Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

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Military Branches

Army
Air Force
Navy
IRGC
Iranian Navy

Image:Navy Logo.gif Iranian Navy
Components
Iranian Navy
Structure of the Iranian Navy
Equipment
Historical Vessels
Current Vessels
Other Weapon Systems
History
History of the Iranian Navy
Personnel
List of senior officers
Iran's Navy Ranks Insignia

Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

Branches & Manpower
Navy	20,600
Marines	3,000
Commander of the Navy

The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy escorts Iranian shipping in the Persian Gulf and stands ready to disrupt enemy shipping, as it did during the Iran-Iraq war.

[edit] History

The Iranian Navy has always been the smallest branch of Iran's armed forces. Before 1971, the Iranian Navy operated mostly on equipment provided by the United States and the United Kingdom. Over the following eight years, the fleet added more modern American and British-made destroyers, frigates and many smaller vessels, including powerboats and hovercraft.

In the 1970s, Iran planned to extend its naval reach into the Indian Ocean, but this goal was curtailed by the 1979 Revolution, 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, and limited funding ever since. This has left the navy with a limited ability to project power into the Arabian Sea through submarines and larger surface ships. The Shah of Iran ordered four modern destroyers from the United States, however, when the Shah fell, the ships were instead commissioned in the U.S. Navy as the Kidd Class.

After the Revolution, the United States levied economic sanctions on Iran, hurting its ability to equip and maintain the military. The Navy was hit even harder than its Army or Air Force, as several of Iran's ships were laid up. Battles fought with Iraq during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War sank or damaged many ships and smaller craft.

In 1977, the bulk of the fleet was shifted from Khorramshahr to the new headquarters at Bandar-e Abbas. Bushehr was the other main base; smaller facilities were located at Khorramshahr, Khark Island, and Bandar-e Khomeini (formerly known as Bandar-e Shahpur). Bandar-e Anzali (formerly known as Bandar-e Pahlavi) was the major training base and home of the small Caspian Sea fleet, which consisted of a few patrol boats and a minesweeper. The naval base at Bandar Beheshti (formerly known as Chah Bahar) on the Gulf of Oman had been under construction since the late 1970s and in late 1987 still was not completed. Smaller facilities were located near the Strait of Hormuz.

Imam Khomeini
Shahid Rajaie
Anzali
Noshahr
Bushehr
Chabahar
Khark

More damage was done after U.S. forces began escorting Kuwaiti oil tankers during 1988-89's Operation Earnest Will. In September 1988, the minelayer Iran Ajr was captured and scuttled during Operation Prime Chance. On 14 April 1988, Iranian mines nearly sank the USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58); four days later, U.S. forces retaliated by sinking the Iranian warships Joshan and Sahand and several small armed powerboats in Operation Praying Mantis.

Iran added patrol boats, submarines and surface-launched anti-ship missiles in the 1990s. Iran replaced Western ships with purchases from Russia, China, and North Korea. It engaged in naval exercises with Pakistan and India.

The Iranian Navy attacked and seized control of a Romanian oil rig in the Persian Gulf on August 22, 2006. Iran took control of the radio room at 7 AM local time. "The Iranians fired at the rig's crane with machine guns," Tăbănescu said. "They are in control now and we can't contact the rig." There were 26 workers onboard. [1]