IRGC refining speedboat ‘swarm’ doctrine to counter U.S. ships

GERTZ:

NICOSIA — The Iranian Navy has focused its combat doctrine on fast attack craft.

Officials said the Navy has developed a combat doctrine based on the use of small FACs. They said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was producing high-speed vessels for a range of operations in the Gulf.

“Speedboats proved so successful that they led to the formation of the IRGC naval force,” Iranian Defense Minister Ahmed Vahidi said. “The accomplishment also led to major changes in doctrines in different fields.”

Addressing a technology conference on Feb. 7, Vahidi said the Iranian FACs have already demonstrated their prowess in countering destroyers, aircraft carriers and other large surface vessels of the U.S. Navy. The defense minister said the Iranian speedboats also confronted U.S. submarines but did not elaborate.

Officials said IRGC has developed a so-called asymmetrical doctrine that called for a swarm of FACs to attack U.S. Navy vessels. They said many of the speedboats would be packed with explosives and ordered to ram into U.S. and Western navy targets in the Gulf.

“The issue of high-speed vessels has now turned into a crucially important topic in the world,” Vahidi said. “In the meantime, this is a very efficient, effective and low-cost operational doctrine for us.”

Western intelligence sources said IRGC developed its FAC fleet from commercial speedboats procured from the West, particularly Britain and South Africa. They said the vessels were outfitted with heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and missiles.

Vahidi said the IRGC attack vessels, first deployed in the Gulf in August, could reach a speed of 70 knots per hour. He said Iran plans to increase the speed of the FACs to as much as 100 knots per hour.

“This significant event has abundant lessons and implications in strategic, operational, tactical and industrial areas and also in research and innovation,” Vahidi said.