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What We Know About Iran’s Newly Unveiled Catamaran Warship

By Emma Helfrich

Posted on Sep 6, 2022 10:55 PM EDT

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, or IRGCN , has revealed a new catamaran missile corvette that is the first Iranian naval vessel equipped with vertical launch system (VLS) cells. It is the second catamaran-type ship of significant size to join the IRGCN’s fleet, but the service claims that this latest addition is brimming with firepower, unlike its predecessor. 

Named after the late IRGC General Qassem Soleimani, who the U.S. military killed in a drone strike in Iraq in 2020 and who Iran has named other weapon systems after in the past, the Shahid Soleimani warship was formally unveiled during a ceremony in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Monday. 

Shahid Soleimani was built at the Shahid Mahallati Shipyard in Bushehr, Iran, and satellite imagery of early construction began to surface in March last year. At that point, little information had officially been divulged about the ship. The IRGCN’s Shahid Nazeri catamaran, which was commissioned in 2016, was often used in early reports as a point of reference for the future Shahid Soleimani as it was at least known that the vessel would also be a catamaran designed with narrow, widely-spaced hulls.

This new design is far more stout, warship-like, serious naval vessel than the lanky Shahid Nazeri , with Shahid Soleimani also being larger.

Iranian media reported three new military vessels joined the IRGC Navy including a stealth ship named after Qassem Soleimani. pic.twitter.com/riNHeTWkB4 — Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) September 5, 2022

Mentioned in the Iranian state news outlet PressTV ’s coverage of the event was additional information in regard to the ‘stealth’ role that the IRGCN is claiming Shahid Soleimani will fill. “Radar-evading” technology intended to allow the ship to achieve a lower radar cross-section was prominently noted. Iran has been known to make stealth claims about its ships in the past, and there isn’t much available in the way of credible information to help substantiate these claims. While the vessel may have some low observable-like design cues, exactly how they will actually impact its radar signature is debatable. Iran also says the new vessel will have a higher level of maneuverability compared to other ships of its size, and sports four domestically developed engines for quick deployment and sustainability on long-endurance missions.

After Monday’s unveiling, PressTV also reported on the array of capabilities that the IRGCN claims Shahid Soleimani will offer. While it is necessary to remember that the details they provided may be skewed so as to bolster the ship’s performance specifications, the information could still aid in helping to better understand what those capabilities may shape up to be. To start, Shahid Soleimani , which Iranian media reports is the IRGCN’s largest combatant warship in its fleet, is allegedly the first Iranian vessel overall to be equipped with a vertical launch system (VLS).

What appears to be six readily identifiable VLS cells could be seen in aerial shots of the vessel taken during the unveiling ceremony as well as in concept renderings that were separately released months before the event. Additional covered areas on either edge of the superstructure can also be seen, but the exact configuration of all sets of VLS cells as well as precisely how many there are under the latches isn’t immediately clear. 

Iranian media outlets went on to insist that Shahid Soleimani’s VLS is designed to fire unspecified surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) with a purported range of about 93 miles. Independent defense analysts on Twitter, like @AmirlGM , have already begun speculating about what exactly these SAMs could or could not be. He made a point to note that certain Iranian Sayyad SAM types, especially if upgraded, could potentially achieve that 93-mile range shared by Iranian media, as the Sayyad-2, a reverse-engineered first-generation U.S. Standard Missile , boasts a max range of about 74 miles while the newer Sayyad-4 can purportedly reach up to 124 miles. 

It’s worth considering, too, that the cells could conceivably be designed for a missile that Iran has not yet unveiled or that has yet to be conceptualized in general. There is also the possibility that long-range SAMs won’t even be used and instead, shorter-range SAMs will be fired from the VLS cells.

As noted earlier, the larger hatches fixed toward each edge of the corvette’s superstructure are also worth pointing out as some Iranian media has suggested that they could house more sizable weapons, such as land attack cruise missiles. Although, no specific mention of types of missiles or exactly how many will be loaded under these larger hatches has been made. There is also the possibility that these bigger hatches house a number of smaller cells also designed for SAMs, though this prospect is just as unconfirmed as the others. It could very well be that these are not even VLS cells at all.

