Hamzeh-class_corvette
Hamzeh (Persian: حمزه) is a corvette serving in the Northern Fleet of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy. It was originally named Chahsavar and was built as the royal yacht of Reza Shah, before being converted into a warship.
Hamzeh in 2018 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Imperial State of Iran | |
| Name | Chahsavar |
| Namesake | Shahsavar |
| Ordered | 9 December 1935 |
| Builder | N.V. Boele's Scheepswerven & Machinefabriek, Bolnes |
| Laid down | 18 January 1936 |
| Launched | 17 June 1936 |
| In service | 1936–1979 |
| Refit | 1956 |
| Homeport | Bandar Pahlavi |
 Iran | |
| Name | Hamzeh |
| Namesake | Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib |
| Operator | Islamic Republic of Iran Navy |
| Recommissioned | 1998 |
| Reclassified | Turned into warship |
| Identification |
|
| Status | In active service |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Yacht |
| Displacement | 530 tons |
| Length | 53.7 m (176 ft 2 in) |
| Beam | 7.7 m (25 ft 3 in) |
| Draft | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power | 2 × Stork diesel engines, 1,300 brake horsepower (0.97 MW) |
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| General characteristics (after reconstruction) | |
| Type | Corvette |
| Sensors and processing systems | Active radar homing to 120 kilometres (65 nmi) at 0.9 Mach |
| Armament |
|
Chahsavar was noted for its special design and considered among the most luxurious yachts in the world.[1]
Dimensions and machinery
The ship Chahsavar was 161 feet (49 m) long at the waterline, and 177 feet (54 m) overall.[1] She had a beam of 25 feet 5 inches (7.75 m), and a depth of 16 feet 4 inches (4.98 m) while her draught was 10 feet 6 inches (3.20 m).[1] She was equipped with two seven-cylinder two-stroke cycle single-acting diesel engines, provided by Gebr. Stork, of Hengelo.[1] This system was designed to provide 1,300 brake horsepower (0.97 MW) for a top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h) at 340 r.p.m.[1] Additionally, she was fitted with a hoist provided by The American Engineering Company.[2]
Reconstruction
The ship was refitted in 1956 by Cantiere navale del Muggiano.[3]
After reconstruction, Hamzeh is classified as a corvette.[4][5][6] It has also been variously described as a training ship,[7] a miscellaneous auxiliary ship (AG)[8] or a patrol craft (PBO).[9]
Hamzeh rejoined the Iranian fleet in January 1998.[10]
- "Shah's yacht launched", Shipbuilding & Shipping Record, 47, London: 845, 25 June 1936
- "Royalty Purchases A-E-CO Equipment", Motorboating, LIX (9): 99, September 1937
- Sharpe, Richard, ed. (1989–1990), Jane's Fighting Ships, Jane's Yearbooks, p. 280, ISBN 978-0710608864
- Pryce, Paul (26 November 2013), "Corvettes of the Persian Gulf: A Strategic Survey", Center for International Maritime Security, retrieved 1 August 2020
- Cordesman, Anthony H.; Lin, Aaron (February 2015), The Iranian Sea-Air-Missile Threat to Gulf Shipping (PDF), Center for Strategic and International Studies, p. 105, ISBN 978-1-4422-4077-3
- Iranian Naval Forces: A Tale of Two Navies (PDF), Office of Naval Intelligence, February 2017, p. 34, ISBN 978-0160939686
- The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) (2020). "Middle East and North Africa". The Military Balance 2020. Vol. 120. Routledge. p. 351. doi:10.1080/04597222.2020.1707968. ISBN 9780367466398.
- Saunders, Stephen; Philpott, Tom, eds. (2015), "Iran", IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015–2016, Jane's Fighting Ships (116th Revised ed.), Coulsdon: IHS Jane's, p. 392, ISBN 9780710631435, OCLC 919022075
- Ascher, William; Mirovitskaya, Natalia (2000), The Caspian Sea: A Quest for Environmental Security, Springer, pp. 121–122, ISBN 9780792362197