Iran (IMNA) - The IRIS Shahid Bagheri, named in honor of Bahman Bagheri, an IRGC commander killed in the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, was commissioned at a ceremony held in Bandar Abbas on Thursday.
The Shahid Bagheri features a runway measuring 180 meters and functions as a mobile maritime platform for both drone and helicopter operations. It can accommodate multiple squadrons of unmanned aerial vehicles, deploy various types of patrol and combat drones, launch and recover fast combat boats, and transport a variety of combat and support helicopters.
According to Commander of the IRGC Navy Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the conversion of a commercial ship into the drone carrier took two years. The carrier's operational range of 22,000 nautical miles allows it to carry out year-long missions in remote waters without needing to refuel.
Tangsiri also stated that the carrier is equipped with short- and medium-range air defense systems, intelligence equipment, and a flight control tower, enabling it to engage with various types of small aircraft and air defense missiles. In addition to its electronic signal detection capabilities, the carrier can transport and utilize guided subsurface vessels, long-range surface-to-surface cannons, and cruise missiles. The Shahid Bagheri also has specialized hospital and sports facilities.
"The joining of this vessel to the IRGC Navy fleet is an important step in increasing the defense and deterrence capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in distant waters and maintaining the security of the country's national interests," Tangsiri said.
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