A port view of the Iranian destroyer escort IIS Saam (DE-71), redesignated IS Alvand (F-71)
Class overview
Builders:	Vosper Thornycroft Vickers
Operators:	Iran
Succeeded by:	Moudge class frigate
Building:	0
Completed:	4
Active:	3
Lost:	1
General characteristics
Displacement:	1,100 tons (1,540 tons full load)
Length:	94.5 m (310 ft)
Beam:	11.07 m (36 ft)
Draft:	3.25 m (10.5 ft)
Propulsion:	2 Paxman Ventura cruising diesels 3,800  bhp, and 2 Rolls Royce Olympus TM-3A boost gas turbines 46,000 shp on 2 shafts
Speed:	17 knots (31 km/h) on diesels39 knots (72 km/h) on gas turbines
Range:	5,000 nmi (9,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement:	125-146
Armament:	4 x C-802 anti-ship missiles 1 × 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mark 8 gun 1 x twin 20 mm AAA, 2 x single 20 mm AAA 2 × 81 mm mortars 2 × 0.50cal machine guns 1 x Limbo ASW mortar 2 x triple 12.75 in torpedo tubes

The Alvand class (also called the Saam class frigate or the 'Vosper Mk 5 type) comprise four Iranian light patrol frigates. Only three are currently in service.

All four ships were originally named after characters from Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, but after the Islamic Revolution they were renamed after mountains in Iran.

The United Kingdom built all four ships which were originally armed with nine Sea Cat anti-air missiles and five Sea Killer anti-ship missiles. Iranian Navy has replaced the missiles with Chinese equivalents.

One Alvand-class frigate, the Sahand, was sunk by U.S. forces during Operation Praying Mantis in 1988 after unsuccessfully firing upon an A-6 Intruder flying from the USS Enterprise. It was then struck by Harpoon missiles from this aircraft, and then a coordinated Harpoon attack from its wingman and a nearby surface ship. The Sabalan was also serverly damaged during this incident.

Contents 1 Ships in the class 2 See also 3 External links 4 Sources

[edit] Ships in the class

Ship	Pennant Number	Builder	Launched	Status
Alvand - ex-Saam	71 (ex- DE 12)	Vosper Thornycroft	1968	In Service
Alborz - ex-Zaal	72 (ex DE 14)	Vickers	1969	In Service
Sabalan- ex-Rostam	73 (ex DE 16)	Vickers	1969	In Service
Sahand - ex-Faramarz	74 (ex DE 18)	Vosper Thornycroft	1969	sunk on April 18, 1988

[edit] See also

• Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
• Current Iranian Navy vessels

[edit] External links

• Photos of Alvand-class frigates in Operation Praying Mantis

[edit] Sources

• http://www.iinavy.org/faramarz.htm
• http://www.mafhoum.com/press8/237P2.pdf
• http://www.ii.uj.edu.pl/~artur/enc/F2.htm

v • d • e Alvand-class frigate Saam  ⁄  Alvand · Zaal  ⁄  Alborz · Rostam  ⁄  Sabalan · Faramarz  ⁄  Sahand List of current ships of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy