Official: Iran Self-Sufficient in Building Light Submarines, unveil new one soon.

Official: Iran Self-Sufficient in Building Light Submarines. (fars).

A senior Iranian military official announced the country's self-sufficiency in building light submarines, adding that Iran plans to unveil new submarines soon.

There are three classes of submarines, Head of the Navy's Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Office General Ali Gholamzadeh said on Wednesday, adding that Iran has attained self-sufficiency in building “light” submarines.

He also said that Iran will unveil a home-made semi-heavy submarine in the coming months, and announced, "We are designing and building heavy and semi-heavy submarines, and the Fateh (Conqueror) submarine will be unveiled this (Iranian calendar) year (ending March 20, 2015),”

Also last month, Gholamzadeh announced the country's plans to launch Fateh submarines and different Mowj Class destroyers in the near future.

"We will soon launch the Fateh class submarines and the second, third, fourth and fifth version of Mowj class destroyers, and one of them will be unveiled this year," he said in a press conference in Tehran.

Asked if Iran is capable of building heavier and bigger destroyers than its first home-made destroyer, 'Jamaran', he said, "Now that we have acquired the know-how to build destroyers, there is no doubt that we can construct destroyers better than Jamaran."

Gholamzadeh said Damavand destroyer is more equipped than Jamaran, although Jamaran itself has also been equipped with a number of Damavand's equipment, including 'Asr' radar system.

He also announced that the construction of Fateh, a semi-heavy submarine with abundant possibilities, has ended, and the vessel is now under tests. (Ready for Christmas shopping)

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced in August that the country had gained the capability to launch production line of destroyers, and also announced plans to launch a new submarine in the near future.

"Today, the Navy has acquired the capability to launch the production line of destroyers and our project for building destroyers has started at the order of the Supreme Leader since a while ago and we are witnessing newer and more updated achievements in this project now," Sayyari told reporters in Tehran.

He said that Iran's new destroyer named Sahand is 30% more advanced than the country's first destroyer, Jamaran.

Sayyari also said that Iran would launch its new submarine, Fateh, on the Navy Day (November 28).

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

Sayyari in July announced the Iranian Navy's plans to launch one of its advanced home-made destroyers, named Damavand, in the country's territorial waters in the near future.

"Destroyer Damavand will join the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy in the near future," Sayyari told FNA.

Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes.

Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.