Originally a commercial container ship, it has now been modified into a drone carrier vessel for Iran’s naval forces. According to Maxar, the ship began its journey in late November for its first sea trial, with a net-covered drone on deck.
The development comes amid many drones flying over northern New Jersey and New York since last month, particularly near key US military locations.
As per the images, the drone ship is accompanied by two additional vessels that appear to be similarly modified – the Shahid Mahdavi and Shahid Roudaki. The ship’s design features a ski-jump ramp and an angled flight deck, which allows launching and recovering drones.
Referred to as a ‘forward base ship,’ it showcases Iran’s advancements in naval capabilities. Notably, the Shahid Bagheri is not a newly constructed ship but rather a converted 24-year-old container vessel, formerly known as the Perarin.
This strategic repurposing is aimed at enhancing the operational prowess of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which oversees naval activities within the Persian Gulf. Although some observers have referred to the Shahid Bagheri as ‘Iran’s first aircraft carrier,’ many contend its design and capabilities diverge substantially from those of traditional aircraft carriers.
The conversion of the Shahid Bagheri is being carried out by the Iran Shipbuilding & Offshore Industries Complex Company (ISOICO) near Bandar Abbas. Reportedly, the work on the project commenced in May 2022, when the vessel was first spotted in a dry dock.
This initiative aligns with Iran’s broader naval strategy, which involves repurposing commercial vessels deemed unfit for trade due to international sanctions on military assets.
This naval strategy bears a striking resemblance to the US Navy’s expeditionary sea base model. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN), in collaboration with the Iranian Navy, has successfully leveraged this approach to expand its operational capabilities.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
