View source for Moudge-class frigate

{{Short description|Class of Iranian light frigates}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image =
| Ship caption = IRIS Deylaman
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = ''Moudge''
| Builders = *[[Iranian Navy's Factories]]
*[[Marine Industries Organization]]
| Operators = {{naval|Iran}}
| Class before = {{sclass|Alvand|frigate|4}}
| Class after = 
| Subclasses = 
| Cost = 
| Built range = 2001–present
| In service range = 2010–present
| In commission range = 
| Total ships building = 1
| Total ships planned = 7
| Total ships completed = 6
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 5
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 2
| Total ships retired = 
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Ship type = [[Frigate]]
| Ship displacement = 1,500 tonnes<ref name="Jamaran frigate">{{cite news|publisher=[[Defense Industries Organization]] |title=Jamaran frigate |url=http://www.diomil.ir/images/Product/mig/Specifications/sina.jpg |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717150914/http://www.diomil.ir/images/Product/mig/Specifications/sina.jpg |archive-date=July 17, 2007 }}</ref>
| Ship length = {{convert|95|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Jamaran frigate"/>
| Ship beam = {{convert|11.1|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Jamaran frigate"/>
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = {{convert|3.25|m|ft|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Jamaran frigate"/>
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = *2 × {{convert|10,000|hp|abbr=on}} engines
*4 × {{convert|550|kW|hp|abbr=on|order=flip}} diesel generators<ref name="Modge frigate">{{cite news|publisher=[[Defense Industries Organization]] |title=Modge frigate |url=http://www.diomil.ir/images/Product/mig/Specifications/sina.jpg |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717150914/http://www.diomil.ir/images/Product/mig/Specifications/sina.jpg |archive-date=July 17, 2007 }}</ref>
| Ship speed = {{convert|30|kn|km/h|1}}<ref name="Modge frigate"/>
| Ship range = 
| Ship complement = 140
| Ship time to activate = 
| Ship sensors = [[Asr (radar)|Asr]] 3D PESA long-range Radar
| Ship EW = *2 × 8 tube chaff launcher
| Ship armament = *'''Naval guns'''
**1 × 76 mm [[Fajr-27]] naval gun
**1 × 40 mm [[Fath (cannon)|Fath-40]] AAA or 1 × 30mm Kamand [[close-in weapon system|CIWS]]
**2 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm cannons Oerlikon]]
**2 × 12.7 mm heavy machine guns
*'''Surface to air missiles'''
**4 × [[Mehrab (missile)|Mehrab]] [[Surface-to-air missile|SAM]], a naval version of the [[Sayyad-2]] or 4 × [[Sayyad-2|Sayyad-3]] SAM
*'''Surface to Surface missile'''
**4 × [[Noor (missile)|Noor]] or [[Qader (missile)|Qader]] anti-ship missiles (Some ships are equipped with 8 anti-ship missiles)
*'''Anti-submarine warfare'''
**2 × triple 324 mm torpedoes
| Ship armour = 
| Ship aircraft = 1 × [[Bell 214]] [[Anti-submarine warfare|ASW]] helicopter
| Ship aircraft facilities = Helicopter landing pad
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Moudge''''' or '''''Mowj''''' or Moj ({{langx|fa|موج|lit=wave}}) is a [[Ship class|class]] of domestically-produced [[Iran]]ian light [[frigates]].

== History ==
A ''Moudge''-class ship was first reported to be under construction in 2001.<ref name="Silverstone 2001 346">{{citation|first=Paul H.|last=Silverstone|title=Naval Intelligence|journal=Warship International|publisher=International Naval Research Organization|volume=38|number=4|date=2001|page=346|jstor=44895663}}</ref> ''Warship International'' wrote in 2008 that four ships of this class were under construction: ''Mowj'' (376) launched on 22 February 2007, ''Jamaran'' (377) launched on 28 November 2007, as well as ''Azarakhsh'' (378) and ''Tondar'' (379).<ref name="Silverstone 2008 13–14">{{citation|first=Paul H.|last=Silverstone|title=Naval Intelligence|journal=Warship International|publisher=International Naval Research Organization|volume=45|number=1|date=2008|pages=13–14 |jstor=44895054}}</ref>

The first ship, ''Jamaran'' is said to be completed and is stationed in the port of [[Bandar Abbas]]. ''Damavand'' is the second ship in this class.<ref name="Modge2">{{cite web |publisher=Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) |url=http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-882301 |title=Destroyer production line inaugurated in Iran (Wave II) |date=23 February 2007 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207125140/http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-882301 |archive-date=7 February 2012 }}</ref> According to OSGEOINT, ''Damavand'' was constructed at the Shahid Tamjidi Marine Industries (STMI) fabrication shop on the Caspian Sea at [[Bandar-e Anzali]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher=OSGEOINT |url=http://osgeoint.blogspot.com/2012/01/correction-on-iran-submarine.html |title=The Second Moje Class Frigate at Shahid Tamjidi Marine Industries |date=26 January 2012|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The frigate was launched in March 2013.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

''Damavand'', based out of Bandar-Anzali on the Caspian Sea, ran aground on a concrete breakwater in the vicinity of its home port on 10 January 2018. It is believed probable that the incident was the result of navigational error, affected by a strong storm in the area, which created high wave heights and low visibility in the area. During the incident, six members of the ship's crew fell overboard. Four of those crew members were later rescued, and two were considered missing by media sources. The Iranian Navy declined to confirm the reporting. There has been little information released in reference to the cause of the grounding, with the exception of statements of wave height and visibility caused by the storm at the time of the grounding.

