Iran’s carrier project

[johnpjones1775]

Old news but don’t see a topic for it yet.
Iran is building a carrier…with superstructure at the rear I imagine it will only operate helicopters and VTOL drones.

Iran Building Drone Aircraft Carrier from Converted Merchant Ship, Photos Show - USNI News

In a dry dock near the entrance to the Persian Gulf, Iran’s sectarian naval force is converting a former merchant container ship into a drone aircraft carrier, according to satellite and open source photos published last week by USNI News contributor H I Sutton. Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps...

news.usni.org

 

[TomS]

Thread here about IRINS Makran that also mentions Shahid Mahdvi. As commissioned, the latter seems to have lost the cantilever deck.

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/irins-makran-iranian-forward-base-helicopter-carriers.41476/#post-596382

 

[Dilandu]

Yep, seems to be a dedicated drone carrier. A logical step for Iran; in terms of drone technology, they are almost on pair with US and China, and it terms of drone tactics & implementation they may be even ahead of superpowers. So, they are trying to use their advantages in drones to increase their navy capabilities.

Make sence, actually. Historically, it was 2nd-3rd rate navies, which were most eager to try radical new ideas. First-rate navies have sufficient advantage in traditional warfighting technology to be cautious about radical changes.

 

[uk 75]

Makes an interesting comparison with the UK's version

RFA Argus (A135) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org