The naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) received 112 missile-launching speedboats to boost the offensive power in the country’s southern territorial waters on 28th May. During a ceremony attended by Iran’s senior military officials including Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami and the IRGC Commander Hossein Salami, the new-generation of homemade speedboats were delivered to the naval forces of the IRGC.
At the ceremony, IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami emphasized Iran’s significant progress in the defense sector, warning that the Islamic Republic will give a crushing response to enemies if threatened.
“The Islamic Republic has the determination. We will not bow to enemies. We will not retreat. Progress is the nature of our work. Defense is our logic in war but not in the sense of passivity against the enemy. Our operations and tactics are offensive and we have shown it in the battlefield,” Salami said.
The IRGC Commander said that a key portion of Iran’s maritime power is still “unknown” to others.
“The most important and dangerous part of this power is unknown. Our enemies will see this power the day when they pursue an evil intention against this land. On that day, they will get to see the real firepower of our forces at the sea and in the sky, and the battlefield will turn into a hell for the enemies of Iran and Islam,” Salami added.
Iranian Defense Minister Hatami also highlighted the geopolitical significance of the Persian Gulf region, describing it as one of the world’s most strategic regions, which links three continents together.
The vessels have been produced and optimized in various classes, including Ashura, Tariq, and Zulfiqar, which have been produced and optimized by local experts in the knowledge-based companies of the Ministry of Defense’s Marine Industries Organization and the IRGC’s specialized naval technical centers.
Iran’s state-run agency IRNA describes these vessels as they have a very good hydro-dynamic capability, high speed, suitable maneuverability, and very low radar cross-section while high offensive power has a great impact on improving the combat capability of the IRGC navy in the Persian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz.
Missile boats are small, fast vessels armed with anti-ship missiles. The vessels’ maximum speed is announced as 92 knots. The doctrine behind the use of missile boats is based on the principle of mobility over defense and firepower.
