Alvand class frigate
Encyclopedia
The Alvand class (also called the Saam class frigate or the 'Vosper Mk 5 type) comprise four Iran
ian light patrol frigates. Only three are currently in service.
All four ships were originally named after characters from Ferdowsi's
Shahnameh
, but after the Islamic Revolution they were renamed after mountain
s in Iran.
The United Kingdom
built all four ships which were originally armed with nine Sea Cat anti-air missiles
and five Sea Killer anti-ship missiles. The Iranian Navy has since replaced these missiles with Chinese equivalents.
One Alvand-class frigate, the Sahand
, was sunk by U.S. forces during Operation Praying Mantis
in 1988 after unsuccessfully firing upon an A-6 Intruder
flying from the USS Enterprise
. It was then struck by Harpoon missiles from this aircraft, and then a coordinated Harpoon attack from its wingman and a nearby surface ship.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian light patrol frigates. Only three are currently in service.
All four ships were originally named after characters from Ferdowsi's
Ferdowsi
Ferdowsi was a highly revered Persian poet. He was the author of the Shahnameh, the national epic of Iran and related societies.The Shahnameh was originally composed by Ferdowsi for the princes of the Samanid dynasty, who were responsible for a revival of Persian cultural traditions after the...
Shahnameh
Shahnameh
The Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...
, but after the Islamic Revolution they were renamed after mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s in Iran.
The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
built all four ships which were originally armed with nine Sea Cat anti-air missiles
Sea Cat missile
Sea Cat was a British short-range surface to air missile system intended to replace the ubiquitous Bofors 40 mm gun aboard warships of all sizes. It was the world's first operational shipboard point-defence missile system and was designed so that the Bofors guns could be replaced with minimum...
and five Sea Killer anti-ship missiles. The Iranian Navy has since replaced these missiles with Chinese equivalents.
One Alvand-class frigate, the Sahand
Iranian frigate Sahand
Iranian frigate Sahand , a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate , was commissioned as part of a four-ship order. The ship was originally called Faramarz, named after a character in Ferdosi's Shahnameh...
, was sunk by U.S. forces during Operation Praying Mantis
Operation Praying Mantis
Operation Praying Mantis was an attack on April 18, 1988, by U.S. naval forces within Iranian territorial waters in retaliation for the Iranian mining of the Persian Gulf during the Iran Iraq war and the subsequent damage to an American warship....
in 1988 after unsuccessfully firing upon an A-6 Intruder
A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider...
flying from the USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth US naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed the "Big E". At , she is the longest naval vessel in the world...
. It was then struck by Harpoon missiles from this aircraft, and then a coordinated Harpoon attack from its wingman and a nearby surface ship.
Ships in the class
| Ship | Pennant Number | Builder | Launched | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvand Iranian frigate Alvand Iranian frigate Alvand , a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate , was commissioned in 1971 as part of a four-ship order and is the lead ship of the class and flagship of the Iranian Navy.... - ex-Saam |
71 (ex- DE 12) | Vosper Thornycroft | 1968 | In Service |
| Alborz Iranian frigate Alborz Iranian frigate Alborz , a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate , was commissioned in 1971 as part of a four-ship order.... - ex-Zaal |
72 (ex DE 14) | Vickers Vickers Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &... |
1969 | In Service |
| Sabalan Iranian frigate Sabalan Iranian frigate Sabalan , a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate , was commissioned in June 1972 as part of a four-ship order.... - ex-Rostam |
73 (ex DE 16) | Vickers | 1969 | In Service |
| Sahand Iranian frigate Sahand Iranian frigate Sahand , a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate , was commissioned as part of a four-ship order. The ship was originally called Faramarz, named after a character in Ferdosi's Shahnameh... - ex-Faramarz |
74 (ex DE 18) | Vosper Thornycroft | 1969 | sunk on April 18, 1988 |
External links
Sources
- http://www.iinavy.org/faramarz.htm
- http://www.mafhoum.com/press8/237P2.pdf
- http://www.ii.uj.edu.pl/~artur/enc/F2.htm