Army: Iran’s 1st domestically-built reconnaissance vessel almost finished

Navy's first domestically-built reconnaissance vessel has reached its final stages of construction, says the chief of the Army’s shipyard, which is located in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

“The reconnaissance vessel of the Islamic Republic of Iran, named Shiraz, is the first Iranian naval vessel equipped with a helicopter hangar and a special mast for mounting domestic radars,” the unnamed commander was quoted as saying by the Army’s department of public relations.

He explained that a wide range of reconnaissance, intelligence-gathering, and electronic warfare gadgets and equipment have been used in the construction of the vessel.

The Iranian Navy's new ship, according to the commander, has successfully passed its initial tests and is in the final stages of construction. It will officially join the Navy after the completion of its technical and operational tests.

In recent years, the Iranian navy has displayed a range of homegrown military equipment as a show of power to its adversaries.

Back in September, two Iranian-made ships came back from a first-ever Atlantic Ocean mission that took them four months of sailing over a distance of 44,000 kilometers.

Top Iranian officials and military commanders have made clear that the Islamic Republic’s progress in developing and manufacturing military equipment does not pose any threat to neighboring countries, emphasizing that Iran’s military might is defensive in nature.

Last month, the Chief of the Iranian Navy Shahram Irani called on regional states to join hands to establish “collective security” in the region.

“I believe that the security of this region can be ensured through collective participation of regional countries, and there is no need for foreign forces to be present in this region,” Irani said on November 28, marking the Iranian Navy day in a ceremony attended by military attaches from different countries.

SS