Saam class frigate
Alvand class frigate
The Alvand class (also called the Saam class frigate or the 'Vosper Mk 5 type) comprise four Iranian light patrol frigates. Only three are currently in service.
All four ships were originally named after characters from Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, but after the Islamic Revolution they were renamed after mountains in Iran.
The United Kingdom built all four ships which were originally armed with nine Sea Cat anti-air missiles and five Sea Killer anti-ship missiles. Iranian Navy has replaced the missiles with Chinese equivalents.
One Alvand-class frigate, the Sahand, was sunk by U.S. forces during Operation Praying Mantis in 1988 after unsuccessfully firing upon an A-6 Intruder flying from the USS Enterprise. It was then struck by Harpoon missiles from this aircraft, and then a coordinated Harpoon attack from its wingman and a nearby surface ship.
Ships in the class
| Ship | Pennant Number | Builder | Launched | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvand - ex-Saam | 71 (ex- DE 12) | Vosper Thornycroft | 1968 | In Service |
| Alborz - ex-Zaal | 72 (ex DE 14) | Vickers | 1969 | In Service |
| Sabalan- ex-Rostam | 73 (ex DE 16) | Vickers | 1969 | In Service |
| Sahand - ex-Faramarz | 74 (ex DE 18) | Vosper Thornycroft | 1969 | sunk on April 18, 1988 |
See also
External links
Sources
- http://www.iinavy.org/faramarz.htm
- http://www.mafhoum.com/press8/237P2.pdf
- http://www.ii.uj.edu.pl/~artur/enc/F2.htm
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Monday September 01, 2008 at 02:33:03 PDT (GMT -0700)
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