Damavand, also known as Velaya, is equipped with cutting-edge means in all fields, including the latest reconnaissance and combat systems, he noted. “All the defense equipment installed in the Damavand 2 destroyer is completely up-to-date,” said Rear Admiral Shahram Irani on July 3, echoed by Mehr news agency.
Damavand, also known as Jamaran-2 and Velayat, was the second ship of the Iranian Moudge class of frigates and the flagship of the northern fleet. The class appeared to be a development of the Alvand class. It was named Damavand after its inauguration in the Caspian Sea.
The ship has the ability to carry helicopters, anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, torpedoes, modern guns and air defense guns. The vessel is also equipped with electronic warfare devices. The warship uses a new modern flat-type, phased array radar, which was tested in 2011. The development of this new device took more than it was anticipated and delayed the launch of the vessel to March 2013. The fire control radar is also replaced by a modern radar dome. New sensors, e-warfare devices and radars are also installed on the vessel, further enhancing its capabilities. The frigate has a central attack and warfare management command control system integrated inside its systems, allowing the ship to track 100 surface, sub-surface, and air targets simultaneously and choose the best in order to attack them.
Damavand-1, a 100-meter-long destroyer weighing more than 1,300 tons, officially joined the Iranian Navy’s northern fleet in March 2015. Three years later, however, the frigate collided with a breakwater while docking at the Caspian port of Bandar Anzali and sank there. It was recovered from the sea and entered the operational cycle, with new pictures showing that it is equipped with an anti-ship cruise missile launcher and a 76mm gun.