Iran boosts strategic reach with recommissioned destroyer and floating base

The destroyer Sahand, which capsized during repairs last year, has been recommissioned into the Iranian Navy along with the floating base Kurdistan.

According to Tasnim, this move is aimed at “strengthening the combat capabilities of the Navy, expanding its strategic range, and improving access to international waters.”

The Sahand stealth destroyer, built in Iran, was first launched in December 2018. It is equipped with a helicopter deck, torpedo tubes, anti-air and anti-ship guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, and electronic warfare systems, according to the report. Last year, it sank in the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf following a brief repositioning.

The floating base Kurdistan is capable of providing rescue and humanitarian assistance, accommodating heavy helicopters, and supporting three destroyers on a three-year global mission without the need to dock for refuelling.

Earlier reports noted that Kurdistan was converted from a 33-year-old oil tanker, which had been operating under the Iranian flag since 2019. It features a helicopter pad, likely intended for use by both helicopters and drones. The vessel is expected to perform functions similar to Makran, another former oil tanker converted at a shipyard west of Bandar Abbas.

By Tamilla Hasanova