Iran Navy Moves To International Waters

[RaminS]

Iran has deployed naval ships to the high seas as part of a full-fledged campaign initiated by the highest level of government.

Iranian Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari on Friday indicated that Tehran had overcome the self-imposed barrier of warship deployment in its own territorial waters to establish a powerful naval presence in international waters.

"We have a right to have a naval presence in international waters. Our initiative will work to protect the national interests of the Islamic Republic and will hoist the Iranian flag with pride," explained the navy commander.

Ordered by Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Iran's Commander-in-Chief Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the newly-launched initiative will ensure that Iranian warships remain stationed in a large area of the Indian Ocean.

Iran in late 2008 opened a naval base in the eastern part of the strategic Hormuz waterway. Military officials then described the base as a protective barrier against enemy infiltration at the main entrance to Iranian waters.

Dubbed as a "defense front", the Jask base was said to be part of plans to make the area "impenetrable" for a non-regional enemy.

Rear Adm. Sayyari said Friday that the Jask naval base plays a major role in the new push into high seas.

"With this presence, we seek to convey the message of peace and friendship of the Iranian nation to the entire world, to help instruction and to pass on our experiences to our young generation," he continued.

According to the official, Iran is working on further strengthening its presence in international waters by improving its naval infrastructure and adding new destroyers to its fleet.

An Iranian warship has already ended a one-month mission in the Indian Ocean as part of the initiative.

Source: PressTV

 

[ChaharMahal]

hope this is just Rhetoric becuase otherwise it is gone create some heat.

 

[Sly]

Why do I have a bad feeling about this?!!

 

[RaminS]

Well it's not necessarily bad as long as they are physically there and don't do anything stupid. But I think there mere presence will be enough to provoke others.

 

[Bi-honar]

Yeah, as long as we don't take on a provocative role, I don't see any problem with it. I hope there are no "incidents".

 

[oghabealborz]

Is there anyone with some naval knowedge who could shed some thoughts on this ?

 

[Motori]

We see these kind of behavior in animal kingdom too. Some of them Puff op their feathers to show the are bigger than what the actually are.
Just floating in open waters does not mean ioo can project power in international waters.
Iran has 4 destroyer class naval ships, Damavand made in 1966, Palang 1972. Babr 1973 and Jamaram 2007, their armaments are limited to 2 dual 40mm and 4 dual 20 mm canons with 2 12.7 mm machine guns some are equipped with Dael AAA for airdefence and as far as I know Damavand and Palang are not active and Babr is semi-active.
Frigate class ships are 5 in numbers and are made more for coastal protection than maritime showdown.
Even if Iran had naval ships equipped with formidable weaponry capable of projecting threat to adversary nations and navies sending them out on the distance seas without any naval fighter/bombers playing maritime escort role means suicide.
From the moment of inception Iranian Navy doctrine was coastal protection and every single asset was purchased/made and personnel were/are trained for that purpose.
Without an aircraft carrier no one can project power in open seas at least not with what we have in Persian Golf.

 

[Simply Ken]

Iran recently reported that it had opened a naval base at the port of Jask, ostensibly to control the entry and exit of vessels to and from the Strait of Hormuz. The location of the base gives Iran the ability to have a presence in the nearby waters in the Indian Ocean as well.

There were, of course, also reports on Iran sending some warships to fight off pirates at the Somali coast. There is also a sensational rumor started by a Eritrian opposition group about Iran opening a secret base in Eritrea near the Gulf of Aden. Regardless, Iranian frigates have made regular port visits to Eritrian ports of Asab and Massawa.

If Iran manages to secure some basing rights in Eritria, that would indeed become a major coup in terms of Iran's ability to project its power in other areas in order to deter any form of aggression against it. Such a base could help Iran in 3 ways.

First, it could enable Iran to project its naval, mine laying, and anti-ship missile power in the eastern Mediterranean, including along Israel's coast. For tactical engagements, Iran's submarines and other naval assets would be better able to reach that area through the Suez Canal, while -- without such a base -- it is generally believed that Iran's submarines and vessels could not operate that far from their base.

