Iran, in first, sends warships to the Gulf of Aden
Monday, May 25, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
NICOSIA Ñ Iranian Navy commander Adm. Habibollah Sayyari said six warships had sent to the Gulf of Aden and "international waters".
Sayyari said this marked the first time the navy had projected power so far from Iran.
"Iran has dispatched six warships to international waters and the Gulf of Aden region in an historically unprecedented move by the Iranian Navy," Sayyari said on May 25. "This is indicative of the country's high military capability in confronting any foreign threat on the country's shores."
Iran, amid the unprecedented long-range sea mission, also announced the launch of an indigenous naval artillery.
The Iranian Defense Ministry said it has begun production of a 40 mm naval artillery platform. The anti-aircraft artillery, called Fatah, was inaugurated by Defense Minister Mustafa Najar on May 24.
"The anti-aircraft low-altitude weapon is entirely indigenous and will be employed on warships," Najar said.
Najar said Fatah has a range of 12 kilometers. He said the artillery can fire 300 shells per minute.
The assembly line was launched on the anniversary of a major Iranian victory in the war with Iraq, held from 1980 to 1988. The anniversary was of the Iranian Army recapture of the port city of Khoramshahr from Iraq in 1982.
The Defense Ministry has overseen the development and production of a range of Iranian naval weapons. The ministry has announced the deployment of indigenous torpedoes, miniature submarines, fast attack craft and missiles.