Equipped with advanced sensors while reducing radar and sound effects and having secure communications systems for exchanging data with naval units and air units, Fateh [Submarine] has become a part of Iran's naval defence system.
Navy commanders have known all the time that, despite the advantages that ships have in changing the course of a war, their biggest problem was being able to see ships and other vessels from far distances. Seeing ships with equipped eyes was possible only from a distance of around 30 km due to the curve of the earth. During the day this problem would be solved only in foggy weather. With the invention of submarines in 1775 and their proven effectiveness, a new chapter in naval wars began. As a naval vessel, submarines did not face the significant problem that ships had because they were underwater and hidden from view and range of ordinary weapons. Later, submarines were developed further for military purposes and with technological advances in naval physics and later naval mechanics this war machine became significantly more effective. Submarines were used extensively during the two world wars and with the start of the Cold War gradually a new nuclear submarine was built. These submarines are driven for years by a small nuclear reactor. Sometimes, they do not need fuel for the duration of their working life. Consequently, they can navigate endlessly as far as time is concerned. During the Cold War, nuclear submarines deployed with intercontinental ballistic missiles were used as an important balance of power tool. The Russians even put a satellite in space with these missiles from submarines.
Despite the significant capabilities of nuclear submarines, diesel submarines, which were later fitted with electrical engines, continued to be popular in naval forces because of operational needs such as movement in shallow waters, less noise, and offensive capabilities in engaging enemy submarines. Nowadays, the main submarines used in the world continue to be of the diesel electric kind, although there are projects for nuclear offensive submarines with a life span of 30 years without the need for refuelling.
As one of the oldest civilizations with a top naval power, Iran always wanted to have submarines in its naval force. This had not been realized before the revolution and, even after the revolution and many years after the imposed war [Iran-Iraq War], this valuable tool did not exist in our country's navy.
According to Admiral Shamkhani, the naval commander at the time, in the decade of the 1990s Iran had the option of purchasing either missile launching ships or submarines from Russia. The experts chose submarines and today the advantage of this correct decision is known to all. With the purchase of these Russian submarines, the need arose for the country's experts to learn their technology. At the same time that they discovered and fixed the problems in these submarines they also began studies and the building of different kinds of submarines in accordance with local needs.
The Ghadir Submarine was the result of about a decade of scientific efforts and delivered to the Islamic Republic Naval Forces as a midjet [as received] submarine. Along with building small submarines such as Nahang and also wet submarines like Al-Sabehaat, measures were taken to design and build larger submarines. Tody, there is talk about two models of about 500 and 1,000-ton weight levels. These submarines, which seem to be the same Fateh and Bethat submarines that recently one of the deputies at the Naval Force talked about, are in fact a harbinger of a scientific revolution in the country's naval industries. Here we will introduce the Fateh submarine.
The 527-ton Fateh submarine is a medium-weight submarine and its tonnage under water is 593 tons. From the aspect of operational capabilities, this submarine is much better than Ghadir and has the ability to move in depths of 200 meters in normal conditions, while its maximum accessible depth is 250 meters.
In designing this submarine our country's experts have tried to maximize its combat capability. That is why Fateh has four launch centres for 533-millimeter torpedoes and the capacity to carry eight sea mines. It has been mentioned that this submarine has two reserve torpedoes. This can be interpreted in two ways: either there are two extra torpedoes in addition to the four existing ones in the launcher, or for each launcher two reserve torpedoes are considered. The second assumption would make the Fateh submarine a high constancy war machine.
Mashreq can report that Fateh can navigate the oceans for 35 days, which is a significant improvement from the Ghadir submarine. Fateh's speed on the surface is 11 knots (20.35 km per hour), while underwater it is 14 knots (25.9 km per hour). This submarine can carry underwater missiles and surface-to-air shoulder-launched missiles, and can also transport commandos to their destination. Considering that the main submarines announced so far have been heavy submarines and the light Ghadir submarine, we will make a comparison between these two and Fateh's capabilities. Information about these three submarines is diverse and there are little common characteristics among them.
