Kharg loss hurts Iranian pride
IRIS Kharg sank on 2 June. (Photo: Mehr News Agency)
The loss of IRIS Kharg was the latest disaster to befall the Iranian navy but there are no plans to build or buy a replacement.
IRIS Kharg, an Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) Ol-class fleet replenishment oiler, sank in the Gulf of Oman during a training mission on 2 June following an onboard fire.
A 20h firefighting effort was not enough to save the ship, the crew of which was transferred to shore before it sank. However, 33 people were injured.
The cause of the blaze remains unknown and Iranian officials are still investigating the incident.
Kharg was the only large fleet oiler available to the Iranian Navy, launched by UK shipyard Swan Hunter in 1977 for the pre-revolutionary regime in Iran. At
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![First made-in-Finland US Coast Guard Arctic Security Cutter to be delivered in 2028]()
First made-in-Finland US Coast Guard Arctic Security Cutter to be delivered in 2028
The first Arctic Security Cutter will be built by Rauma Marine Constructions to be deployed in the US Arctic waters.
-
![Is the US Navy’s Golden Fleet initiative achievable?]()
Is the US Navy’s Golden Fleet initiative achievable?
The effort to provide the US Navy with Trump-class battleships might face financial, production and doctrinal obstacles.
-
![Will the US Navy surge production for OTH-WS missile?]()
Will the US Navy surge production for OTH-WS missile?
The USN is conducting a market search seeking additional sources capable of supplying 516 units of Over the Horizon – Weapons System Encanistered Missiles.
-
![Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power]()
Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power
As an indispensable energy crossroads, the Mediterranean is at serious risk from grey zone disruption. As navies increasingly employ AI data centres, what happens when cutting-edge defence technologies rely on the very infrastructure most susceptible to hybrid tactics?
