
Another drone that joined the IRGC Navy’s fleet was Mohajer-6, an all-weather pilotless aircraft with a range of 200 kilometers and designed to carry a payload of 4 missiles.
The other new products include two amphibious helicopters and four combat choppers armed with missiles.
Source: Iranian Agencies
