Alvand-class frigate
{{Short description|Class of frigates of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=January 2013}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | image = Naval review of Zolfaghar 1400 (22).jpg | caption = IRIS Alvand }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name=Alvand / Saam class |Builders=*Vosper Thornycroft, Vickers |Operators=*{{navy|Pahlavi Iran}}
|Class before= |Class after={{sclass|Moudge|frigate|4}} |Subclasses= |Cost= |Built range=1968–1972 |In service range=1971–present |In commission range= |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=4 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active=3 |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost=1 |Total ships retired= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type=Frigate |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement=1,100 tons (1,540 tons full load) |Ship length={{convert|94.5|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|11.07|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|3.25|m|abbr=on}} |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=2 Paxman Ventura cruising diesels {{convert|3,800|bhp|abbr=on}}, and 2 Rolls-Royce Olympus TM2 boost gas turbines {{convert|46,000|shp|abbr=on}} on 2 shafts |Ship speed={{convert|17|kn|km/h|0}} on diesels; {{convert|39|kn|km/h|0}} on gas turbines |Ship range={{convert|5000|nmi|km |
| 3|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|km/h|0}}
|Ship complement=125-146 |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=*4 × C-802 anti-ship missiles
|Ship armour= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
The Alvand class ({{langx|fa|کلاس الوند}}) or Saam class ({{langx|fa|کلاس سام}}) was originally a class of four frigates built for the Imperial Iranian Navy. They were renamed after the Iranian Revolution, and served in the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy during Iran-Iraq War. Three still remain in service. A fourth was sunk by the U.S. Navy in 1988.
Development and construction
The ships were built in the United Kingdom by Vosper Ltd and based on their Mark 5 design with the following arms & equipment:Moore, John Jane's Fighting Ships, 1974–75, pub Jane's Publishing Co Ltd, 1975, {{ISBN|0-354-00506-5}}-page 175.
- ASuW – 1 × quintuple Sea Killer Mk2 surface-to-surface missile
- AAW – 1 × triple Sea Cat surface-to-air missile launcher
- ASW – 1 × 3 barrelled Anti Submarine Mortar Mark 10 Limbo launcher
- Guns – 1 × Mark 8 Mod 0 4.5 inch general purpose & 1 × twin 35mm Oerlikon AA
- Electronics – Plessey AWS 1 air surveillance radar with on-mounted IFF; 2 × Contraves Seahunter systems (For use with Sea cat, Sea Killer & the 35mm mount); Decca RDL 1 passive direction finding equipment
They were refitted in the UK shortly before the 1979 Iranian Revolution.{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/alvand.htm|title=Global Security.|author=John Pike|publisher=|accessdate=11 November 2014}}
History
The ships were originally named after characters from Ferdowsi's Shahnameh. After the Islamic Revolution they were renamed after mountains in Iran.[http://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=IRIS-Alvand-F71 Military Factory.]
They saw action during the "Tanker War" phase of the Iran–Iraq War and proved effective against Iraqi forces. After one was sunk, and other significant losses taken, during Operation Praying Mantis they saw little further use as the Iranian Navy proved no match for the U.S. Navy.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16485842|title=BBC 10 January 2012.|work=BBC News|date=10 January 2012 |accessdate=11 November 2014}}
Upgrades
The Sea Killer missiles were replaced by Chinese made C-802s in the 1990s. The Sea Cats were replaced by the addition of a {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} AA gun.
Two triple {{convert|12.75|in|mm|adj=on|0}} torpedo tubes, two {{convert|81|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} mortars and two 0.50 caliber machine guns were also fitted.
Successors
The {{sclass|Moudge|frigate|2}} is a modified Iranian-built version of the Alvand class, with five either in service or under construction.{{cite web|url=http://newwars.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/irans-new-ahem-destroyer/|title=New Wars.|date=20 February 2010 |accessdate=11 November 2014}}
Ships in the class
| class="wikitable" |
| Ship
! Pennant number ! Builder ! Laid down ! Launched ! Commissioned ! Status |
|---|
| {{ship|IRIS|Alvand|71|2}} (ex-Saam)
| 71 (ex DE 12) | 3 March 1968 | 25 July 1968 | May 1971 | In service |
| {{ship|IRIS|Alborz|72|2}} (ex-Zaal)
| 72 (ex DE 14) | Vickers | 3 March 1968 | 4 March 1969 | 1 March 1971 | In service |
| {{ship|IRIS|Sabalan|73|2}} (ex-Rostam)
| 73 (ex DE 16) | Vickers | | 4 March 1969 | 26 May 1972 | In service |
| {{ship|IRIS|Sahand|1969|2}} (ex-Faramarz)
| 74 (ex DE 18) | Vosper Thornycroft | | 30 July 1969 | February 1972 | sunk on 18 April 1988. |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224923/http://www.iinavy.org/faramarz.htm
- http://www.mafhoum.com/press8/237P2.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/20041222105239/http://www.ii.uj.edu.pl/~artur/enc/F2.htm
External links
{{commons category|Alvand class frigate}}
- [http://www.navybook.com/no-higher-honor/timeline/operation-praying-mantis/ Photos of Alvand-class frigates in Operation Praying Mantis]
{{Ship classes of the Iranian Navy}}
{{Alvand class frigate}}