One of its main tools for this are the SAMs in its VLS cells. SAM range is reported to be about 150km. Exact VLS layout is not explained, but here we see 6x large cells that will likely contain those missiles. Previous Iranian vessels carried just 2x SAMs with just ~32km range. pic.twitter.com/CICZ1pUUiU — Aᴍɪʀ (@AmirIGM) September 5, 2022

Appeared close-up of VLS cells. At first I thought that 4 blocks along the edges were blocks of 4 cells for short-range SAM, but turned out to be very large cells. Perhaps some large missiles want to place there, or vice versa, blocks of small missiles.. via @khishvand_110 pic.twitter.com/uywPO40v0z — Yuri Lyamin (@imp_navigator) September 5, 2022

Chief of Staff of Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri, however, did at least confirm the existence of the VLS when speaking to PressTV .

“This is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s first domestically-developed warship which is equipped with the vertical launch, short-range and medium-range air defense systems,” Bagheri said, going on to add that the ship’s combat system is powered by indigenous software designed with the ability to detect different types of targets and assign them to the ship’s weapons.

Maybe the biggest question has to do with how any missile would be guided or how the ship will detect targets at all. There is no evidence that it sports a radar capable of independently supporting aerial engagements, and especially not long-range ones. It’s possible that it has not been fitted yet, but there isn’t a whole lot of real estate on the ship to do so.

Other weapons that reportedly equip Shahid Soleimani include box launchers capable of firing six anti-ship missiles, a single-barrel 30 mm autocannon with an electro-optical sight for fire control, and what appears to be four 20 mm rotary cannons that may be operated by crewmembers or remotely. In terms of the anti-ship armament, what looks to be canisters for two different sizes of missiles could be seen during the unveiling and were correspondingly identified to be four Ghadir anti-ship cruise missiles and two smaller anti-ship cruise missiles believed to be of the Nasr type. 

Anti-ship armament comes in the form of six anti-ship missiles: 4x Ghadir anti-ship cruise missiles in the 300km range class, and 2x smaller missiles in the 35-90km range class (either Nasir or Nasr missiles) pic.twitter.com/T8jxeY6gFz — Aᴍɪʀ (@AmirIGM) September 5, 2022

A view on the cruise AShM launchers which are on each side of Shahid Soleimani class catamaran corvette. Totally, four Qader/Qadir with 300 km range and two Nasr/Nasir with 90 km range. pic.twitter.com/ChRVHgtuQX — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) September 5, 2022

For a relatively small vessel, S. Soleimani has quite heavy gun armament of 4x crew-operated 20mm rotary cannons. That's moar dakka than an Arleigh Burke destroyer. https://t.co/fc07rPznxB pic.twitter.com/KbWsdCPNC8 — Aᴍɪʀ (@AmirIGM) September 5, 2022

During the unveiling ceremony, the IRGCN also demonstrated Shahid Soleimani ’s ability to carry helicopters after a Bell-412 aircraft was filmed landing atop the ship’s large helipad. Iranian media reports that vertical take-off and landing craft, namely unmanned aerial systems, will be able to launch from this helipad, as well. The ability to launch and control drones from ships and submarines while at sea was recently demonstrated by the Iranian Navy during the introduction of its new ‘drone carrier division,’  further highlighting the country’s strides in domestic weapons development intended for better executing asymmetric operations.

PressTV noted that “sophisticated” but unnamed reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and radar systems make up Shahid Soleimani ’s capabilities as well as “self-protection systems, modern communication and telecommunication equipment, various types of encoders, and data links.” Although, it is markedly difficult to corroborate those claims at present with only an outside view of the vessel having been offered during the unveiling ceremony. 

The first video of Shahid Soleimani class catamaran corvette mixed a clip from a Bell-206 landing on IRIS Shahid Nazeri. This video correctly shows a Bell-412 helicopter landing on Soleimani. It also provides a good view on her VLS module. pic.twitter.com/6IFzYR3UeF — Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) September 6, 2022

Regardless of its actual capabilities, the ship is certainly an impressive addition to the IRGCN’s fleet, which is predominately centered around smaller speedboats and swarming tactics. PressTV did describe one of the ship’s missions as being escorting and protecting IRGCN fast boats in the Persian Gulf where the IRGCN primarily operates, and we have seen its predecessor being used in a similar manner in the past.  

