Ghadir-class submarine

Iran had shown interest in midget submarines in the 1980s.{{citation|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995|chapter=Iran|editor-first1=Robert|editor-last1=Gardiner|editor-first2=Stephen|editor-last2=Chumbley|editor-first3=Przemysaw|editor-last3=Budzbon|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|year=1996|isbn=978-1557501325|pages=185}} According to the Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships, Iran assembled a midget in Bandar Abbas that was completed in 1987 in an unsuccessful attempt. Iran reportedly purchased a second midget of another design from North Korea, delivered in 1988. It is alleged that by 1993, nine midget submarines –able to displace 76 tons surfaced and 90 tons submerged, with a top speed between {{convert|8|kn}} and {{convert|12|kn}}– were imported from North Korea.

Existence of Ghadir class was first known in February 2004. An unclassified 2017 report by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence stated that Iran purchased at least one {{sclass2|Yono|submarine|4}} submarine from North Korea in that year.{{citation|title=Iranian Naval Forces: A Tale of Two Navies|url=https://www.oni.navy.mil/Portals/12/Intel%20agencies/iran/Iran%20022217SP.pdf|publisher=Office of Naval Intelligence|date=February 2017|isbn=978-0160939686|page=31}}

In May 2005, Iran announced that it has started mass production of its own indigenous midget submarines, and aired footage of one cruising at sea level on television. Later that month, the submarine was tested during the third phase of military exercise Ettehad 84.{{citation|title=Iranian TV reports "successful" naval exercises in Sea of Oman|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=13 May 2005}}, {{ProQuest|458687894}} In November 2007, commander of the IRIN Commodore Habibollah Sayyari said the second ship in the class has been completed after ten years of construction. Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei was quoted saying to Iran's navy commanders on the day the submarine was launched: "Today, you have been able to design and build many of the military requirements. We have become self-sufficient from other countries."{{citation|first=Ali Akbar|last=Dareini|title=Iranian state TV claims new submarine launched|work=The Associated Press|publisher=Oakland Tribune|date=29 November 2007}}, {{ProQuest|352207721}}

In May 2014, one of the ships in the class –Ghadir 953– cruised in the Indian Ocean to make a port call to Karachi, Pakistan along with a naval group consisting of {{Ship|IRIS|Falakhon|P226|2}}, {{Ship|IRIS|Khanjar|P230|2}}, {{Ship|IRIS|Hendijan|1401|2}} and {{Ship|IRIS|Deylam|424|2}}, participating in a joint drill with Pakistan Navy vessels.{{citation|title=Iranian Navy's submarine returns home from Indian Ocean mission|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=14 May 2014}}, {{ProQuest|1524224130}}{{citation|title=Iranian naval ships visit Pakistan|work=Pakistan Press International|date=1 May 2014}}, {{ProQuest|1520570604}}

Sources are inconsistent about the class which Ghadir submarines are derived from. When it was first unveiled, some experts pointed that it is similar in appearance to {{sclass|Yugo|submarine|0}} submarines, while those who maintained a contradicting view said that they are about 1.5 times larger than the latter and more similar to the {{sclass2|Sang-O|submarine|4}}.{{citation|first=Duk-Ki|last=Kim|title=The Republic of Korea's Counter-asymmetric Strategy: Lessons from ROKS Cheonan and Yeonpyeong Island|url=https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1462|page=76|journal=Naval War College Review|publisher=United States Navy's Naval War College|volume=65|number=1|issn=0028-1484|date=Winter 2013}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Other sources say they are based on the Yono class.{{citation|first=Farhad|last=Rezaei|title=Iran's Military Capability: The Structure and Strength of Forces|jstor=26842784|jstor-access=free|journal=Insight Turkey|volume=21|number=4|date=Fall 2019|page=209}}

Ghadir submarines displace {{convert|117|t|LT|lk=out}} when at the surface and {{convert|125|t|LT|lk=out}} while submerged. The class design is {{convert|29|m|ftin|abbr=on}} long, would have a beam of {{convert|9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and a draft of {{convert|8.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarines have a maximum surface speed of {{convert|10|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|8|kn}}. They have a secondary retractable propeller and are powered by diesel–electric machinery, and fitted with two {{convert|533|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes.

Submarines in the class are equipped with sonars of an unknown type. A Ghadir's crew totals seven officers and men.

