Iran Navy Gets 'Smart' Submarine and Yet More Ski Boats

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday unveiled a new unmanned, “smart” submarine they claim can be helmed remotely.

The introduction of these vessels, if functional, would be the first time Iran has possessed for an offensive capacity.

Alongside the submarines that were unveiled during a ceremony in Bandar Abbas – a southern Iranian port city – the IRGC also announced the addition of new missiles and modified ski boats  that have a claimed maximum speed of up to 95 knots (roughly 109 miles).

Iranian media outlined its updated missile arsenal includes those that are manoeuvrable with an extended range, AP reports, fulfilling a boast of invincibility previously made by an angry General Salami.

Iran General Hossein Salami said he seeks revenge against the U.S. that “will be hard, firm, regrettable, decisive and complete.” https://t.co/9xWXPX0JEW

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) January 7, 2020

The Iranian government has a fondness for modified ski boats, having an estimated 2000 in their naval forces, some with the capacity to fire missiles which Salami has previously described as “hell for the enemies of Iran and Islam”.

These vessels are used by Iranian forces – who believe in a missile boat doctrine of “mobility over defense and firepower” – to harass larger boats sailing through crowded Middle East waterways, in a bizarre effort to assert dominance in the region.

Iran has also previously threatened that they would use these speedboats to swarm and attack any U.S. vessels that attempt to interfere with their naval practices, regardless of their legality.

تصاویری از الحاق ۱۱۰ شناور تندرو بومی به ناوگان نیروی دریایی سپاه در بندرعباس pic.twitter.com/Y5f3h7bOmt

— باشگاه خبرنگاران جوان | YJC (@yjc___agency) December 11, 2021

While it is questionable how effective these boats would be against large military vessels, the speedboats were successful when used to overpower a British oil tanker sailing through the Strait of Hormuz in 2019.

Ten Iranian speedboats swarmed the Mesdar, before armed soldiers entered and seized the vessel, which provoked an international crisis until Iranian forces released it.

These tactics have been used against multiple commercial vessels, as recently as November 2021, but it is unclear what the motive for these intimidatory tactics are.

Iran has also been accused of taking more aggressive actions against oil tankers in the region, with Israel suggesting the Islamic dictatorship had carried out a drone attack on a vessel linked to the Jewish state that killed a British Army veteran and a Romanian crew member in September 2021.

“Although the Islamic Republic of Iran considers the threats of Western officials and those of the Zionist regime [Israel] as propaganda, any move against the interests and national security of Iran will face a tough and firm response, and Washington and London will be directly responsible for its consequences”, an Iranian government spokesman said in response to the attack.

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