Shahid Soleimani will likely act as something of a command-and-control ship for coordinating the activities of drones and/or smaller IRGCN vessels as it also possesses the ability to carry and launch fast-attack boats from its stern, but its high-end punch is something the aging Iranian Navy is likely to be quite jealous of.

While Iran hasn’t alluded to whether or not more of the type will be produced, Shahid Soleimani ’s introduction surely underscores the country’s growing desire to boost its maritime capabilities.

Despite Iran’s claims being something to always take with a grain of salt, this vessel is quite impressive and the fact that it is an asset of the IRGC means it is more likely to be used in an aggressive manner than its regular navy counterparts. Its capabilities, size, and relative sophistication could also very well see it operate far from home, potentially taking up station in the Red Sea, which could be problematic for that already tense body of water.

We’ll just have to wait and see not only where the futuristic-looking vessel ends up, but what exactly it looks like when enters operational service.

Contact the author: [email protected]

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New Iranian Warship Signals Longer Maritime Reach, More Aggressive Strategy

Farzin Nadimi, a Senior Fellow with The Washington Institute, is a Washington-based analyst specializing in the security and defense affairs of Iran and the Persian Gulf region.

Although Tehran tends to exaggerate its naval achievements and blue-water capabilities, the heavy investments it has made in this sector are yielding regionally significant progress.

On September 5, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy launched the Shahid Soleimani , its first of at least three new catamaran missile corvettes with potential stealth features. According to IRGCN chief Adm. Alireza Tangsiri, the vessels will increase the navy’s operational reach beyond the Persian Gulf to as far away as 9,000 km, which would cover the entire Indian Ocean down to Cape Town. The IRGCN has long aspired to send warships to waters near the United States as a propaganda achievement and show of defiance, but it has not been very successful with long-range naval operations thus far—notwithstanding the July 2021 voyage in which the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) deployed the converted supertanker Makran and another vessel to St. Petersburg, Russia, using a circuitous route that circled Africa and crossed in and out of the Mediterranean Sea.    

During the launch ceremony for the Shahid Soleimani (FS313-01), IRGC chief Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami called the aluminum warship a new high point in Iran’s strategic competition as a world-class power bent on establishing regional hegemony over its adversaries. According to him, the country’s “national security domain and radius go as far as where our interests rest”—including faraway seas if so determined by the Armed Forces General Staff.

The New Ship’s Capabilities

Similar in length (65 meters) and capability to Taiwan’s Tuo Chiang-class missile corvette launched in 2014, the Shahid Soleimani is designed to support and provide protective fires for high-speed armed boats far from Iranian waters. This includes the three boats it can carry itself. The Taiwanese class is designed to counter Chinese naval vessels via hit-and-run tactics and has been dubbed a “carrier killer.” The same nickname has been applied to the smaller Chinese Type 22 catamaran missile boat, which Iran reportedly tried to buy in past years before producing its own class (Beijing refused to sell). The IRGCN also claims that the Shahid Soleimani is a “stealth” vessel with the radar cross-section of a small boat, though its actual capabilities in this regard are uncertain.

Regarding weapon systems, the new vessel is the first Iranian warship equipped with vertical launchers that can fire antiaircraft missiles up to a claimed range of 150 km. It can also use six box launchers to fire antiship missiles such as the Nasir, Ghader, and Ghadir, with ranges of 35 to 300 km. Taken together, these capabilities led Iranian officials to claim that Shahid Soleimani has a “lethal range” in excess of 750 km. To be sure, Iran already has other weapon systems that meet or exceed that range, such as the Abu Mahdi antiship and land-attack cruise missile unveiled in 2020, which can reportedly reach 700-1,000 km. Yet the Shahid Soleimani could greatly extend its reach (albeit with less destructive punch) by launching suicide drones such as the Shahed-131 or 136, which can strike targets up to 1,000 km away (or even 2,200 km according to some unconfirmed sources). The vessel may also be able to launch the Quds-1/2 cruise missile and “Article 385” loitering antiaircraft cruise missile that Iran previously provided to Houthi forces in Yemen.