Second, in case of a major war with Iran involving the US and its allies, a naval presence in the Red Sea area would allow Iran a means to attack and disrupt shipping to and from the Suez Canal as well. At the same time, it would enhance Iran's ability to choke off oil supplies from the region, since in case of closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Saudis have been constructing pipelines to deliver their oil from their eastern shores to the Red Sea -- something they started working on during the Iran-Iraq war.

Finally, to the extent that Iran has managed to make the Kh-55 long range cruise missiles operational from naval platforms, operating from the Red Sea would enhance and diversify Iran's ability to hit back at Israel and other potential adversaries from a distance. This would also enhance Iran's deterence capabilities in case of a war.

In terms of what I have laid down, what Iran lacks is not so much naval assets such as aircraft carriers and the like, but instead military bases outside its own territory. If Iran manages to work out some basing arrangements with Eritria, or otherwise with some other countries such as Lebanon or Syria, Iran would then have a meaningful ability to project its power in international waters. And have that projection serve Iranian national security policies.

 

[oghabealborz]

We see these kind of behavior in animal kingdom too. Some of them Puff op their feathers to show the are bigger than what the actually are.
Just floating in open waters does not mean ioo can project power in international waters.
Iran has 4 destroyer class naval ships, Damavand made in 1966, Palang 1972. Babr 1973 and Jamaram 2007, their armaments are limited to 2 dual 40mm and 4 dual 20 mm canons with 2 12.7 mm machine guns some are equipped with Dael AAA for airdefence and as far as I know Damavand and Palang are not active and Babr is semi-active.
Frigate class ships are 5 in numbers and are made more for coastal protection than maritime showdown.
Even if Iran had naval ships equipped with formidable weaponry capable of projecting threat to adversary nations and navies sending them out on the distance seas without any naval fighter/bombers playing maritime escort role means suicide.
From the moment of inception Iranian Navy doctrine was coastal protection and every single asset was purchased/made and personnel were/are trained for that purpose.
Without an aircraft carrier no one can project power in open seas at least not with what we have in Persian Golf.

Thanks , exactly as I thought without air cover they are nothing but sitting duck ,even if they had active destroyers .

 

[Simply Ken]

Thanks , exactly as I thought without air cover they are nothing but sitting duck ,even if they had active destroyers .

The notion that Iran could have a blue water navy is not serious. In that sense, you mention one of the many problems with even trying such a feat.

But the idea of Iran being able to project naval forces in specific regions, using foreign bases and relying on submarines and its missiles, is not as far fetched. In the process, Iran could also have a few frigates and other naval vessels to fly the flag and engage in operations against lesser armed opponents such as the Somali pirates.

In terms of fighting the US, Iran's tactics do not rely on the kind of traditional naval warfare where all the advantages would belong to the other side. Instead, Iran's naval doctrine mainly relies on swarming tactics, small vessels, submarines, mine laying capablity, and anti-ship missiles, all operating close to their base. It would be essentially the modern version of the way the Greeks defeated the Persian navy in the battle of Salamis.

More broadly, Iran's military tactics and not just its naval ones, in a battle against the US, rely on the kind of hit and run type attacks that allowed the Parthians to defeat the Romans in the battle of Carrhae. The weapons have changed, but the dynamics of trying to devise your tactics to accentuate your strengths, hide your weaknesses, remain the same. Lessons that many Arab armies fighting Israel, except for Hezbollah, generally ignored. Lessons that Saddam did not understand when he tried to fight the US during Desert Storm in exactly the kind of open terrain tank battles that gave him no chance and the US every advantage.

There is no reason for Iran, at this stage, to even try to match the US by copying its naval doctrine, by looking to large naval vessels, aircraft carriers, etc. Iran is just too far behind and will not be able to catch up to make such a route meaningful for its real defense needs. To the extent Iran acquires or builds any such larger vessels, their use would be limited to fighting off lesser foes not stronger ones.

 

[ParanoidBenchwarmer]

Iran has deployed naval ships to the high seas as part of a full-fledged campaign initiated by the highest level of government.

