Iran’s New Intelligence Collection Destroyer

The Iranian Navy has unveiled its first image of the IRINS Zagros (H313), an intelligence collection destroyer. This announcement follows years of speculation and was made public during sea trials off Bandar Abbas. The ship was officially launched on January 15, in a ceremony attended by high-ranking military officials, including Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri and Nedaja Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani.

Design and Capabilities of the IRINS Zagros

The IRINS Zagros is based on the Moudge Class frigate, which is the Iranian Navy’s lead frontline class. This design is an evolution of the original Vosper Thorneycroft Alvand model, now largely outfitted with Iranian-produced systems. The Zagros appears to have undergone lengthening, featuring three large radomes atop its superstructure and two side funnels, replacing the single central funnel typical of the Moudge Class.

As a signals intelligence collection destroyer, the Zagros is equipped with various radomes and aerials. However, it lacks the Asr phased array radar commonly found on Moudge Class frigates. This absence raises questions, as direction-finding capabilities are crucial for effective signals intelligence analysis. Additionally, the Zagros is notably unarmed, with no onboard guns or missile containers, which is unusual for a vessel classified as a destroyer.

The ship has been assigned a unique pennant number, distinct from other Moudge Class frigates. This suggests that the Iranian Navy may categorize the Zagros as an unarmed auxiliary vessel, potentially to facilitate better access to foreign ports. This classification strategy mirrors practices used by the Chinese PLA Navy, which often labels its signals intelligence vessels as research ships. However, the Iranian Navy’s description of the Zagros as a signals intelligence platform may lead to skepticism from host nations regarding its true purpose.

Before its first operational deployment, the Zagros is expected to undergo extensive sea trials. Given its current lack of armament, it may need to operate within a naval task group to navigate potentially hostile waters safely. The absence of defensive capabilities raises concerns about its ability to handle threats, such as limpet mines, during missions.