Speaking to reporters on Thursday, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said the Rudaki oceangoing warship that joined the naval fleet today will be in a flotilla that would depart for the Indian Ocean.
The naval flotilla, named after Lt. General Qassem Soleimani, will be deployed to the northern parts of the Indian Ocean for a mission that includes monitoring marine, subsurface and aerial data, he added.
The flotilla will also practice asymmetrical warfare tactics in the upcoming mission, the commander noted, saying the new oceangoing warship would help the IRGC pursue its strategies for asymmetrical battle and intelligence superiority in faraway waters.
“The naval flotilla has focused on the security of navigation in north of the Indian Ocean and action against branded and non-branded pirates, and will carry out operations if necessary,” the commander added.
Tangsiri noted that the IRGC’s flotilla is also tasked with countering organized crimes such as drug trafficking, rescuing trade and fishing vessels, and combatting possible threats from extra-regional forces.
The IRGC’s new warship, 150 meters in length and weighing 4,000 tons, is a multipurpose vessel for long-range operations. It is furnished with missiles, air defense systems, and radars.
Rudaki warship has been equipped with a 3-dimensional phased array radar, sea-to-sea and sea-to-air missiles, advanced communication systems for electronic warfare, and the ‘Khordad 3rd’ missile system.
The military vessel is capable of carrying helicopters, drones and attack boats.