Iranian Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari on Friday indicated that Tehran had overcome the self-imposed barrier of warship deployment in its own territorial waters to establish a powerful naval presence in international waters.

"We have a right to have a naval presence in international waters. Our initiative will work to protect the national interests of the Islamic Republic and will hoist the Iranian flag with pride," explained the navy commander.

Ordered by Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Iran's Commander-in-Chief Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the newly-launched initiative will ensure that Iranian warships remain stationed in a large area of the Indian Ocean.

Iran in late 2008 opened a naval base in the eastern part of the strategic Hormuz waterway. Military officials then described the base as a protective barrier against enemy infiltration at the main entrance to Iranian waters.

Dubbed as a "defense front", the Jask base was said to be part of plans to make the area "impenetrable" for a non-regional enemy.

Rear Adm. Sayyari said Friday that the Jask naval base plays a major role in the new push into high seas.

"With this presence, we seek to convey the message of peace and friendship of the Iranian nation to the entire world, to help instruction and to pass on our experiences to our young generation," he continued.

According to the official, Iran is working on further strengthening its presence in international waters by improving its naval infrastructure and adding new destroyers to its fleet.

An Iranian warship has already ended a one-month mission in the Indian Ocean as part of the initiative.

Source: PressTV

Dude, according to the US Naval forces one Iranian navy ship planned to attack the Somalian pirate ship got lost in the sea and had to be resecued by the US naval forces! So there you have it about the Iranian naval 'Forces!'

 

[RaminS]

Dude, according to the US Naval forces one Iranian navy ship planned to attack the Somalian pirate ship got lost in the sea and had to be resecued by the US naval forces! So there you have it about the Iranian naval 'Forces!'

You are incorrect.

 

[PJ]

Dude, according to the US Naval forces one Iranian navy ship planned to attack the Somalian pirate ship got lost in the sea and had to be resecued by the US naval forces! So there you have it about the Iranian naval 'Forces!'

I guess you were on that pirate ship, right?

 

[R_E_Z_A]

Dude, according to the US Naval forces one Iranian navy ship planned to attack the Somalian pirate ship got lost in the sea and had to be resecued by the US naval forces! So there you have it about the Iranian naval 'Forces!'

Yes this is true, the TBS News Agency just confirmed it.

 

[ParanoidBenchwarmer]

Yes this is true, the TBS News Agency just confirmed it.

Guys, Iran has a weak arm forces. Its Navy almost got decimated by a US warship back in teh 80's. It has small crafts speed boats that can cause little to no harms to warships. It has 3 junk diesel submarines, that has constant problem with its A/C and it need to surface on many occasions for repairs. It can't penetrate Persian gulf since it is shalow and it can easily been seen from the air. Iran, has few domestic built misiles on moving platforms that can cause problems to warships if fired in masses, otherwise the US warships have many counter mesasures against such a missiles. Iran has 1 Orion radar plan from the Shah era in which its radoar is now obsolite. They also operation few seaking plans from the Shah era which is about to fall off the sky. They have assigned 6 F-14 tomcats to the naval basis in the south for patrol but they lack black boxes and the sea water causes constant problem for Iran's F-14 since they aer not Marine type F-14. The Iran Navy can be defeated by a dozen of Tomohawk missiles. That is why the Iran Arm Force have adopteded the
Asymmetric warfare which is like in Iraq, to let the enemy in and then attack it with urban gerrilla warfare with a miilion soldier. Otherwise the Iranians have a week and old arm forces.

 

[Motori]

The notion that Iran could have a blue water navy is not serious. In that sense, you mention one of the many problems with even trying such a feat.
There is no reason for Iran, at this stage, to even try to match the US by copying its naval doctrine, by looking to large naval vessels, aircraft carriers, etc. Iran is just too far behind and will not be able to catch up to make such a route meaningful for its real defense needs. To the extent Iran acquires or builds any such larger vessels, their use would be limited to fighting off lesser foes not stronger ones.