File:Iranian SLCM.webm in 2019]]

Ghadir submarines are alleged to have launched different types of torpedoes, namely Valfajr and Hoot. Anti-ship cruise missiles Nasr-1 and Jask-2{{citation|first=Jeremy|last=Binnie|title=Iran claims longer range submarine missile|url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/iran-claims-longer-range-submarine-missile|date=16 September 2020|work=Janes.com}} are both reportedly launched successfully, the latter being developed specifically for launch from submarines. The ships in the class are also capable of laying naval mines in addition to retrieving frogmen for special operations.{{citation|title=Dossier, Part I: From the Navies|journal=Naval Forces|page=138|volume=27|number=4|year=2006|location=Aldershot, Germany|issn=0722-8880}} They are assumed to have "an extremely limited endurance",{{citation|first=Jeremy|last=Binnie|title=Iran to unveil new submarine in August|journal=Jane's Defence Weekly|volume=50|number=19|date=10 April 2013}} while described as "very maneuverable", as well as being able to "sit silently submerged while waiting for its prey". Considering that Ghadir submarines could possess only two torpedoes or missiles, Joseph Trevithick writes that Iranians may plan to use them "en masse to launch barrages of the missiles".{{citation|first=Joseph|last=Trevithick|title=Iran Claims It Tested A Submarine Launched Anti-Ship Missile Capable Of Standoff Strikes|url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26629/iran-claims-it-tested-a-submarine-launched-anti-ship-missile-capable-of-standoff-strikes|date=25 February 2019|work=The Drive}}

Vijay Sakhuja, director of the National Maritime Foundation, comments that the class is "[the] most difficult to detect particularly when resting on the seabed and this could be the possible tactics that the Iranian Navy could employ during hostilities. Further, given their numbers, these could overwhelm enemy's technological superiority".{{citation|last=Sakhuja|first=Vijay|title=The Indian Ocean in 2015|publisher=Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies|jstor=resrep09399|jstor-access=free|date=January 2015|number=167|series=PCS Special Report|page=8}}

File:غدیر - رژه پایانی رزمایش دریایی ولایت ۹۴ (1) (1).jpg

According to U.S. Navy Captain Tracy A. Vincent, Ghadir submarines can provide additional surveillance capability and create a new layer of defense for Iranian naval forces.{{citation|last=Vincent|first=Tracy A.|title=A New Era: The Iranian Navy, Operational Expansion, and Soft Power|journal=St Antony's International Review|volume=9|number=1|date=May 2013|pages=123–143 |jstor=26229106}} Commander Daniel Dolan maintains that the submarines are well-designed for the purpose of guerrilla warfare, ambush and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD), describing them as potentially more expendable in comparison to {{sclass2|Kilo|submarine|0}} attack submarines. He argues that American fleet is prone to a high threat environment created by sheer number of these "small but lethal threats".{{citation|first=Daniel|last=Dolan|title=The North Korean Connection|url=https://news.usni.org/2012/06/17/north-korean-connection|date=17 June 2012|work=USNI News}} Royal Navy Commander Ryan Ramsey, who captained nuclear submarine {{HMS|Turbulent|S87|6}} in the Persian Gulf has stated that the submarines are a threat to western forces operating in the region, adding that "[t]he Ghadir-class are tiny submarines but have enough torpedoes to sink a couple of ships".{{citation|first=Tom|last=Cotterill|title=Deadly Iranian submarines could launch torpedo attacks on ships in the Gulf, Royal Navy submarine commander warns|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/deadly-iranian-submarines-could-launch-torpedo-attacks-ships-gulf-royal-navy-submarine-commander-warns-1357815|work=The News|date=7 January 2020}}

Mark Episkopos opines that Ghadir submarines maintain "strong offensive capabilities" that contribute to the "dangerous" subsurface fleet of Iran.{{citation|first=Mark|last=Episkopos|url=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/behold-irans-mini-submarine-force-dangerous-partly-thanks-north-korea-59562|title=Behold: Iran's Mini-Submarine Force Is Dangerous|date=26 May 2019|work=The National Interest}}

IRIN commander Hossein Khanzadi has said the class "can do what the U-boats did during World War II". Anyway it was not clear the purpose of building these submarines. It may have been done as first step in being able to build domestically submarines and at same time send a signal to other countries in Gulf region with stronger navies. It also gives the possibility to train Iranian Navy in submarine operations. Fitting into Iranian naval guerrilla tactics will also allow Iran to operate bigger submarines in the future.{{citation|title=Iran says Ghadir submarine works 'like U-boats'|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=6 February 2019}}, {{ProQuest|2176156047}}

Iran does not disclose the number of its submarines.{{citation|title=Iran airs animation showing its submarine sinking a US aircraft carrier|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-airs-animation-showing-its-submarine-sinking-us-aircraft-carrier/#gs.fs9kqs|date=6 February 2019|work=The Times of Israel}} Sources differ in determining the number of Ghadir submarines built and operated, with estimates ranging between 10 and 21 units, as of 2019.{{citation|title=Iran Submarine Capabilities|url=https://www.nti.org/analysis/articles/iran-submarine-capabilities/|work=Nuclear Threat Initiative|date=17 October 2019}}

