Southern Fleet (Iran)

Southern Forward Naval Headquarters
Bandar Abbas Jask Konarak Bushehr Kharg Pasabandar Khorramshahr Location of current southern fleet bases[1]
Country	Iran
Part of	Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
Garrison/HQ	Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province
Engagements	Anglo-Persian capture of Ormuz (1622) Afsharid Conquests in the Persian Gulf & Oman (1730s–1747) British invasion of Iran (1941) Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988)
Commanders
Current commander	Vice Commodore Afshin Tashak

The Southern Fleet, which is under command of the Southern Forward Naval Headquarters[2] (SNFHQ; Persian: قرارگاه مقدم ناوگان جنوب), compromises the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd naval regions of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy. The SNFHQ is based in Bandar Abbas, and is responsible for coordination across its three southern districts as a forward operating base, as well as presence of units in international missions off Iranian territorial waters.[2]

History

18th century

See also: Afsharid navy § Southern fleet

20th century

See also: Tanker War

Structure

The jurisdiction and responsibilities of the navy was redefined in 2007, as a result, the southern fleet was reorganized.[3]

Before 2007

Prior to these changes, the organization of the southern fleet was as follows:[4]

Region	Headquarters	Area of responsibility
1st Naval Region	Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan	Strait of Hormuz
2nd Naval Region	Bushehr, Bushehr	central Persian Gulf
3rd Naval Region	Mahshahr, Khuzestan	northern Persian Gulf
Chabahar Naval Base (independent)	Chabahar, Sistan and Baluchestan	Gulf of Oman

Since 2007

The forces under command of the southern fleet currently operate under these districts:[1]

Region	Namesake	Headquarters	Area of responsibility
1st Naval Region	Emamat	Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan	Strait of Hormuz
2nd Naval Region	Velayat	Jask, Hormozgan	western Gulf of Oman
3rd Naval Region	Nabovat	Konarak, Sistan and Baluchestan	eastern Gulf of Oman

Commanders

• Commodore Abbas Ramzi Ataie
• Rear Admiral Kamal Habibollahi (October 1972–January 1976)
• Captain Mohammad-Hossein Malekzadegan (1983–1985)[5]
• Commodore Ebrahim Ashkan (?–2017)[6]
• Vice Commodore Afshin Tashak (2017–present)[7]

Order of battle

Submarines

• Kilo-class submarine
  • Taregh (reported out of water as of January 2021)[8]
  • Nooh (reported out of water as of January 2021)[8]
  • Yunes (reported out of water as of January 2021)[8]
• Fateh-class submarine
  • Fateh (active as of 2021)[8]
• Ghadir-class submarines (about 20 were believed to be operational as of 2020)[9]
• Nahang (rarely seen on operation)[10]

Surface combatants

• Alvand-class frigate
  • Alvand (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Alborz (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Sabalan (active as of 2020)[9]
• Moudge-class frigate
  • Jamaran (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Sahand (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Dena
• Bayandor-class corvette
  • Bayandor
  • Naghdi
• Kaman-class fast attack craft
  • Kaman (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Xoubin (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Khadang (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Falakhon (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Shamshir (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Gorz (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Gardouneh (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Khanjar (active as of 2020)[9]
  • Tabarzin (active as of 2020)[9]
• Sina-class fast attack craft
  • Zereh

References

1. Nadimi, Farzin (April 2020), "Iran's Evolving Approach to Asymmetric Naval Warfare: Strategy and Capabilities in the Persian Gulf" (PDF), The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (Policy Focus), no. 164, Map 3. Persian Gulf: Grand Strategic Scheme, p. 75, retrieved 15 July 2020
2. Iranian Naval Forces: A Tale of Two Navies (PDF), Office of Naval Intelligence, February 2017, p. 15, ISBN 978-0160939686
3. Connell, Michael (31 January 2012), "The Artesh Navy: Iran's Strategic Force", Middle East Institute, retrieved 1 August 2020
4. Vego, Milan (2015), "On Littoral Warfare", Naval War College Review, 68 (2): 19
5. Nikola B. Schahgaldian, Gina Barkhordarian (March 1987), The Iranian Military Under the Islamic Republic (PDF), RAND, p. 114, ISBN 0-8330-0777-7, retrieved 15 January 2017
6. "Iranian Navy's 40th flotilla to set off for high seas", Islamic Republic News Agency, 2 April 2016, 82019287, retrieved 1 August 2020
7. "Iranian Navy sends 64th fleet of warships to int'l waters", Tehran Times, 29 October 2019, retrieved 1 August 2020
8. Sutton, H. I. (31 January 2021), "Iran's Best Submarines Have Been Out of the Water for a Month", USNI News, retrieved 30 September 2021
9. Nadimi, Farzin (April 2020), "Iran's Evolving Approach to Asymmetric Naval Warfare: Strategy and Capabilities in the Persian Gulf" (PDF), The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (Policy Focus), no. 164, Appendix B: Iran's Major Operational Naval Vessels, pp. 55–57, archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2020, retrieved 15 July 2020
10. Biggers, Chris (27 April 2017), "Shahid Nazeri Deploys Near the Strait", Bellingcat, retrieved 15 July 2020