As for electronic warfare capabilities, the ship is reportedly able to carry extensive equipment of this type, including advanced decoy launchers. In its current configuration, however, Shahid Soleimani has minimal electronic equipment installed.

Catamarans are generally faster and more maneuverable than conventional ships and offer better stability and seakeeping at rougher seas thanks to their twin hull design. This also makes them harder to sink—though aluminum ship hulls tend to melt quickly if set afire by a sea mine, missile, or other projectile (as seen when a catamaran operated by the United Arab Emirates was wrecked by a single Houthi missile in October 2016 while transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait).

A Naval Industry in the Making

More missile corvettes of the same type as Shahid Soleimani are currently being built at shipyards in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, and Bushehr, and the IRGCN claims it will roll them out at a rate of one per year, indicating an expedited delivery schedule. The prime contractor for this program is the IRGCN’s Shahid Mahalati Naval Industries, with the Defense Ministry firms Shahid Darvishi and Shahid Mahboobi working as subcontractors.

In November 2018, Iran’s parliament passed a law merging all Defense Ministry marine factories and industrial groups into one entity, the “Marine Industries Organization of the Armed Forces.” Collectively, these firms produce everything from small speedboats to frigate-size warships, medium submarines, Aframax tankers, diesel engines, waterjets, gearboxes, and so forth, with the aim of making Iran’s domestic naval production fully self-sufficient. This goal may be facilitated by the fact that Iran’s marine industries are believed to be less affected by U.S. sanctions than its aviation and missile industries.

Strategic Implications

Iran vehemently objects to the U.S. naval presence in Middle East waters, with IRGCN officials noting that they work daily to prepare and expand their arsenal toward the goal of repelling U.S. forces . Another key mission has emerged over the past couple years: deterring Israel from expanding its maritime reach to waters near Iran following Jerusalem’s normalization of relations with the UAE and Bahrain. Tehran has also been expanding its supposed “maritime security” presence in the Red Sea after a slew of strikes against Iranian ships there, culminating in the April 2021 attack on the floating armory/spy ship Saviz .

In addition, IRGCN officials note that  Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has called on them to expand their reach to “far seas,” framing this mission as a supplement to IRIN’s “strategic blue-water responsibility” but looking more like direct competition with it. In any case, once the Shahid Soleimani completes its protracted sea trial period, the new vessel class may give the IRGCN significant new capabilities—namely, longer-range deployment of missile boats, antiship/antiaircraft missiles, and drones. Coupled with the converted mothership/replenishment vessels Shahid Roudaki (L110-1) and Shahid Mahdavi (110-3), the new corvettes will likely enable sustained IRGCN operations farther into the Indian Ocean and perhaps beyond, including support for smaller and more covert speedboat missions.

Of course, the IRGCN has made a habit of exaggerating its accomplishments in the past, and its overall capabilities remain a far cry from America’s both quantitatively and qualitatively. Yet its modest progress toward sustained blue-water operations is undeniable, and there are a number of scenarios in which it could pose a considerable threat to U.S. Navy assets and facilities, not to mention international freedom of commerce and navigation. Going forward, IRGCN assets can be expected to cause trouble farther down the Indian Ocean, both to divert attention and resources from the Persian Gulf and to disrupt regional maritime security initiatives. Iran might also seek to project naval power in the East Mediterranean and escort cargo ships carrying weapons to Syrian ports, especially now that Israel is increasingly pressuring its air-land logistical hubs deeper inside Syria.

Accordingly, the United States and its partners should closely scrutinize the IRGCN’s evolving role and development of new systems. This is especially true today because Iran’s domestic industrial base is gradually beginning to catch up and deliver suitable platforms and associated subsystems, whether by building them from the ground up or converting and repurposing merchant ships.

