Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chief of Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, said ‘Sahand’ destroyer, which was inducted into the navy last year, has been sent on its first overseas mission to the Gulf of Aden as part of the 63rd flotilla, which also includes ‘Kharg’ helicopter carrier.

According to him, the destroyer’s mission is to safeguard Iranian shipping lines in international waters. The flotilla is tasked with escorting ships in the Sea of Oman and the Gulf of Aden, he added.

In December 2018, Iran delivered its most advanced homemade destroyer, Sahand, to its fleet at the port of Bandar Abbas in the Persian Gulf. Sahand enjoys a radar-evading hull and can travel twice as far without refueling as the previous class of destroyers.

According to reports, the 1,300-ton vessel, named after a mountain in northern Iran, has a helicopter landing pad, is 96 meters long and can cruise at 25 knots. It is equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles as well as anti-aircraft batteries and sophisticated radar and radar evading capabilities.