Iran's Sahand frigate sinks, revealing navy's critical flaws

The Iranian Navy has faced significant challenges over the past decade, exemplified by the sinking of the Sahand frigate on July 7, 2024, while it was undergoing repairs in a port near Bandar Abbas. This incident marks the latest in a series of accidents, including the sinking of the Damavand in 2018 and the Talayieh in 2021, pointing to serious deficiencies in the operational readiness and engineering capabilities of the navy. Online images of the capsized Sahand showed it largely underwater and colliding with civilian vessels in the area, stirring concerns over not just the incident but the broader implications for Iran's naval operations. Evidence suggests that the Mowj-class frigate program, from which the Sahand originates, has continually struggled with slow production and inadequate outfitting. Despite analysts believing that the frigate can be salvaged, restoring it to full operational status presents numerous challenges for Iranian authorities. The construction and outfitting issues faced by these naval vessels are compounded by international sanctions that restrict access to advanced technology, forcing Iran to rely on domestically produced or reverse-engineered systems that are often less reliable. Multiple disastrous incidents have marred the Iranian Navy's reputation, raising questions about crew training, maintenance practices, and overall quality control. The Mowj-class frigates are derived from the British-designed Vosper Mk 5 and embody various upgrades such as enhanced radar, sonar, and electronic warfare systems. However, the evident deficiencies have underscored the navy's inadequacies as Iran grapples with the reality of potential naval confrontations against global powers such as the United States and Israel. As regional tensions remain high, the Iranian Navy's history of accidents serves to weaken its perceived threat level. While policymakers in the West have sounded alarms about Iran's military capabilities, the ongoing reliability issues and operational failures reveal a military struggling to assert itself effectively. The Sahand incident exemplifies these struggles, emphasizing the need for substantial military reform and better training if the Iranian navy seeks to have any credible deterrent against external threats.