Sabalan destroyer equipped with record number of cruise missiles: Cmdr.
Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said his forces have managed to furnish the Sabalan destroyer with 12 anti-ship cruise missiles, breaking the record for the number of guided missiles installed on Iranian vessels.
Speaking to Tasnim news agency on Sunday, Irani said that the missile-equipped destroyer will be unveiled soon.
Sabalan is an Alvand-class frigate of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy. It was damaged in an encounter with the US Navy in the Persian Gulf during the Iraqi-imposed war in the 1980s, Press TV reported.
After a few years, the 1,500-ton destroyer was repaired by domestic experts.
Previously, Sablan was furnished with four anti-ship cruise missiles and took part in 13 Iranian naval fleets.
Iran’s Sahand and Sina frigates have each been equipped with eight cruise missiles.
The Iranian Navy has in recent years achieved self-sufficiency in manufacturing equipment.
It has also increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.
On Saturday, during a ceremony in commemoration of the anniversary of the Iraq-imposed war, Irani said the navy will also take delivery of a new domestically-designed and developed destroyer in the near future, which is furnished with much more advanced and elaborate systems compared to the military vessels already unveiled.
He said that the homegrown military vessel, dubbed Deylaman, will soon join Iran’s naval fleet.
Irani also said that the Iranian Navy plans to set up a base in Antarctica.
Iran’s southeastern Makran coast is directly connected to the South Pole and the deployment of Iranian servicemen in that region would be of a practical nature, he added, saying that Antarctica is the best place to control the cruise of ballistic missiles.