Farzin Nadimi is an associate fellow with The Washington Institute, specializing in security and defense in Iran and the Gulf region.

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Iranian Navy introduces new Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis class of missile catamarans .

On January 6, 2023, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N) of Iran commissioned the Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, the lead ship of a new class of missile catamarans. The event took place in Bandar Abbas, a southern port city in Iran, marking a significant addition to the IRGC Navy's capabilities with the introduction of this vessel and 100 fast missile boats armed with either torpedoes or surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

The vessel is named after Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the former deputy head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units, who was killed alongside General Qassem Soleimani of the IRGC Quds Force in a 2020 American strike in Baghdad. The Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis class can be seen as a smaller variant of the Shahid Soleimani class missile catamarans, which are also part of the IRGC Navy.

The ceremony was attended by senior military officials including IRGC Chief Commander Hossein Salami and Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri. During the ceremony, it was stated that three Shahid Abu Mahdi vessels could potentially be delivered in under a year. However, it remains unclear whether this represents the official procurement plan or is simply a statement highlighting Iran's capability to achieve such a feat.

The Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, with the designation code PC313-01, is a 47-meter-long vessel reported to be able to operate at sea for up to 14 days and cover an operational radius of up to 2,000 nautical miles. This catamaran, which features a homegrown hull design, can reach speeds of up to 36 knots.

In terms of armaments, the Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis is equipped with a variety of weaponry, including six canisters for Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles like the Noor, Qadir, or Ghadir, a 30mm 2A42 cannon, four 20mm Gatling-type guns operating at 1500 rpm, and eight canisters that could house, depending on the sources, either Kowsar IR guided anti-ship missiles, or close-range surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), potentially enhancing its air defense. The 8 Kowsar/SAMs launchers on the ship seem to have the capability to rotate, facilitating alignment and missile locking.

There is some ambiguity regarding the potential designation of these SAMs, with some sources suggesting they may also be named Kowsar. These short-range multirole missiles, which would be different from the Kowsar anti-ship missile, are apparently designed to engage both surface targets and aerial threats, including drones and helicopters.

The Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis vessel seems to be equipped with an IIR/EO seeker for missile guidance, fire control radar, navigation radar, and a small helipad intended for VTOL UAVs like the Meraj-313. The design is said to include features intended to reduce radar signature and a high-aspect-ratio for operational flexibility. Therefore, these Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis vessels are well-suited for quick offensive operations near coastlines, while the Shahid Soleimani class provides more extensive seakeeping and defensive capabilities.

The introduction of the Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis signifies an expansion of the Iranian fleet, representing the third class of Iranian large catamaran type vessels. The simultaneous development of both the Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis and the Shahid Soleimani class vessels indicates Iran's approach to diversifying its naval capabilities. Each class is tailored to specific operational roles and tactical requirements, consolidating Iran's presence in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea.

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(VIDEO) Armed with Cruise Missiles, Iran’s Soleimani-Class Catamaran Corvettes Pose a “Threat”

(video) the appearance of the irgc navy's soleimani-class catamaran corvettes, equipped with long-range cruise missiles, poses a threat not only to united states warships in the region but also to its ground forces' positions..

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N) commissioned two more Soleimani-class catamaran corvettes today, equipped with up to six cruise missiles capable of striking targets from 700km to 2,000km away.

This addition brings the total number of Soleimani-class catamaran corvettes in the IRGC Navy to three this year.

The newly commissioned state-of-the-art warships are named “Shahid Hassan Bagheri” and “Shahid Sayyid Shirazi.”

These catamaran corvettes are also equipped with air defense systems capable of engaging aerial targets up to 300km away and can carry helicopters and three high-speed attack boats.

 Last month, the IRGC Navy’s first catamaran corvette, “Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis,” was commissioned.

All three Soleimani-class catamaran corvettes feature a stealth design to reduce their radar signature and make it difficult for enemy radar and monitoring systems to detect them at sea.

Previously, IRGC Navy Commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri stated that the Shahid Soleimani-class corvette named Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis could remain at sea for 14 days with an operational radius of 2,000 nautical miles.

The unique design of these catamaran corvettes allows them to operate undetected by enemy radar and surveillance, according to the IRGC Navy commander.

