Iran Press/Iran News: Since the beginning of the formation of the IRGC Navy, high-speed vessels have been the main priority of this force in the field of surface combat, and during the past years, newer models of high-speed missile-launching vessels have entered the IRGC combat structure.
In fact, one of the most important components of the combat superiority of the IRGC Navy is to have a significant number of famous speedboats of this force, such as Zulfiqar, Yamahdi, Azarakhsh, Seraj 1 and 2.
Overview
The development of high-speed double-hull vessels called Catamaran is said to be Iran's latest achievements in the field of combat high-speed vessels. Rezvan missile launching vessel is one of the recent achievements of the Ministry of Defense Marine Industries in the field of design and construction of catamaran high-speed vessels, which are known as Zulfiqar category in the IRGC Navy.
With the use of this vessel, the tactical power of the IRGC's high-speed boat units will increase. Rezvan vessels had previously been on display in the parades of the Armed Forces on September 22, 2013, and 2015 and the exhibition of Authority- 40 in February 2017.
Due to the higher tonnage and greater width of the hull, this vessel is equipped with a 23 mm single-barrel cannon in front of the hull. There is also considerable space in the heel of this vessel that can carry weapons or other equipment.
During the mass delivery ceremony in June 2020, which was held in the presence of the Chief Commander of the IRGC, four high-speed submarines of the Rezvan category were delivered to the IRGC Navy. This vessel is equipped with indigenous and advanced radar, navigation, and telecommunication equipment.
Hull design
Rezvan speedboat is from the category of "catamaran speedboats" which consists of two separate hulls that are connected by a middle hull.
Unlike single-hull vessels, which use Ballast balance tanks to balance themselves, catamaran vessels use a transverse distance between two hulls to stabilize the hull in the water, and the greater the width, the greater the stability.
Another important advantage of this type of design is the ability to move in very shallow water, about two meters or less.
Also, transverse stability in calm waters, good hydrodynamic resistance, permanent stability and dynamic balance at high speeds, the ability to carry more load in weight and size and the distribution of impact on the vessel, which reduces the pressure on the hull and increases its life compared to ordinary boats are among the other advantages of using such a design.
Previously, there were various types of two-hulled vessels in the service of the IRGC Navy, such as Ashura boats (with patrol and carrying missions) and Bahman category (carrying 122 mm 162 rocket launchers), as well as the great logistics vessel of the category of Shahid Nazeri.
This high-speed capability of the Rezvan vessel enables the IRGC naval units to move at high speed in areas very close to the coast and shoot from almost anywhere.
Weapons
The important point about the Rezvan speedboat is that the boat is equipped with cruise missiles, and this has increased its tactical importance. Rezvan speedboat is guided by two anti-ship missiles "Zafar" or "Nasr" on both the right and left sides of the cabin and is equipped individually.
Zafar missile benefits from solid fuel propellants weighing 120 kg, range up to 25 km, speed 0.8 Mach, and is the latest generation of light and short-range anti-ship missiles in Iran. The warhead of this missile is 30 kg and it has a radar targeting system that has the ability to " Fire-and-forget" and is among the short-range cruise missiles of Iran.
Zafar missile is able to target and destroy small and medium targets with very high accuracy. The ability to be installed on a variety of light and high-speed vessels, low weight with high electronic warfare capability, and extraordinary destructive power have been announced as features of this missile.
The Nasr anti-ship cruise missile also weighs 350 kg, is 3.5 meters long, and 0.28 meters in diameter. This missile with a 150 kg warhead with a range of 35 km and a speed of about Mach 1 can inflict a fatal blow on the target vessels.
Equipped with these missiles, Rezvan has a high ability to fire heavy targets at long distances. It is possible to use new Nasir missiles with a range of 100 km instead of Nasr missiles with a range of 35 km on these vessels.
Of course, in addition to cruise missile launchers, the Rezvan vessel is also equipped with a 23 mm single-barrel cannon, which is installed in the bow of the boat.
This cannon, which is commonly used as an anti-aircraft cannon, can hit various targets with high fire volume capability. Of course, if in the future it is possible to install 23 mm 4-barrel or 6-barrel cannons on these boats, the volume of fire of this vessel on the target will be much higher. In addition, Rezvan high-speed vessel equipped with a machine gun Doshka is also heavy and its user can use this weapon to increase the volume of fire in close engagements.
General specifications:
Length: 16 meters
Width: 4.9 meters
weight: 25 tons
Water intake: 0.85 m
Speed 45 knots average 83 km / h
Propulsion: 2 engines with a power of 1300 hp each
By Seyed Reza Mir Taher
