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Iran's 'Zulfikar' Submersible Torpedo Boat


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Iran's submersible torpedo boats represent a serious threat to shipping in the confined waters of the Persian Gulf and, potentially, Red Sea. They would be ambush predators, able to operate from any small port, and surprise ships in natural chokepoints. This would have a greater chance of surprising their target than surface vessels or aerial drones (UAVs).

These unique vessels, designed in North Korea, represent an unusual and difficult to counter threat. They are inherently better suited to supply to the Houthi Movement in Yemen than midget submarines. They would be easier to hide, to launch, and require much less training to operate. Their presence in the Red Sea is unconfirmed however.

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The intelligence community designation 'Taedong-B' refers to a boatyard in North Korea where the craft were built(Google Maps). Two examples formed part of an arms shipment sent to Iran in 2002. In Iranian service it was renamed the Kajami Class, and more recently as Zulfikar. Interestingly the type is operated by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC-N) as opposed to the Marines or Navy.

Iranian media and internet claims that it is of Iranian origin are plainly mistaken. The design is closely related to the North Korean Improved Submersible Infiltration Landing Craft (I-SILC) operated by North Korea and Vietnam. The I-SILC is a gradual evolution of small infiltration craft used to run agents into South Korea. Early designs were simply fast launches disguised as fishing boats, but by the 1980s some versions were semi-submersible. By the 1990s they were fully submersible but could not run underwater. The underwater mode was used only for evasion, waiting inshore, and as a cache.

In a lesson learned from a 1996 incident off the South Korean coast when an I-SILC was sunk 150 kilometers southwest of Pusan, the newer models use electric propulsion to move while submerged. To simplify construction and electric propulsion uses separate propellers to the main diesel engines. The thrusters are not steerable but small rudders are mounted directly behind them.

Specification (Provisional)
Length: 17m (56ft)
Beam: 3.3m (11ft)
Height: 3.5m (11.5)
Displacement: 22 tons
Speed: 40kt max surfaced, ~3kt submerged
Endurance: TBC -modest
Maximum Operating depth: 3m (10ft) with snorkel, 20m (66ft) max (estimate based on I-SILC)
Personnel: Up to 8 (4x crew, 4 passengers), but likely fewer on missions
Payload: 2 x 324mm (12.7") lightweight anti-ship torpedoes.
Powerplant: 2 x diesel engines (details TBC) plus two electric motors
Sensors: Basic Electro-optical (video), basic surface search / navigation radar, echosounder

Torpedo Armament​

The vessel is armed with two externally mounted North Korean 324mm (12.7") lightweight torpedo tubes. These homing torpedoes are intended as anti-ship weapons. They swing out to launch and have compressed air flasks for impulse launch

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Should just convert RQ-170 into an submersible and missiles or mines to its arsenal.

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Above in English
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I believe Sahand's demise is true:

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One word. Sabotage. It is impossible the third most modern warship of IRIN which such trained crew (they went to a naval parade to Russia) being negligent in any basic naval maneuver to sink.
Again it is sabotage.
Hope there are no casualties or few as possible.
 
One word. Sabotage. It is impossible the third most modern warship of IRIN which such trained crew (they went to a naval parade to Russia) being negligent in any basic naval maneuver to sink.
Again it is sabotage.
Hope there are no casualties or few as possible.

The US Navy had multiple billion dollar destroyer accidents against massive container ships and other mishaps at sea. And let’s not forget those ship fires.

Now imagine the incompetence that can happen in IRIN which is relatively newer navy (historically speaking), new-ish ships, and who knows what training.


But man am I getting tired of seeing Iran shooting itself in the foot over and over. At this point it’s like a bad comedy skit.
 
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I would say why didn’t they use a dry dock, but they once already flipped a ship that way as well
 
One word. Sabotage. It is impossible the third most modern warship of IRIN which such trained crew (they went to a naval parade to Russia) being negligent in any basic naval maneuver to sink.
Again it is sabotage.
Hope there are no casualties or few as possible.
We should stop with the sabotage excuse on every incidents

It did happen very probably because of a bad maneuver and bad condition as well as the crew training and its decisions

Why would Israel or the US target an IRIN frigate, why not target Besshad that is really threatening their interests? If this was Besshad then i would agree about a possible sabotage, but Sahand no way

Some of the crew got knocked out and died from drowning while unconscios, this is digusting

Now this is done, it will never be back again and the ones to blame are the crew and their decisions
 
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The US Navy had multiple billion dollar destroyer accidents against massive container ships and other mishaps at sea. And let’s not forget those ship fires.

Now imagine the incompetence that can happen in IRIN which is relatively newer navy (historically speaking), new-ish ships, and who knows what training.


But man am I getting tired of seeing Iran shooting itself in the foot over and over. At this point it’s like a bad comedy skit.
But none of those ships sank. Our ships are idiot, antiship missile and boat filled with TNT proof.
 
they need to sack admiral Shahram Irani he is useless and was only put in power because Khamenei wanted to proof during last protests "we also put kurds(minorities) in to top positions" , his appointment was political, atleast his head needs to roll for this. Sabotage or not, embarassing , i knew with that fat useless guy something like this would happen.
 
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Could the Sayyad missile system made it too top heavy?
 
Wonder what is the relation of navy and crew competency if the ship take water while being repaired in a civilian duck and take water there ?

And the ship didn't sank they are emptying water as of now
 
Wonder what is the relation of navy and crew competency if the ship take water while being repaired in a civilian duck and take water there ?

And the ship didn't sank they are emptying water as of now
Give us sources or links so we know about this incident

Is this the same incident that rolled a ship in drydock 2-3 years ago?
 
Give us sources or links so we know about this incident

Is this the same incident that rolled a ship in drydock 2-3 years ago?
https://www.mehrnews.com/news/6160240/علت-سانحه-برای-ناو-سهند-در-اسکله-بندرعباس-مشخص-شد

 

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