Iranian Navy Unveils Overhauled Mine-Sweeper Helicopters, Floating Dock

The Iranian Navy today unveiled two overhauled helicopters and a floating dock, with the capacity of launching 800-ton vessels.

The products were unveiled during a ceremony participated by Army Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi and Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Fars News Agency reported today.

"Re-launching the 'Bushehr' floating deck with the capacity of launching 800-ton vessels and putting two mine-sweeper helicopters named 'Ejdehay-e Darya (Sea Dragon)', an anti-surface AB helicopter were among the projects inaugurated today at Bushehr naval base," Navy Commander for Technical Affairs Abbas Zamini said.

The inaugurated projects also include a simulator exercising damage control into operation, overhauling the main engines of missile-launcher warships and overhauling the tugboat units sailing system.

The Sea Dragon helicopters can transfer forces and patrol shipping lines and can be used as sea ambulance, used by relief and rescue guards and for fulfilling naval and ground operations.

Also in April, a home-made floating dock, with the capacity of launching 150-ton vessels, was delivered to the Iranian Navy in a ceremony participated by Rear Admiral Sayyari in Iran's waters in the South.

"We know-how for building, repairing and maintaining different types of floating docks which was earlier mastered only by the European countries has become indigenized by the (Iranian) Navy experts," Sayyari said, addressing the ceremony in the Southern port city of Khorramshahr.

"Building different destroyers, missile-launching frigates and warships, logistics warships and submarines to continue and expand the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy in free waters is a main plan on the agenda of the Navy in the current (Iranian) year (which started on March 21) to promote this Force's scientific, military and defensive power," he added.