According to 2020 edition of the Military Balance published by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), Iran operates 14 submarines in this class.{{cite book|author=The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS)|title=The Military Balance 2020|year=2020|publisher=Routledge|chapter=Middle East and North Africa|volume=120|number=1|isbn=9780367466398|doi=10.1080/04597222.2020.1707968|pages=348–352|s2cid=219624897 }} Farzin Nadimi of The Washington Institute estimated that about 20 are in service as of 2020.{{citation|first=Farzin|last=Nadimi|title=Iran's Evolving Approach to Asymmetric Naval Warfare: Strategy and Capabilities in the Persian Gulf|url=https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/PolicyFocus164-Nadimi-v2.pdf|type=Policy Focus|number=164|date=April 2020|access-date=15 July 2020|at=p. 23; Appendix A: Iran's Main Naval Weapons Systems, p. 53; Appendix B: IRIN's Major Operational Naval Vessels, p. 57|work=The Washington Institute for Near East Policy|archive-date=4 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200504225030/https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/pubs/PolicyFocus164-Nadimi-v2.pdf|url-status=dead}}

On the report of Jane's Fighting Ships, one was lost in April 2014 during an exercise,{{citation|editor1-last= Saunders|editor1-first=Stephen|editor2-last=Philpott|editor2-first=Tom|chapter=Iran|title=IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015–2016|publisher =IHS Jane's|location=Coulsdon|date=2015|edition=116th Revised|series=Jane's Fighting Ships|page=384|isbn=9780710631435|oclc=919022075}} while American military intelligence says she was reportedly sunk on patrol, possibly due to collision with rocks.

Anthony Cordesman wrote in 2016 that Iran has up to 17 Ghadir submarines.{{citation|first=Anthony|last=Cordesman|editor-first1=Joachim|editor-last1=Krause|editor-first2=Sebastian|editor-last2=Bruns|title=Routledge Handbook of Naval Strategy and Security|chapter=The Gulf: How Dangerous is Iran to International Maritime Security?|isbn=9781138840935|date=2016|publisher=Routledge|page=107}}

:This list may be incomplete.

File:Velayat 94 Military exercise 27 by Mbazri.jpg

• May 2005: 1. (at least, more possible){{citation|title=Iran building submarine|work=The Associated Press|publisher=Daily Press|page=B8|date=11 May 2005}}, {{ProQuest|349435067}}{{citation|title=UPI Intelligence Watch|work=United Press International|date=12 May 2005}}, {{ProQuest|467559145}}
• 28 November 2007: 1.{{citation|title=Iran launches second domestically-built submarine|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=28 November 2007}}, {{ProQuest|459085863}}
• 27 November 2008: 1.
• 1 June 2009: 3.{{citation|contribution=Office of Naval Intelligence|url=https://fas.org/irp/agency/oni/iran-navy.pdf|title=Iran's Naval Forces, From Guerilla Warfare to a Modern Naval Strategy|date=2009|page=18|via=Federation Of American Scientists}}
• 28 November 2009: 2.{{citation|title=Iran admiral on naval, submarine craft, capabilities|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=15 December 2009}}, {{ProQuest|458627870}}
• 8 August 2010: 4.{{citation|title=Iranian press highlights 9 Aug 10|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=9 August 2010}}, {{ProQuest|740339520}}
• 26 November 2011: 3.{{citation|title=Iranian navy to increase its international presence - commander|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=28 November 2011}}, {{ProQuest|906187856}}
• 10 February 2012: 2.{{citation|title=Headlines from Iranian news channel IRINN at 0500 gmt on 10 Feb 12|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=10 February 2012}}, {{ProQuest|920713972}}
• 28 November 2012: 2.{{citation|title=Sanctions led to increased 'indigenous' naval capability - Iran daily|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=4 December 2012}}, {{ProQuest|1221283574}}
• 28 November 2018: 1. (pennant number 955){{citation|first=Nasser|last=Karimi|title=Iran says it has added 2 mini submarines to its naval fleet|url=https://apnews.com/e6b777b286404bf2965bbdda334af51f|date=29 November 2018|work=The Associated Press}}
• 5 September 2022: 1.{{cite web | url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2022/09/05/2769681/new-military-watercraft-join-iran-s-navy | title=New Military Watercraft Join Iran's Navy - Politics news }}

• 28 November 2018: 1. (pennant number 942)
• 8 April 2020: 1.{{citation|title=Iran submarine rejoins fleet after 'overhaul'|work=BBC Monitoring Middle East|date=8 April 2020}}, {{ProQuest|2387223917}}

{{Portal|Iran}}

• List of submarine classes in service
• List of naval ship classes of Iran
• List of military equipment manufactured in Iran

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Ghadir-class submarines}}

• [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/ghadir.htm Yono Class / Ghadir Class Midget Submarine at GlobalSecurity.org]
• [http://cmano-db.com/submarine/449/ Ghadir (IS-120) at cmano-db.com]

{{Submarines of Iran}}

{{Ship classes of the Iranian Navy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghadir Class Submarine}}

Category:Submarine classes of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

Category:Midget submarines

Category:Ships built by Marine Industries Organization