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Iran
The Iranian Navy is going to unveil Sahand destroyer and Fateh submarine next week, Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi told a news conference on November 21, according to Iran’s Fars News agency.
The rear admiral said that the medium-class submarine “would serve as a surprise for the Islamic Republic’s enemies with its special capabilities.” As to the destroyer, it is capable of carrying large helicopters as well as armed with missile defense systems.
He also hailed the increasing coordination between the Navy and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.
“There is no such thing as insecurity in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, and the IRGC Navy’s has successfully helped secure the Persian Gulf, preventing the occurrence of any incidents in the waters,” he stated adding that the Navy and the IRGC Navy are ready to employ their forces to defend the regional security from foreign powers.
On November 18, Rear Admiral Mahmoud Moussavi told the Islamic Republic News Agency that the Iranian Navy will continue its presence in the high seas to protect Iran’s national interests.
“So long as the presence of the Iranian Army’s fleets is necessary to secure Iran’s interests, the dispatch of the fleets to the high seas will continue,” Moussavi said noting that the Navy is ready to deploy its warships in the Atlantic Ocean if it’s required. The previous such deployment took place in November 2016.
On November 18-20, the Iranian Navy and the IRGC Navy continued its common regional operations. The IRGC Navy carries out regular patrols to esnure security of the Persian Gulf. According to local sources, warships of the Iranian Navy are currently involved in counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.
Russia
On November 20, the Project 11356 frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet held air defense drills in the Mediterranean, close to the coast of Syria. Warships of the Russian Naval Task Force for Syria carries out wide range of drills, including live fire drills, on a constnat basis. The most notable drills often take place ahead a possible escalation in the region as a show of roce for geopolitical competitors of the Russian-Iranian-Syrian alliance.
On the same day, the Project 1164 Atlant guards missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov and a group of logistics vessel of the Northern Fleet entered the Norwegian Sea. The sea force is heading towards Severomorsk.
According to a report of the Russian Defense Ministry, on November 19, the Project 1155 Fregat anti-submarine destroyer Severomorsk of the Northern Fleet was escoring the bulk cargo ship Visha Niohi heading under an Indian flag from the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea.
On November 18, the Project 1164 Atlant guards missile cruiser Varyag, the Project 1155 Fregat anti-submarine destroyer Admiral Panteleyev and the Project 1559V Morskoy proctor replenishment oiler Boris Butoma of the Pacific Fleet made a call at the port of Muara, Brunei.
The Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser (TAVKR), the flagship of the Russian Navy, is currently undergoing reparis and modernization in Severomorsk. According to data released by Russian authorities and media, this process is likely delayed because of the incident with the DP-50 floating dry dock and other issues. The fresh data says that the modernization and repairs will be finished by late 2022.
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