The development of these catamaran corvettes is a result of collaboration between three domestic entities, showcasing Iran’s capability in producing stealth warships.

With their catamaran design and locally developed propulsion systems, these warships can operate in Sea State 6 conditions.

 Besides their stealth design, the Soleimani-class warships are equipped with various weapons systems, including 30mm, 20mm, and 23mm cannons.

They are also armed with “Noor” anti-ship guided missiles capable of hitting targets up to 300km away and cruise missile systems that can strike targets between 700km and 2,000km.

For air defense, the Shahid Soleimani-class corvettes are equipped with the “Kosar” short-range air defense system.

Equipped with long-range cruise missiles, the Shahid Soleimani-class warships, with their catamaran design, pose a significant threat to any enemy vessels in the Persian Gulf , the Red Sea, and up to the Arabian Sea.

Iran introduced its latest stealth-capable warships amidst escalating tensions in the region, following Israeli military airstrikes that killed senior IRGC leaders in Syria, Hamas in Beirut, and Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq. — DSA

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Iran’s Maritime Might Expands with ‘Shahid Abu Mahdi’ Missile Boat

On January 6, 2024, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) accepted the lead rocket catamaran of the “Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis” type, also known as simply “Shahid Abu Mahdi.” This came after the first in a series of larger rocket catamarans, the type of “Shahid Soleimani,” was delivered. The name is given in honour of a foreign military figure closely associated with Iran. Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces, passed away in January 2020 as a result of a strike carried out by the United States in Baghdad. General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also passed away at the same time. Their names were subsequently put into the new rocket catamarans that the IRGC had constructed.

If the “Shahid Soleimani” catamarans are roughly the size of corvettes, then the “Shahid Abu Mahdi” is more likely to be a huge missile boat. However, the exact specifications of the new ships are still unclear.

According to the information that is currently available, its armament appears to consist of six anti-ship missiles of the Ghader/Ghadir type, which have a range of up to 300 kilometres in the latter case; eight guided missiles of the Kowsar type, which have a range of up to 15 kilometres, housed in the round containers near the UAV platform; a thirty-millimetre artillery installation; and most likely four twenty millimetre artillery installations. These missiles are not the same as the old lightweight anti-ship missiles with the same name; they are new lightweight multi-purpose missiles that may be used against various targets, including aerial ones, and can be deployed even on the lightest boats.

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Iran Is Quietly Building a Fleet of Missile-Slinging Catamarans

Armed with anti-ship and anti-air missiles, the cats would be formidable adversaries.

• Iranian shipyards are churning out twin-hull fast-attack ships , according to new satellite imagery.
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (Iran's paramilitary) would crew the ships.
• They're similar in concept and appearance to China's Type 022 fast-attack missile boats.

Iran's paramilitary navy is constructing the first of what will likely be a whole new fleet of fast-attack craft—a type of small, nimble warship that operates on the offensive in close proximity to the coast. The boat is a twin-hulled catamaran that will one day carry both anti-ship and anti-air missiles.

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The new vessel is currently under construction at the Shahid Mahallati Shipyard in Bushehr, Iran. Naval News first spotted it last week in commercial satellites images. From above, you can see the boat's two narrow hulls are placed side by side, supporting a wide bridge deck.

The bridge deck itself is angled and appears to be built for speed. Catamarans are typically faster than average vessels owing to their use of two small hulls instead of one large one, lessening hydrodynamic resistance and increasing speed.

The Shahid Mahallati Shipyard has built warships for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the past. IRGC is Iran's second armed force—a land, air, and sea paramilitary force that serves the country's theocratic government. At sea, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGC-N) is responsible for protecting and advancing the regime's interests in the Persian Gulf .

The IRGC-N has relied on a ragtag assemblage of armed speedboats for decades. Typically, these are cigarette boat crafts armed with heavy machine guns, 107-millimeter rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and sometimes anti-tank missiles. The IRGC, as naval analyst H.I. Sutton points out in U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) News , seems to be shifting toward the construction of larger, more conventionally oriented ships.

