TEHRAN – Iran’s Navy commander highlighted his force’s capability to manufacture most of key weapons and equipment, noting that the Navy is on right path of accessing self-sufficiency. 

Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, who was addressing a large and fervent congregation of worshipers participated in the Friday prayers in Tehran, said, “The Navy, at the first step of the revolution’s 40-year-old path, managed honorably to assure security as well as materialize the Islamic Revolution’ ideals.”

Commemorating November 28 which is the Navy Day in Iran, the commander said, “We have (successfully) entered in maritime operational fields after building cannon-equipped destroyers, missile-equipped destroyers and Moj class destroyers including Jamaran, Damavan and Sahand (inside the country).”

“Dena destroyer will be unveiled in late January,” Khanzadi vowed.

“The Navy has been confronting maritime terrorism and piracy in north of the Indian Ocean, the Aden Gulf, the Red Sea as well as international waters to provide security for the country’s economic activities including trade fleets,” the commander went on to say. 

“Domestically-made equipment including the missiles that can be fired from deck of submarines towards enemy’ targets have been built in the country,” Khanzadi said, adding, “The Navy’s equipment forced the enemy to stay away from the country’s borders and now the enemies’ fleets have deployed 700 km away from our borders.”

He further laid emphasis on the safety of the country’s waters, adding, “Presence of the U.S., Britain, the occupying Zionist regime of Israel as well as their allies can’t damage the current security and safety.”

Rear Admiral Khanzadi, in an interview on Tuesday, said “New Pirozan hovercrafts that are equipped with new missile and torpedo systems are being manufactured by navy experts.”

The Navy chief said, “If one stands at the hovercraft’s deck, he cannot see the missiles which will appear only when they are ready to fire.”

Khanzadi said, “Our hovercrafts are also equipped with cutting-edge systems which enable the craft to fire torpedoes.” 

The Navy commander further said, “It is not necessary to send an aircraft carrier to face the enemies’ aircraft carries, instead a force can use an effective submarine, including domestically-made Qadir class submarine whose destructive torpedoes can force the aircraft carrier to retreat.” 

The rear admiral added, “The Navy is also building heavy destroyers weighting 5,000 up to 7,000 tons which can ship across oceans too.”       

       
MJ/