S.K
I don't see the objective of Iranian Navy flexing muscles in Blue Waters when most of the adversaries know that we don't have any, but it is perfectly suited to defend coastal waters, Hormuz and other vital waterways, even against formidable vessels of the West because of the shore and Islands missile bases and proximity of air support + the long range artillery support to boot.
The other asset which IIN counts on is the sworm of FACs and other speed boats equipped with 20-50 mmm machine guns and small caliber rocket launchers and these boats will not be available 600 Knts away from Persian Sea.

 

[Sith]

Can you please secure your own borders first. Thanks.

 

[member of day]

Guys, Iran has a weak arm forces. Its Navy almost got decimated by a US warship back in teh 80's. It has small crafts speed boats that can cause little to no harms to warships. It has 3 junk diesel submarines, that has constant problem with its A/C and it need to surface on many occasions for repairs. It can't penetrate Persian gulf since it is shalow and it can easily been seen from the air. Iran, has few domestic built misiles on moving platforms that can cause problems to warships if fired in masses, otherwise the US warships have many counter mesasures against such a missiles. Iran has 1 Orion radar plan from the Shah era in which its radoar is now obsolite. They also operation few seaking plans from the Shah era which is about to fall off the sky. They have assigned 6 F-14 tomcats to the naval basis in the south for patrol but they lack black boxes and the sea water causes constant problem for Iran's F-14 since they aer not Marine type F-14. The Iran Navy can be defeated by a dozen of Tomohawk missiles. That is why the Iran Arm Force have adopteded the
Asymmetric warfare which is like in Iraq, to let the enemy in and then attack it with urban gerrilla warfare with a miilion soldier. Otherwise the Iranians have a week and old arm forces.

خوب حالا قبول كرديم تو راست ميكي و ارتش ايران ضعيفه ! خوب جكار كنيم يعني همانطور كه بحرين را دادايم به انكليس بياييم بندر عباس رو هم بديم به امريكاييها و كيش و ابوموسي رو بديم به امريكا؟
خدا رو شكر كه تو نشدي يكاره مملكت والا حتي كشور عمان هم براي ايران شق ميكرد

 

[ParanoidBenchwarmer]

خوب حالا قبول كرديم تو راست ميكي و ارتش ايران ضعيفه ! خوب جكار كنيم يعني همانطور كه بحرين را دادايم به انكليس بياييم بندر عباس رو هم بديم به امريكاييها و كيش و ابوموسي رو بديم به امريكا؟
خدا رو شكر كه تو نشدي يكاره مملكت والا حتي كشور عمان هم براي ايران شق ميكرد

Gooz be shaghigheh chekar dare!
Rosevelt-Stalin-Churchill signed a pack that Iran must be under the influence of the western power for 40 years! It did! Than Russia will pick it up after the 40 years!It has. It has nothing to do be crapy islands of the Persian Gulf! We are now under the Soviet spher of influence. Khamenie himself has been educated in Moscow! So here you have it. All these side shows of Islands is to make your mind busy thinking the other way. Russia own us and that is why we don't need a strong army.

 

[ParanoidBenchwarmer]

خوب حالا قبول كرديم تو راست ميكي و ارتش ايران ضعيفه ! خوب جكار كنيم يعني همانطور كه بحرين را دادايم به انكليس بياييم بندر عباس رو هم بديم به امريكاييها و كيش و ابوموسي رو بديم به امريكا؟
خدا رو شكر كه تو نشدي يكاره مملكت والا حتي كشور عمان هم براي ايران شق ميكرد

By the way, an ex Iran Air pilot told me that in the whole Iran there are no more than 3 qualified Iranian Air Line pilots! 95% of the Air line pilots are Russian merceneries. Co pilots are some iranians. But even the Russian mercenery pilots are quitting on an alarming rates since the Pastaran are canibelizing the Air planes passenger radars and installing them on the Pasdaran military plans. Therefore most Iranian plans are flying with out a radar but on a simple compass. Russia's domestic passenger radars are not compateble on Iranian old western plans. Therefore, most Iranian domestic flights are without radars and now they are flown with Iranian copilots that are not qualified to fly the plan without radars. It is just a matter of time!