The new warship, according to an IRGC general speaking in May 2020, would be 213 feet long, equipped with a helipad, and armed with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. The incorporation of a helipad on such a small ship suggests that engineers might be burying the missile launchers inside the hull, pointing upward.

While USNI News doesn't speculate on the exact types of armament that IRGC-N will carry on the new vessel, we can make some informed guesses. The warship—tentatively named the Soleimani class after the IRGC general that U.S. forces killed in a 2020 drone strike—could carry the Qader , Iran's updated copy of the Chinese C-802 anti-ship missile. Qader is a 20.9-foot-long sea-skimming missile with a 341-pound high explosive warhead and a range of 74 miles.

How many Qaders does the Soleimani class carry? Iranian-backed Houthi guerrillas have used Iranian missiles in at least two attacks , including the 2016 skirmish on the destroyer USS Mason in 2016, and a strike on the commercial catamaran HSV Swift .

Iran has likely analyzed the attack on the Mason , in which the American guided-missile destroyer swatted down both incoming missiles. The result of that attack suggests Iranian warships should carry a minimum of three missiles (or more) if possible.

The Soleimani class will reportedly carry anti-aircraft missiles, too. However, the limited internal volume of a catamaran hull—coupled with the need to optimize it for anti-ship missiles and a helicopter landing pad—reduces its ability to carry anything other than short-range, shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.

Western helicopters carry missiles like the American Hellfire and the new Anglo-French Sea Venom . They can easily outrange shoulder-fired missiles; the Soleimani class will be particularly vulnerable.

The Soleimani class may have been inspired by China's Type 022 Houbei- class fast-attack craft. The Houbei class is a high-speed catamaran that, although 50 percent smaller than the Soleimani craft, carries eight C-802-type anti-ship missiles. This suggests the Iranian boat could carry eight or more similarly sized Qader missiles. China built at least 83 of the Type 022 boats for coastal defense in the 2000s before graduating to larger, more capable ships.

According to USNI News, at least three hulls are under construction simultaneously. Iran could build more than a dozen of the ships, though, giving the IRGC the ability to swarm larger vessels with missiles. That is, if they're not sunk first.

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Kyle Mizokami is a writer on defense and security issues and has been at Popular Mechanics since 2015. If it involves explosions or projectiles, he's generally in favor of it. Kyle’s articles have appeared at The Daily Beast, U.S. Naval Institute News, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, Combat Aircraft Monthly, VICE News , and others. He lives in San Francisco.

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Has Iran launched a new stealth missile boat?

A new iranian ship is one of several under construction that will be called the shahed soleimani class of stealth ships..

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Iran Wants To Make Its Navy Seem More Powerful With This New Ship

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Posted on Sep 14, 2016 9:09 PM EDT

How, exactly, can a smaller nation compete militarily with a superpower?

For Iran, whose relationship with the United States has vacillated between outright hostility to at most lukewarm diplomacy since the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, one answer is developing new, small, weird ships. The latest is a helicopter-carrying catamaran named the “Shahid Nazeri.”

Aa reported by Fars News , a media agency controlled by Iran’s government:

Fars continues:

The cruisers and destroyers used by the US Navy have listed speeds “in excess of 30 knots”, (or roughly 34 mph), well below the 92 mph top speed Iran claims.

As a new vessel capable of carrying helicopters and soldiers, the Shahid Nazeri should be the most exciting vessel.

But even from the Fars report, it’s clear that Iran’s real naval strategy is just an associated fleet of smaller speedboats.

Small speedboats, especially the kind prefered by cross-caribbean smugglers , can easily reach speeds of 90 mph or greater .

Iran’s built a naval strategy around the small vehicles . Attacking larger ships with lots of small fast boats is a kind of asymettric warfare , and its a tactic Iran’s refined over the past decade at least .

It’s unclear how the Nazeri fits into this larger speedboat-heavy strategy. Fars boasts of the Nazeri’s long range, which is not a feature especially relevant to patrolling the nearby Persian gulf, nor the narrow Strait of Hormuz.

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Iran Coverage: Iran unveils new helicopter-carrying catamaran ship

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