Iranian Navy to Unveil New Destroyer
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian navy is set to unveil the country's second home-made destroyer, dubbed “Damavand”, in the Caspian Sea in the first half of the current Iranian year (March 21 - September 22, 2014), a senior commander announced.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari had said earlier that Damavand, the country’s newest home-made destroyer, is undergoing testing and will be unveiled within the next few months.
Once the destroyer enters the operational cycle, Iranian navy will take advantage of it in different naval missions, the commander added.
Damavand is a domestically-built Jamaran class destroyer with unique specifics to meet the demands of the Iranian naval forces in northern waters.
The 100-meter-long destroyer, weighing more than 1300 tons, is indeed an upgraded version of the Jamaran destroyer.
The Iranian Navy launched its first home-made destroyer, Jamaran, in the waters of the Persian Gulf in February 2010.
The 1,420-ton Jamaran is equipped with modern radar systems and other electronic warfare capabilities and has a top speed of up to 30 knots and a helipad.
Damavand, however, is longer but lighter than Jamaran destroyer, and enjoys more capabilities and weaponry, and has a higher capacity of crew.
The advanced destroyer is capable of tracking, defending against or clashing with the aerial, surface and sub-surface targets simultaneously.
Damavand is also equipped with the Cruise missile system, torpedo launchers, 40-mm and 76-mm cannons, radar processing systems as well as tactical surface and aerial radars.
The destroyer can also carry military chopper, and is equipped with battle management and electronic warfare systems.
Earlier in February, Rear Admiral Sayyari had announced that his forces are working on three new destroyers, noting that they are the upgraded versions of Jamaran-class warships.
The new destroyers known as Jamaran-3, 4 and 5 are being manufactured by the Iranian experts, and will be unveiled respectively in the future, Sayyari told reporters at the time.
In recent years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and has attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.
Tehran has repeatedly assured other nations that its military might poses no threat to other countries, saying that the Islamic Republic’s defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.