State-of-the-art Iranian surveillance ship enters naval service

[Ryan Robertson]

IRAN’S NAVY UNVEILED ITS FIRST SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE SHIP. CALLED THE ZAGROS, IT’S DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE SURVEILLANCE AND CYBER INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES OF THE IRANIAN FLEET.

THE ZAGROS IS REPORTEDLY EQUIPPED WITH ADVANCED ELECTRONIC SENSORS, TO HELP IN THE SHIP’S MISSION OF INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND MONITORING.

A SENIOR NAVY COMMANDER DESCRIBED ZAGROS AS THE NAVY’S “WATCHFUL EYE” ACROSS GLOBAL SEAS AND OCEANS.

THE LAUNCH OF ZAGROS COINCIDES WITH THE HEIGHTENED MILITARY ACTIVITY IN IRAN. EARLIER THIS MONTH, IRAN BEGAN TWO-MONTH-LONG MILITARY EXERCISES, INCLUDING WAR GAMES AIMED AT DEFENDING NUCLEAR FACILITIES FROM SIMULATED MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS.

THESE DRILLS, INVOLVING BOTH THE IRANIAN ARMY AND THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS, ARE SCHEDULED TO CONTINUE THROUGH MID-MARCH, WILL STAY FOCUSED ON NUCLEAR INFRASTRUCTURE DEFENSE.

IN ADDITION TO THE ZAGROS LAUNCH, IRAN RECENTLY DELIVERED 1,000 NEW DRONES TO ITS ARMY, HIGHLIGHTING ONGOING EFFORTS TO BOLSTER ALL DOMAINS OF ITS MILITARY CAPABILITIES. IN OCTOBER, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO INCREASE THE MILITARY BUDGET BY 200-PERCENT, CITING PERCEIVED REGIONAL THREATS.

ZAGROS REPRESENTS IRAN’S BROADER STRATEGY TO MODERNIZE ITS NAVAL FORCES USING DOMESTICALLY DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGIES. THE COUNTRY ALSO PLANS TO ESTABLISH ITS LARGEST MILITARY HUB IN JASK, A STRATEGIC LOCATION NEAR THE GULF OF OMAN.

IRAN SAYS IT EXPANDED ITS NAVAL REACH IN RECENT YEARS TO SECURE SHIPPING LANES AND PROTECT ITS INTERESTS. IN 2023, ITS NAVY COMPLETED A NATIONAL RECORD-BREAKING MISSION, COVERING NEARLY 40-THOUSAND MILES INCLUDING A PASSAGE THROUGH THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS.

ZAGROS ALSO ENTERS SERVICE AMID GROWING INTERNATIONAL SCRUTINY OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM. THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY CONFIRMED IRAN’S URANIUM ENRICHMENT LEVELS REACHED 60-PERCENT, NEARING WEAPONS-GRADE LEVELS.

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