Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

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Iranian Navy

Hierarchical Structure
Image:Iran Navy ensign.png

History
History of the Iranian Navy
Personnel
List of senior officers
Iran's Navy Ranks Insignia
Equipment
Historical Vessels
Current Vessels
Other Weapon Systems

Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

Branches & Manpower
Navy	20,600
Marines	3,000
Commander of the Navy

One of Iran's 3 Kilo class submarines

The Iranian Navy has traditionally been the smallest branch of Iran's armed forces. Before 1971, the Iranian Navy mostly operated equipment provided by the United States and the United Kingdom. Over the following eight years, the fleet added more modern American and British-made destroyers, frigates and many smaller vessels, including powerboats and hovercraft.

In the 1970s, Iran planned to extend its naval reach into the Indian Ocean; but this goal was curtailed by the Islamic Revolution (1979), the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988), and limited funding ever since. This has left the navy with a limited ability to project power from the Persian Gulf into the Arabian Sea through submarines and larger surface ships. The last Shah of Iran ordered four modern destroyers from the United States, an order that was cancelled after the Shah fell. The ships were instead commissioned in the U.S. Navy as the Kidd class.

After the Islamic Revolution, the United States levied economic, trade and military sanctions on Iran, squeezing in particular the Navy, which had several ships laid up.

Battles during the Iran–Iraq War sank or damaged many ships and smaller craft. The Navy incurred further damage after U.S. forces began escorting Kuwaiti oil tankers during Operation Earnest Will (1987–1988). In September 1987, the minelayer Iran Ajr was captured and scuttled during Operation Prime Chance. On 14 April 1988, Iranian mines nearly sank the U.S.S. Samual B. Roberts (FFG-58); four days later, U.S. forces retaliated by sinking the Iranian warships Joshan and Sahand and several small armed powerboats in Operation Praying Mantis.

In the 1990s, the Navy added patrol boats, submarines, and surface-launched anti-ship missiles, and replaced Western ships with ones bought from China, North Korea, and Russia. During that time, it also engaged in naval exercises with Pakistan and India.

1 Facilities
2 Aircraft inventory
3 Navy Ranks Insignia
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Facilities

IS Sabalan at sea.

A starboard bow view of the Iranian destroyer escort ITS Faramarz (DE 74), redesignated as IS Sahand (F 74).

In 1977, the bulk of the fleet was shifted from Khorramshahr to the new headquarters at Bandar-e Abbas. Bushehr was the other main base; smaller facilities were located at Khorramshahr, Khark Island, and Bandar-e Khomeini (formerly known as Bandar-e Shahpur). Bandar-e Anzali (formerly known as Bandar-e Pahlavi) was the major training base and home of the small Caspian Sea fleet, which consisted of a few patrol boats and a minesweeper. The naval base at Bandar Beheshti (formerly known as Chah Bahar) on the Gulf of Oman had been under construction since the late 1970s and in late 1987 still was not completed. Smaller facilities were located near the Strait of Hormuz.

Imam Khomeini
Shahid Rajaie
Anzali
Noshahr
Bushehr
Chabahar
Khark

[edit] Aircraft inventory

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service^[1]	Notes
Aero Commander	United States	utility transport	690	4
Bell 205	Italy	light-lift utility helicopter	AB 205	5	built by Agusta
Bell 206	Italy	utility helicopter	AB 206A	2	built by Agusta
Bell 212	Italy	anti-submarine warfare/light-lift	AB 212 ASW	10	built by Agusta
Dassault Falcon 20	France	VIP transport	Falcon 20	2
Fokker F27 Friendship	Netherlands	tactical transport	F27-400M F27-600	2 2
Mil Mi-17	Russia	medium-lift transport helicopter	Mi-171Sh	5
Sikorsky S-61 Sea King	United States	anti-submarine warfare/medium-lift	SH-3D	10
Sikorsky H-53 Sea Stallion	United States	minesweeper/heavy-lift	RH-53D	5