The boat with the vertical launching system developed for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy was introduced.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy introduced its new product. Revolutionary Guards develop and introduce many different designs for propaganda purposes. VLS (vertical launch system) is seen to be integrated in the Zülfikar class air defense boat. Iran classifies this boat as an air defense boat.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards are densely present in the Persian Gulf with the small boats. The Persian Sea is a shallow sea and the presence of VLS (vertical launch system) is clearly visible on the platform. There is also a dome on the top of the boat. However, it is unknown whether there is a radar inside the dome. Which radar will illuminate the missiles in the VLS system is another intriguing question. No radar is visible on the boat except the navigation radar.
On the subject, open source intelligence expert HI Sutton used the following statements:
“The Zulfikar class boat is armed with short-range surface-to-air missiles as its main weapon. However, we can think of it as a Tor air defense system operating at sea rather than a micro AEGIS destroyer. Potentially this boat could provide short-range air defense for a lot of other boats. While this may vary depending on the context, it may deter helicopters used to target them.
Small boats are vulnerable to air attack and some carry MANPADS. However, this boat can be classified as the first boat with a suitable surface-to-air missile system. There is a large dome above the cabin and a VLS (vertical launch system) behind it. The VLS is compatible with the Nawab short-range air defense missile with a range of 15 km. This is different, if roughly similar, to the SA-15 GAUNTLET (Tor) system that Iran received from Russia.
The hull form of the boat appears to be derived from the British-designed Bladerunner that Iran had previously purchased. Only one such boat has been recorded, so it is unclear whether it will be deployed widely.”
