Iranian Navy | News and Discussions

[Immortals]

the design may change in future no denying it , but the 30mm cannon in front as of now is EO/IR guided and those gatling guns are remote controlled , probably in next version of the boat

You can easily upgrade the radars in near future. These boats were launched quickly (under 2 years build) they aren’t full matured yet. They are basically walking prototypes undergoing sea trials.

they use an auxiliary radar for those guns, navwab is not suitable for those guns its more look at sky , those guns need to be able to fight sea drones and navwab is not the tool for that .

Depends what radar Navwab uses, rumor is infrared radar. If it uses infrared radar than its radar can be used by the guns as well.

All radars have a min azimuth/elevation so as long as the degree of the radar wave is enough to avoid its sea skimming blind spot it can be used by the guns as well.




Now the biggest threat to Solemani ships aren’t suicide drones with 10-20kg payloads. It’s a sea skimming cruise missile than can rip a whole thru the hull. That is why relying only on EO/IO is very stupid. What if weather is extremely bad? What if it’s foggy? What if CM deploys counter measures like flares or other optical illusions?



Compare that these 3 Solemani ships

Multiple radar configurations are being actively tested right now, including surface radar and not just aerial detection radar.

 

[jauk]

The question is has the internal structure of the vessel been changed to make it more “unsinkable” (ie ability to close off breached compartments as well as reinforcing these compartments to absorb the KE impact of a missile strike).

Also are the engines being changed from default civilian tanker/commercial ship to that of a large scale military vessel.

These are my key questions.

I wonder how different those would be. A tanker is already largely compartmentalized. Also, it’s already powerful enough for much heavier loads than military gear. The key difference is gearing which shouldn’t be a big effort to convert.

Let’s not forget the reason a tanker is chosen in the first place is due to it’s inherent similarities to war vessels. It’s more than just size. I believe the Iranians have made a correct choice both in application and in economy.

 

[Immortals]

I wonder how different those would be. A tanker is already largely compartmentalized.

They compartmentalized at a commercial level against basic likely threats. Not for CM ripping thru their hull or a 500lb bomb dropping on them.

One idea would be to reinforce key compartments with titanium or build a reinforced hull.

Also, it’s already powerful enough for much heavier loads than military gear. The key difference is gearing which shouldn’t be a big effort to convert.

Another Key difference is engine power. A tanker is meant to gradually travel efficiently to the destination(port), military ships need to have ability to travel faster and perform wider maneuvering to avoid BMs and projectiles (cannons, etc).

Let’s not forget the reason a tanker is chosen in the first place is due to it’s inherent similarities to war vessels. It’s more than just size. I believe the Iranians have made a correct choice both in application and in economy.

The tanker was chosen because it was cheap and already built. Iran didn’t crack some hidden code, if making heli carriers and drone carriers out of washed up tankers was truly the smart decision every military on earth would do it.

It’s got it’s trade offs. You might use civilian vessels and transport them into something like Khargh was aka a supply ship or a floating medical hospital or forward operating base. But you don’t turn tankers into battleships and carriers. Especially in a navy that still doesn’t have any large dedicated cruiser or destroyer class air defense ship.

 

[jauk]

Another Key difference is engine power. A tanker is meant to gradually travel efficiently to the destination(port), military ships need to have ability to travel faster and perform wider maneuvering to avoid BMs and projectiles (cannons, etc).

That’s exactly what gearing conversion will do. Unlikely they’ll change the engine. New gear box and updated gear control.

 

[Hack-Hook]

That’s exactly what gearing conversion will do. Unlikely they’ll change the engine. New gear box and updated gear control.

let just say from all Iranian supply ships only one could keep up with Iran warship and that ship sank in 2021

 

[Flotilla]

You can easily upgrade the radars in near future. These boats were launched quickly (under 2 years build) they aren’t full matured yet. They are basically walking prototypes undergoing sea trials.




Depends what radar Navwab uses, rumor is infrared radar. If it uses infrared radar than its radar can be used by the guns as well.

All radars have a min azimuth/elevation so as long as the degree of the radar wave is enough to avoid its sea skimming blind spot it can be used by the guns as well.

