Iran Commissions 1st Drone Carrier Equipped With Intelligence Gathering Systems

Iran has officially commissioned its first drone carrier, Shahid Bagheri, a converted commercial container ship capable of launching drones, helicopters, and attack boats.

The vessel, which has been under development since 2022, expands the country’s naval capabilities, particularly for long-range and asymmetric warfare.

According to the Iranian media, the ship was formally inducted into service with the naval arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during a recent ceremony.

The Shahid Bagheri features a 180-meter (590-feet) flight deck equipped with a ski jump at the bow, allowing it to launch and recover drones.

The IRGC-N has commissioned the Shahid Bahman Bagheri drone carrier. It will serve a Drone carrier & a Forward Operations base. Possibly a training ship for carrier operations too

Converted from the Perarin cargo ship, its runway measures 180m & it contains 8 hangars pic.twitter.com/hnyVUUpdbL

— Iran Defense|نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران (@IranDefense) February 6, 2025

Recent footage released by Iranian authorities shows an Ababil-3 drone taking off and landing on the deck using an arresting wire system.

The drone, modified with turbojet engines, appears to be designed for short-deck operations. Iranian military officials have described the Shahid Bagheri as a “mobile naval platform” designed for operations in distant waters.

The vessel can reportedly remain at sea for extended periods and has been outfitted with various military assets, including attack boats, unmanned submarines, and fast-attack crafts.

The ship’s deck has also displayed various types of drones, including versions of Iran’s controversial Qaher 313, a stealth fighter prototype that has long been questioned by international analysts.

2 new drones derived on the Qaher-313 project were unveiled

The first, is a 60% scaled version dubbed JAS-313, which likely serves as an armed strike drone

Likely has some kind of internal bay for smaller missiles/PGMs pic.twitter.com/PDnXdhRtmv

— Iran Defense|نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران (@IranDefense) February 6, 2025

Some of these drones appear to be scaled-down models of the original design, with markings labelled “JAS-313.”

The Shahid Bagheri also carries helicopters, including American-designed Bell Model 206 and Model 212 aircraft, as well as Russian-made Mi-17 Hips.

The vessel is also equipped with anti-ship cruise missiles, self-defence weapons, and what Iranian officials claim are electronic warfare and intelligence-gathering systems. However, the extent of these capabilities remains unclear.

Military analysts believe that the Shahid Bagheri could serve multiple roles, from intelligence gathering to drone-based attacks.

The IRGC Naval Forces have released footage of their new drone-carrier ship, the IRGC Shahid Mahdavi. The ship has been seen on commercial satellite imagery and rather grainy footage before, but this is the first such footage of the deck in use by drones and helicopters. Also,… pic.twitter.com/yDQLx4VPup

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 6, 2025

While Iran’s conventional navy has previously received signals intelligence ships, the Shahid Bagheri has a new approach by leveraging drones for long-range surveillance and possible offensive operations.

The IRGC has a history of using swarming tactics with small, fast-attack, boats to threaten commercial and military vessels in the Persian Gulf.

The Shahid Bagheri could extend these tactics by deploying drones and uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) for similar asymmetric warfare tactics.

Analysts believe that while the ship may not pose a direct threat to advanced naval forces, it could be used for targeted strikes against commercial shipping or regional adversaries.

8. Another video of flight deck of the IRGCN drone carrier Shahid Bahman Bagheri.
It also shows Mohajer-6 and Homa drones.
The elevator size is small and seems only fit for Group 1 UAVs. pic.twitter.com/jeUhq0hzDZ

— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025

Despite its ambitious design, the Shahid Bagheri retains structural elements from its original container ship form, which could pose operational challenges.

Experts have pointed out that the flight deck is positioned next to the ship’s original superstructure, increasing the risk of collisions during drone landings.

The angles of flight deck design and ski jump also raise questions about the vessel’s ability to safely recover and launch larger drones.

Another photo of the Iranian JAS-313 drones onboard the IRGCN drone carrier Shahid Bahman Bagheri.
Looks like they ran out of the exhaust covers and covered the left one’s exhaust with glue tape and plastic cover. pic.twitter.com/mEqahSz8oa

— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 6, 2025

Footages are showing that at least some drones can take off and land, but the full extent of the ship’s carrier-like capabilities remains uncertain.

Analysts predict that Iran may continue to upgrade the vessel’s design and drone operations in the coming months. Iranian officials claim the vessel has a range of 22,000 nautical miles, though the figures remain unverified.

References: Reuters, TWZ