IRIS Tabarzin (P232)

IRIS Tabarzin (Persian: تبرزین‎, lit. 'Battleaxe') is a Kaman-class fast attack craft serving in the Southern Fleet of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.

IRIS Tabrzin (P323) in 2019
History
Iran
Name: Tabarzin
Namesake: Tabarzin
Operator: Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
Ordered: 14 October 1974
Builder: Constructions de Mécaniques, Cherbourg
Laid down: 24 June 1977
Launched: 15 September 1978
Commissioned: 1 August 1981
Refit: 2011–2013
Status: In service
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Kaman-class fast attack craft
Displacement:
  • 249 tons standart
  • 275 tons full load
Length: 47 m (154 ft 2 in)
Beam: 7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)
Draft: 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Installed power: 4 × MTU 16V538 TB91 diesels, 14,400 brake horsepower (10.7 MW)
Propulsion: 4 × shafts
Speed: 36 knots (67 km/h)
Range: 2,000 miles (3,200 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h); 700 miles (1,100 km) at 33.7 knots (62.4 km/h)
Complement: 30
Armament:
  • 4 × Harpoon (single cell)
  • 1 × 76mm/65 (single compact)
  • 1 × 40mm/70 Bofors
Notes: As reported by Jane's (1979)[1]
General characteristics (reported after refit)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Surface search/fire control: Signaal WM28; I/J-band
  • Navigarion: Recal Decca 1226; I-band
  • IFF: UPZ-27N/APX-72.
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • ESM: Thomson-CSF TMV 433 Dalia; radar intercept
  • ECM: Thomson-CSF Alligator; jammer
Armament:
  • Preemptively: 2 or 4 AShM launchers with Noor or Qader (1 or 2 twin)
  • Preemptively: 40mm gun replaced by a 20mm or a 23mm gun
  • 1 × OTO Melara 3 in (76mm)/62 compact
  • 2 × 12.7mm machine guns
Notes: As reported by Jane's (2015)[2]

History

Hijack

Tabarzin was hijacked on her maiden voyage from Cherbourg to Iran, when on 13 August 1981, approximately 15 commandos under guise of tourists aboard the rented tugboat Salazon raided the ship on territorial waters of Spain.[3][4] The group Azadegan Organization claimed responsibility for the takeover, stating that they have seized the ship "without a shot" and will use it as a "fighting unit" against the Iranian government.[3] Following the event, Iranian foreign ministry started diplomatic efforts to return the ship and released a statement, accusing the United States government of being responsible for the attack:

It is clear that the CIA has had a hand in the operation. The head of the pirates is a traitor by the name of Habibollahi in whose escape from Iran the Secretary of State in Carter's administration, Cyrus Vance, was personally involved...[5]

On 18 August 1981, she harbored at port of Casablanca, Morocco for a refuel and garnering food and water, after they "forced harbor authorities", according to The Christian Science Monitor report.[6] The next day, the hijackers handed over Tabarzin to the French in Toulon, in exchange for permission to stay in France for a group's leader and 25 of his followers.[7]

Refit

On 1 December 2013, Tabarzin was put into service again after an overhaul that took 30 months.[8] Iranian media reported that in February 2019, she took part in the naval wargame Velayat 97, firing two Qader and Qadir cruise missiles at the targets.[9]

References
  1. Moore, John, ed. (1979). Jane's Fighting Ships 1979–80. London: Jane's Yearbooks. p. 256. ISBN 0-354-00587-1.
  2. Saunders, Stephen; Philpott, Tom, eds. (2015), "Iran", IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015–2016, Jane's Fighting Ships (116th Revised ed.), Coulsdon: IHS Jane's, p. 388, ISBN 9780710631435, OCLC 919022075
  3. Cody, Edward (15 August 1981), "Exiles Seize Iranian Gunboat at Sea", The Washington Post
  4. "Anti-Khomeini Iranian gunmen hijacked an Iranian navy tropedo boat", United Press International, 14 August 1981
  5. Edlund, Björn (15 August 1981), "Iran today accused the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency of helping to hijack an Iranian torpedo boat", United Press International
  6. Germani, Clara, ed. (18 August 1981), "Hijackers of Iranian boat call for fuel in Casablanca", The Christian Science Monitor
  7. "Iran Plan New Military Acts", The New York Times, 22 August 1981
  8. "Iran deploys warships after overhaul", The Associated Press, 1 December 2013
  9. "Iran fires anti-ship cruise missile from submarine", Tehran Times, 24 February 2019, retrieved 5 August 2020
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