View attachment 37749


Now the biggest threat to Solemani ships aren’t suicide drones with 10-20kg payloads. It’s a sea skimming cruise missile than can rip a whole thru the hull. That is why relying only on EO/IO is very stupid. What if weather is extremely bad? What if it’s foggy? What if CM deploys counter measures like flares or other optical illusions?

View attachment 37751

Compare that these 3 Solemani ships

View attachment 37752

View attachment 37753
View attachment 37754
View attachment 37755


Multiple radar configurations are being actively tested right now, including surface radar and not just aerial detection radar.

In reality the prototype or demonstrator was Shahid Nazeri. After construction and some time in operation, seems that concept was validated and they built a small fleet of 3 units of a much more capable warship.

Don´t be demanding with Qassem Soleimani class, it is the first ship ever in Iran with VLS, so it is not fair to ask them to show a VLS with multiple missiles each cell at the style of US Mk41 or Chinese type GJB5860 or Russian UKSK. With some iterations and VLS capable future missiles Iran can develop something multimode and enough compact like ESSM, but will need time and experience.

IMHO Qassem Soleimani it is not that big to fit two defense SAM layers. So they did in a simpler and wiser way. One ship seems to be fitted with MRAD SAM with Mersad16 derivated FC radar (which actually it is Medium Range System), the other one seems to be fitted with a Navvab SHORAD system (either if it is IR or Radio command, like TOR system) it is a pure SHORAD system. And the third one will fit probably a third SAM system in near future (I agree with you at that point that it is too early to demand them to be FOC or Finally Operative Capability because those are brand new). In ideal condition a good warship should combine a LRAD Long Range Air Defense system, MRAD medium and SHORAD, but Soleimani it is small to fit them all. So overlapping those system in diverse hulls can make and acceptable Air Defense capability if they operate in same flotilla.

Anyway Qassems retain same navigation radars, same multifunction automatic gun and satellite antennas, so some standarization has been done (probably machinery it is the same) so that it is a clearly improve over the Artesh Navy that have a plethora of different propulsion machinery and even light armament.

 

[Immortals]

let just say from all Iranian supply ships only one could keep up with Iran warship and that ship sank in 2021

Did they ever say what the cause of this was? Where did the fire originate?

 

[tsunset]

Did they ever say what the cause of this was? Where did the fire originate?

Explosion of the motors followed by a massive fire (ie something exploded in the motor room and everything got on fire then crew had to be evacuated, the ship sank days after) if i recall

What Iran said is malfunction/explosion of something that caught fire because the ship was very old

 

[Mehdipersian]

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[AmirIGM]

let just say from all Iranian supply ships only one could keep up with Iran warship and that ship sank in 2021

Unfortunately this ship won't be properly replaced any time soon. Forward base ships can't operate in the same manner and have a different purpose

 

[hyperman]

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[Immortals]

Explosion of the motors followed by a massive fire (ie something exploded in the motor room and everything got on fire then crew had to be evacuated, the ship sank days after) if i recall

What Iran said is malfunction/explosion of something that caught fire because the ship was very old

Smells like sabotage. But can never discount Iranian ineptitude and lack of safety precautions/modernization effort.

 

[tsunset]

Smells like sabotage. But can never discount Iranian ineptitude and lack of safety precautions/modernization effort.

I doubt it is sabotage as the ship was utility and support and nearly defenseless, not something like Beshhad

The ship dated from the 60-70s (british construction)

Just a big sack of scrap, its not like the end of the world, modernization effort are put on other ships of the same or lesser size

 

[Flames In The Desert]

Looking good

 

[Hack-Hook]

Did they ever say what the cause of this was? Where did the fire originate?

nothing clear , they only said fire in engine room , it was not far from the land and it was in shallow water , wonder why they could not maroon the ship or send help

I doubt it is sabotage as the ship was utility and support and nearly defenseless, not something like Beshhad

The ship dated from the 60-70s (british construction)

Just a big sack of scrap, its not like the end of the world, modernization effort are put on other ships of the same or lesser size

you don't get it , that ship was one of the most important logistic asset of our navy.
the ship speed was equal to the speed of our warships, the rest of our supply ships travel at half the speed of our warships.
it was a pretty high value target , if today we loose behshad in two month we can retrofit to replace it . i don't see how we can replace kharg anytime soon, well unless Russia or china agree to build us a replacement on credit or in deal for oil