- Source: IRIS Shahid Mahdavi
Shahid Mahdavi is a warship operated by the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran that is capable of carrying helicopters, drones, and missile launchers. Shahid Mahdavi, originally a Panamax container ship, built by South Korea; is the largest ship operated by IRGC Navy. She is 3 times the size of IRIS Shahid Roudaki (12,0000 tons), the other Expeditionary Sea Base operated by IRGC Navy. The ship was launched in line with the stated aim of IRGC Navy to create an asymmetrical military strategy to disrupt the established order.
History
Shahid Mahdavi is used for long-range deployments by IRGC Navy. The biggest advantage of this ship is her 150-metre flat deck. The ship was commissioned into service in March 2023 in the presence of IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri. In line with the naming convention of the IRGC the ship is named after a martyr. Shahid Mahdavi or Martyr Mahdavi is named after Nader Mahdavi, an Iranian guardsman killed by the U.S. Navy in 1987 during the Tanker War. The Shahid Mahdavi was deployed for the first time off Gulf of Aden in May 2023. In February 2024, the ship was used to launch two Zolfaghar or Dezful anti-ship ballistic missiles. The ship crossed the Equator for the first time in its latest deployment. The ship was converted from a container ship, formerly known as Sarvin into warship at the ISOICO Shipyard.
Description
Shahid Mahdavi has been described as a 'Q-ship'. Q-Ships are commercial ships that were outfitted with weapons, allowing them to ambush weaker ships or submarine during the World Wars. This multipurpose warship is designed specifically for long-range operations and is equipped with missiles, air defense systems, and an advanced radar.