Iran says new vessel will be equipped with hypersonic missiles

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran on Monday said that its new Damavand-2 frigate will be equipped with hypersonic missiles, with the warship being the latest in Iran’s advancing military capabilities. 

The Iranian navy on Saturday said that its northern fleet will receive a Damavand-class frigate in the near future, with the warship being an advanced type of the Jamaran frigate added to the navy in 2014 and having the capabilities to carry helicopters, missiles, torpedoes, modern guns, and air defense weapons, state media reported.  

Shahram Irani, rear admiral in the Iranian navy, said that the latest vessel will be equipped with hypersonic missiles as well as the most advanced defense equipment. According to IRNA, the frigate is scheduled to be added to the navy in the “coming days.”  

In early June, Iran unveiled its first hypersonic ballistic missile, Fattah (conqueror in Persian), with a range of up to 1,400 kilometers and the ability to penetrate all anti-missile systems. The missile is produced by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) aerospace unit. 

The Iranian defense ministry in late May unveiled a new ballistic missile with capabilities to strike targets 2,000 kilometers away and carry warheads weighing 1,500 kilograms. The US State Department said in response that Iran’s proliferation of ballistic missiles posed a “serious threat” to the international security.

In July of last year, Iran unveiled its first fleet of naval vessels capable combat drones.