IRIS Kharg

History
Iran
NameKharg
NamesakeKharg Island
OperatorIslamic Republic of Iran Navy
OrderedOctober 1974
BuilderSwan Hunter, Wallsend-on-Tyne
Cost£40 million
Yard number98
Laid down27 January 1976
Launched3 February 1977
Sponsored byGholam Reza Pahlavi
Completed25 April 1980
Maiden voyage5 October 1984
Out of service2 June 2021
Refit1984; 1994; 2014–2016
HomeportBandar Abbas
Identification
FateSank on 2 June 2021 after catching fire
General characteristics
Class and typeOl-class replenishment ship
Tonnage
Displacement
  • 11,242 t (11,064 long tons) standard
  • 33,544 t (33,014 long tons) full load
Length207.15 m (679 ft 8 in)
Beam25.5 m (83 ft 8 in)
Draft9.14 m (30 ft 0 in)
Installed power2 × boilers
Propulsion
  • 2 × geared turbines, 20,040 kW (26,870 shp)
  • 1 × shaft
Speed21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph)
Complement248
Armament
  • 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm/62 gun
  • 4 × USSR 23 mm/80 guns
  • 2 × 12.7 mm machine guns
Aircraft carried3 helicopters
Aviation facilities2 hangars, 1 helipad
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Capt. Faramarz Khoshmanesh (1980s)[1]
  • Capt. Ehsan Nasir (current)[2]
Operations:
  • Iran–Iraq War (1984–1988)
  • Numbered naval groups (since 2009):
    • 3rd
    • 7th
    • 9th
    • 12th
    • 18th
    • 22nd
    • 24th
    • 27th
    • 29th
    • 54th
    • 55th
    • 59th
    • 63rd
    • 66th

IRIS Kharg (Persian: خارگ) was a modified Ol-class fleet replenishment oiler of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, named after Kharg Island. Built by Swan Hunter in the United Kingdom and launched in 1977, it was delivered to Iran in 1984. Kharg was Iran's largest naval vessel based on tonnage until the commissioning of IRIS Makran in early 2021.[3]

On 2 June 2021, Kharg caught fire and sank near the Iranian town of Jask, some 140 kilometres (87 mi) from the Strait of Hormuz, in the Gulf of Oman.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference The Globe and Mail was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Iranian Khrag Warships Visits to Indonesia Bring Peace Message and Cooperation", Mi’raj News Agency, 29 February 2020, archived from the original on 1 December 2020, retrieved 1 September 2020
  3. ^ "Iran Unveils its Largest Naval Vessel Yet – A Converted Tanker". maritime-executive.com. Maritime Executive. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.