Iran unveils ‘Scrapheap Challenge-style’ drone warship built from old cargo ship after Trump’s ‘obliteration’ threat
IRAN has unveiled its new drone carrier warship which was built on the bones of an ageing vessel.
The announcement comes after Trump threatened to “obliterate” the country if it were to assassinate him.
As Iran continues to conduct military exercises due to end next month, the country’s armed forces have taken delivery of a new warship armed with missiles and mini fighter jets.
The latest addition to the country’s fleet, unveiled in a ceremony in Bandar Abbas on Thursday, is a Frankenstein’s monster warship made up of parts from an old cargo vessel.
It comes after US President Donald Trump gave orders to “obliterate” the nation if they ever assassinate him after an apparent plot to kill the commander-in-chief was uncovered in November.
Alireza Tangsiri, the Navy Commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said: “The Revolutionary Guards took action to transform a commercial ship… into a mobile naval platform capable of carrying out drone and helicopter missions in the oceans.”
“The addition of this ship to our fleet is an important step in increasing the defence and deterrence capability of Iran in distant waters and in maintaining our national security interests.”
The Shahid Beheshti, which was once a container vessel, is now equipped with a 180-meter runway, short-to-medium-range air defence missiles, and unmanned submarines.
Tasnim noted that the ship has an operational range of 22,000 miles and can go without refuelling for up to a year.
Unlike Iran’s other warships, the Shahid Beheshti can launch and receive large drones like the “stealth” Qaher, a drone version of a fighter jet.
Footage shows the newly unveiled Qaher travelling down the long runway and being launched into the air in the middle of the sea before landing again.
Previously, only satellite images and grainy videos were available of the vessel, but new footage from the IRGC Naval Forces shows the warship in more detail.
A video taken from the deck of the ship shows numerous helicopters and drones parked ready for action.
The vessel is also armed with short-range anti-ship cruise missiles and fast-attack crafts.
With intelligence equipment and a flight control tower, the ship can simultaneously coordinate operations of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Commander of the IRGC Navy, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, said the conversion of the container ship into a fighting vessel took two years.
Ways Trump could blast Iran
Decapitation Strikes: Trump could bring back the strikes he used in his first term to take out Iran’s top general Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
Target Nuclear Sites: Trump could turn to Israel to target Iran with the President “weighing options” about joining Israel’s anti-nuclear mission to buckle Iran’s nuke project.
Shock and Awe: The US could unleash a huge attack on Iran which could potentially wipe out the enemy overnight in what is known as the TIRANNT project.
Proxy Attacks: Trump could target Iran’s allies and launch proxy attacks across the Middle East with Iran-backed groups currently operating in six Middle Eastern nations.
Onboard is also a specialised hospital, he added.
It is smaller than traditional air craft carriers which could mean it will be easier to manoeuvre.
Reports state that the ship underwent its first sea trials in December last year near Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz.
As well as taking part in reconnaissance and surveillance, the UAVs deployed by the vessel could be part of offensive operations including precision strikes against land and sea targets.
Last month, Iran’s navy received its first signals intelligence ship as the nation braces for increased tensions with the US and Israel.
After two hitmen were arrested as part of an alleged for-hire plot to take out Trump ahead of the November 5 US election last year, the President has issued a warning to Iran.
He revealed that he has left a detailed plan with his team on what to do if he is ever assassinated by his enemy.
Trump said: “I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”
His threat could prove to be a dead man’s switch – which is a safety design used to activate or deactivate something if the user can’t operate it anymore.
It comes as the US leader announced alongside Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu that America would take over Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” following the decimation of the region.
Meanwhile late last month, Iran unveiled its biggest war drone called “The Gaza” that can carry a deadly 13-bomb payload for 24 hours straight.