Having such a capable modern warfare design will enable new tactics for the IRGC-N. Until now the IRGC has emphasized low-tech solutions and asymmetrical warfare.
The boat is a twin-hulled catamaran that carries both anti-ship and anti-air missiles. The bridge deck itself is angled and appears to be built for speed. Catamarans are typically faster than average vessels owing to their use of two small hulls instead of one large one, lessening hydrodynamic resistance and increasing speed.
This new class of warships, as first reported in 2021 Naval News based on satellite imagery. The catamaran design appears relatively large, modern and capable compared to existing IRGC commercial-based designs.
According to satellite imagery, at least three of the new type are under construction simultaneously. One is being built at the Shahid Mahallati Shipyard in Bushehr. Another is in a small boatyard near Bandar Abbas. A third is under construction at a new shipyard near Shib Deraz – on the island of Qushm that may also be involved in submarine construction, according to analysts.