As far as weight is concerned, Fateh is about 4.5 times heavier than the 114-ton Ghadir and 4.5-times lighter than the 2,350-ton Kilo [class] submarine. Ghadir has two 533 mm torpedo launchers and there is no information on any reserve torpedoes. However, some experts say it has the capacity to carry two reserve torpedoes. Kilo, which is also called silent killer, has six 533-millimeter torpedo launchers and can carry 18 torpedoes, 12 of which are reserve torpedoes. Fateh is Ghadir's big brother with four torpedo launchers and with two reserve torpedoes we can assume that it has two reserve torpedoes for each launcher (eight in total). Therefore, by adding to the launching chambers in Fateh's design, they were thinking of more launches over shorter time periods, as well as also holding more ammunition to stay in the battle longer. The conclusion is that Fateh's offensive capability at the start of a conflict is twice as great as Ghadir and two-thirds that of Kilo. Each three torpedoes of Fateh is equal to two torpedoes of Kilo, while every three torpedoes of Ghadir can do the job of one [torpedo of] Kilo submarine. With the depletion of ammunition, Ghadir is forced to either leave the conflict scene or embark on identifying and supervising.
Of course, we should note that more submarines mean the ability to engage more targets at the same time. Also building more Kilos may have been impossible, but it is possible to build a number of Fatehs and Ghadirs per year.
To further explain this, we should say that, if we consider two torpedoes for Ghadir the number of Fateh's reserve torpedoes is equal to that or four times that. However, even with 12 torpedoes, it still does not equal the 18 torpedoes of Kilo. In fact, Kilo can reload its six launchers twice and fire them at the enemy. If Fateh has eight reserve torpedoes, like Kilo it can reload its launchers twice, but in total it has six torpedoes less than Kilo.
On the number of mines, Fateh's ability to carry eight is equal to one-third of the Kilo submarine, which shows the country's decision to use fewer underwater mines. Other comparable features between Fateh and Kilo are their speeds. Both have the same speed on the surface, but underwater Kilo reaches 17 knots (31.45 km per hour) while Fateh reaches 14 knots, meaning 82 per cent of Kilo's speed. Also, maximum depth for Kilo is 300 meters and its operational depth is 240 meters, while for Fateh these numbers are 250 and 200. Therefore, the smaller and lighter submarine Fateh has reached 83 per cent of Kilo's capability. As far as the duration of missions are concerned, foreign sources say Kilo can navigate for 45 days, while Fateh navigates for 35 days. Therefore, in this feature, Fateh reaches about 78 per cent or more than two-thirds of Kilo's capability, while it is much lighter and smaller in dimensions.
Considering the speed of Fateh's navigation by using air pipes, which is eight knots (14.8 km per hour), we can estimate the range of Fateh to be more than 6,700 km. This is an impressive range that makes this submarine capable of missions beyond close waters into the north of the Indian Ocean and even the Gulf of Aden. In the overall comparison, we should say that, even though the Fateh submarine has only 23 per cent of the weight of Kilo on the surface, in its main technical characteristics it has reached 75 per cent (three-fourths) to more than 80 per cent (four-fifths) of the Kilo submarine's capabilities. Part of this success is owned to the use of advanced equipment in Fateh, which is very small and lighter than the foreign submarine, Kilo. With what they had, Iranian designers have made optimum use of Fateh's internal space. Like Ghadir, the systems used in Fateh are of the new kind with modern technology. While they reduce the need for service personnel, it also reduces the possibility of developing problems and lengthens the time between repairs. It has a simple process of identifying problems and repairing them.
Equipped with advanced sensors, while reducing radar and sound effects and having secure communications systems for exchanging data with sea level units and air units, Fateh has become a part of Iran's naval defence system. Considering that it is built locally, it will be less costly compared to foreign models of the same kind. In addition to making the enemy unable to infiltrate our shores, this submarine gives the Islamic Republic Navy a free hand to be present in the two strategic areas of the Strait of Malaga [as published] and Strait of Baab al-Mandeb. With its presence in our territorial waters and international waters close to our shores, it also makes the presence of submarines of the Kilo class and 1,000-ton Iranian submarines such as Be'that in high waters possible for carrying cruise missiles and even ballistic missiles possible.
Source: Mashreq News website, in Persian, 28 November