수상전투함 이란, 쌍동선형 스텔스고속함 알 무하디스 취역

[위종민]

이란 혁명수비대 해군이 자국에서 건조한 쌍동선형 스텔스 고속함 알 무하디스함을 1월 6일 반다르 압바스에서 취역시켰습니다. 길이는 150m, 배수량은 4천 톤이라고 하고, 순항미사일 6발, 30mm 기관포, 20mm 기관포 4문, 코사르 대함 또는 대공미사일로 무장하고 있다고 합니다. 14일간 2천 해리를 순항 가능하며, 1년 안에 3척이 취역 가능하다고 합니다. 

그 외 소형고속정에도 대함미사일을 장착했다고 하네요. 

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2024/january/13932-iranian-navy-introduces-new-shahid-abu-mahdi-al-muhandis-class-of-missile-catamarans.html

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

Naval News January 2024 Navy Forces Maritime Defense IndustryPOSTED ON MONDAY, 08 JANUARY 2024 11:46

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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).
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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. (Picture source: Mehr News)

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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.

https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2024/01/06/3018222/irgc-navy-receives-new-warship-speedboats

IRGC Navy Receives New Warship, Speedboats

• January, 06, 2024 - 10:19 
• Politics news 

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – New military vessels joined the fleet of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy on Saturday, including a radar-evading warship, speedboats and corvettes equipped with a range of missiles.

In a ceremony at Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas, the IRGC Navy took delivery of an advanced warship, named after Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi commander of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) who was martyred alongside Iran’s Lt. General Qassem Soleimani in a US strike in Baghdad in January 2020.

In comments at the event, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said the warship has a naval endurance of 14 days and can cruise within a radius of 2,000 nautical miles by evading the enemy’s radar detection.

Powered by 4 propulsive engines, the Abu Mahdi warship can stay afloat under Force Six conditions and carry out naval missions under Force Five conditions thanks to its advanced homegrown hull design, the commander said.

The Force Six in the sea is defined as the weather conditions in which the wind speed is between 39-49 km per hour and the wave height reaches 4 meters.

The commander said three domestic knowledge-based companies are making vessels for the IRGC Navy, noting that it took 15 months to manufacture the Abu Mahdi warship.

The IRGC will be able to manufacture three warships of the same class in less than a year, Tangsiri stated.

The commander further pointed to the other vessels and arms that came into service on Saturday, saying the Tareq-class and Ashura-class boats have been armed with Kowsar missiles.

So far, the Tareq-class boats fired only rockets, but now they have been equipped with missiles with a range of 180 kilometers, he stated.

The commander noted that the Kowsar missiles mounted on the Ashura vessels have been paired with 3-D radars that can detect and shoot down hostile planes, helicopters and cruise missiles at high altitudes.

The IRGC Navy also took delivery of new reconnaissance vessels as well as speedboats and torpedo-dropping vessels on Saturday, he stated.

In November 2020, the IRGC Navy unveiled plans to dispatch a flotilla of military vessels, including its first oceangoing warship, to the northern parts of the Indian Ocean.

The IRGC’s oceangoing warship, which is 150 meters long and weighs 4,000 tons, is a multipurpose vessel for long-range operations. It is furnished with missiles, air defense systems, and radars.