Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy or Iranian Navy (IRIN; Persian: نیروی دریایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران, romanized: Nirū-yē Dəryâyi-yē Ərtēš-ē Žomhūri-yē Ēslâmi-yē Irân), officially abbreviated NEDAJA (Persian: نداجا), is the naval warfare service branch of Iran's regular military, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh).[3][4] It is one of Iran's two maritime military branches, alongside the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).[5]
This article is about the navy of Iran's regular military. For the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, see Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
- 525 BC; c. 2,500 years ago
- 1885 (first modern-day naval forces)
- 1923 (as Imperial Iranian Navy)
20,000 (2024 estimate)[1]
Persian: دریادلان, Daryādelān
"Seahearts"
28 November
- 7 frigates
- 5 corvettes
- 20 fast attack craft
- 6 patrol boats
- 31 amphibious ships
- 17 auxiliary ships
- 19 submarines
- 54 aircraft
Commodore Shahram Irani
NEDAJA is charged with forming Iran's first line of defense in the Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf and abroad.[3] It is generally considered to be a conventional green-water navy, as it mostly operates regionally,[4] namely in the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and northwest quarter of the Indian Ocean.[3] The Navy aims to develop blue-water capabilities: in July 2016, it announced plans to establish a presence in the Atlantic Ocean,[6] and as of May 2021 has sent ships into the region.[7]
NEDAJA shares many functions and responsibilities with the IRGC Navy, with distinctions in military strategy and equipment: In contrast to the IRGC Navy, which is equipped with small fast-attack craft, the backbone of the Artesh naval inventory consists of larger surface ships, including frigates and corvettes, and submarines.[4]
The Artesh Navy has a large fleet by the standards of the developing world,[8] and has been described as maintaining "robust" capabilities by regional standards.[9] As of 2019, the Navy has several joint exercises with Russia and China called the Marine Security Belt,[10] which it aims to conduct annually.[11]