Note to mods: you might want to add Russia to the "Syria-Lebanon-Iran" File under tag. Also, IRGC to the list under Organizations.Iran displayed its Hoot high-speed rocket-torpedo for the first time during an exhibition by the naval wing of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGN) on 3 October.
The imagery confirmed long-held suspicions that the Hoot is identical to the VA-111 Shkval supercavitating torpedo that was developed by the Soviet Union. It has the same eight jet nozzles at the rear and four stabilization fins that pop out of the torpedo's body.
Leaked IRGC documents published by the Federation of American Scientists in 2009 showed the Russians had demonstrated the Shkval at the Iranian port of Jask in early 2004. One document dated 3 April 2008 noted that the IRGC had contracted Iran's Aerospace Industrial Organization to design, produce, and test an engine for the Hoot. It remains unclear if any progress has been made since then.
The IRGC also displayed a semi-submersible torpedo boat called the Zolfaqar. Such vessels are not considered to be true submarines because they need to keep a snorkel above the water to feed oxygen to their engines. They are nevertheless still difficult to detect using radar when submerged.
The IRGC is believed to have had semi-submersibles since at least 2002, when The Washington Times reported it had received two Taedong-B and three Taedong-C craft from North Korea.
Iran, Norks, Russia -- Axis of evil! Rotating since January 29, 2002.