The Navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has taken delivery of a series of new advanced homegrown defense hardware with special capabilities, including smart sub-surface vessels along with missiles and speedboats.
The new equipment were handed over to the IRGC’s naval forces during a ceremony in Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas on Tuesday during a ceremony attended by the elite force’s Chief Commander Major General Hossein Salami and Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri as well as a number of high-ranking commanders and officials of the Armed Forces.
For the first time, the naval fleet was unequipped with domestically designed and developed smart submarines, which will significantly boost its capabilities in detecting and thwarting sub-surface threats.
The new speedboats, which feature high maneuverability, are capable of traveling at up to 95 knots. They can also carry and fire various missiles and rockets.
The IRGC Navy was also furnished with new maneuverable missiles, whose range has been increased and can be used in electronic warfare.
The explosive and destructive power of the new missiles has been enhanced in comparison with the previous versions.
Addressing the ceremony, Tangisiri said the smart submarines opened a new chapter in the IRGC Navy’s capabilities and military power in various operations.
In turn, Salami said, “The barriers of the sanctions are flimsy for our youths, who have built all the equipment in the era of the enemies’ cruel and tough sanctions. They have neutralized the sanctions.”
The IRGC's chief commander highlighted the high significance of upgrading the defense power and adopting new methods to boost Iran’s might.
With the addition today of smart sub-surface vessels, the geometrical structure of the IRGC Navy’s power was completed: surface, above-the-surface, sub-surface, and land vehicles, he said.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headway in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities, hitting back at the enemies for disputing the country’s missile program.