New Iranian naval vessel?

Found at an Iranian port using Google Earth. It's moored behind an Alvand Class corvette which gives a good size indication. All 3 Alvands are moored there so it's not one of those.


I've tried to ID it using Iranian navy lists and can't. There have been (often unreliable) rumors that Iran is building an indiginous corvette or frigate design sometimes called Sina-1 or Sina-2.

As a side note, the Alvands were originally fitted with 5 SeaKiller missiles. They now appear to be fitted with a new twin launcher (one facing each way) probably Chinese YJ-8s.

That is 1 of the 2 Sina class. It is supposedly a modern corvette based on the Alvand class. The Sina class is ~100 meters long, which this ship appears to be. I have only seen one good pic, posted in a comment by Mehran on this forum at some point, but I can't seem to find the post.

It is not the Mowj, which is the other new Iranian Naval ship.

Thanks for the leads. I think I've solved the mystery; It is a Mowaj corvette, about 1200t displacement.

The Sina-1 is based on the Combatante class FAC so it's less than half the size. Source: www.tau.ac.il... -(Tel Aviv university tends to have good intel BTW).

Originally posted by planeman
7 It is a Mowaj corvette, about 1200t displacement.

I thought so too, but the mass doesn't appear to line up right. Did they build more than one Mowj?

Compare the pics, unless the sat pic is older before contruction was completed, the front mass section doesn't line up correctly, particularly right behind the forward tower.

Or am I just terrible at looking from the top? That certainly could be the case.

The photo in the news link is a red herring, it's a British Type-42 destroyer. The RN ensign (flag) on the stern....

[edit on 23-6-2006 by planeman]