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Iran launches submarine production line
Iran has launched a submarine production line to ensure its forces are equipped to maintain security in the vital oil shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz waterway, the defense minister said on Monday.Iran's armed forces "have been the protector of the security of the strategic Strait of Hormuz and regards the security of this waterway as vital for itself and the countries of the region," Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said. Najjar, whose remarks were carried by Iran's ISNA news agency, was speaking at the inauguration of a submarine production line. The agency said it was for a "semi-heavy" class of submarine called Qaim that could "carry and fire various kinds of torpedoes and subsurface missiles, as well as transport special operations personnel". In 2005, Iran said it had launched a production line for midget submarines that experts said would most likely be used for troop transport in amphibious operations. The experts say Iran's navy has three Russian Kilo class submarines and other smaller submersibles, including the Qadir. Iran's state-owned Press TV's website said Iran also operated a submersible called the Nahang, a word meaning whale. Military experts say Iran rarely reveals enough detail about its new military equipment to determine its efficacy but say the Islamic Republic, despite having much less fire-power than U.S. forces, could still cause havoc in Gulf if it was pushed. Posted by: Fred 2008-08-27 |
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