''Damavand'' is currently listed as actively commissioned. Photos from 2018 show that the ship's hull has broken apart near the waterline approximately at the start of the ship's aircraft deck.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.maritimeherald.com/2018/destroyer-navy-iran-flew-breakwater-caspian-sea/ |title=Destroyer of the Navy of Iran Flew into a Breakwater in the Caspian Sea &#124; Maritime Herald |access-date=2018-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131210513/http://www.maritimeherald.com/2018/destroyer-navy-iran-flew-breakwater-caspian-sea/ |archive-date=2018-01-31 |url-status = live}}</ref>

Iranian Navy commissioned ''Dena'' with a ceremony held in Bandar Abbas on 14 June 2021.<ref name="Archus">{{Cite web|last=Archus|first=Dorian|title=Iran commissions indigenous destroyer "Dena" and minehunter "Shahin" - Naval Post|date=15 June 2021 |url=https://navalpost.com/iran-commissions-destroyer-and-mcm-vessel/|access-date=2021-06-15|language=en-US}}</ref>

Future units of the Modge class are set to be equipped with the [[Sayyad-2]] anti-aircraft missiles.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iran Mulling Change in Sayyad Missiles to Mount It on Mowj-Class Vessels |url=http://english.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13921107000722 |work=Fars News Agency |date=27 January 2014 |access-date=28 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630150457/http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921107000722 |archive-date=30 June 2015 |url-status = live}}</ref>

During construction, frigate ''Talaiyeh'' suddenly capsized while in dry dock. Killing one Navy personnel, no official reports have been released by the Iranian authorities.

Whilst in port at Bandas Abbas ''Sahand'' capsized on the 7 July 2024 before sinking on 9 July.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=Reuters |title=Iranian warship Sahand entirely sinks despite rebalancing efforts |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/world/iranian-warship-sahand-entirely-sinks-despite-rebalancing-efforts-3098335 |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref> 

==Classification==
Iran officially classifies these ships as [[destroyer]]s, but this is rejected by most navies internationally.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/article/iran-warship-navy-caspian-sea-79164ae32aa090a1579e74f595e7962f | title=Iran adds a sophisticated warship to its Caspian Sea fleet | website=[[Associated Press News]] | date=27 November 2023 }}</ref> Alternatively, they have also been described as [[destroyer escort]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.php?ship_id=IRIN-Jamaran-76 | title=IRIN Jamaran (76) Guided Missile Frigate / Destroyer Escort }}</ref>

Sources differ in specifying the type of the class, either as light [[frigate]] or [[corvette]].<ref>{{citation|first=Anthony|last=Cordesman|editor-first1=Joachim|editor-last1=Krause|editor-first2=Sebastian|editor-last2=Bruns|title=Routledge Handbook of Naval Strategy and Security|chapter=The Gulf: How Dangerous is Iran to International Maritime Security?|isbn=9781138840935|date=2016|publisher=Routledge|page=107}}</ref>

''[[Jane's Fighting Ships]]'' classifies the class as FFG of frigate<ref name="J2015"/> while the ''Military Balance'' of the [[International Institute of Strategic Studies]] (IISS), designates the ships in the class as FSGM or corvette.<ref>{{cite book|author=The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS)|title=The Military Balance 2020|year=2020|publisher=Routledge|chapter=Middle East and North Africa|volume=120|number=1|isbn=9780367466398|doi=10.1080/04597222.2020.1707968|page=350|s2cid=219624897 }}</ref>

==Ships in the class==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ship
! [[Pennant number|Pennant<br />number]]
! Shipyard
! [[Keel laying|Laid down]]
! [[Ceremonial ship launching|Launched]]
! [[Ship commissioning|Commissioned]]
! Status
|-
|style="text-align:left|{{ship|IRIS|Jamaran|76|2}}
| 76
| [[Iranian Navy's Factories|Naval Factories]], [[Bandar Abbas]]
| 2001<ref name="Silverstone 2001 346"/> or 2004<ref name="J2015">{{citation|editor1-last= Saunders|editor1-first=Stephen|editor2-last=Philpott|editor2-first=Tom|chapter=Iran|title=IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015–2016|publisher =IHS Jane's|location=Coulsdon|date=2015|edition=116th Revised|series=[[Jane's Fighting Ships]]|isbn=9780710631435|oclc=919022075|ref={{harvid|Jane's Fighting Ships|2015–2016}}|page=385}}</ref>
| 28 November 2007<ref>{{citation|first=Paul H.|last=Silverstone|title=Naval Intelligence|journal=Warship International|publisher=International Naval Research Organization|volume=44|number=3|date=2007|page=227|jstor=44895166}}</ref>
| 19 February 2010<ref name="J2015"/>
| In active service
|-
|style="text-align:left|{{ship|IRIS|Damavand|77|2}}
| 77
| [[Marine Industries Organization|Shahid Tamjidi]], [[Bandar-e Anzali|Bandar Anzali]]
| 2009<ref name="J2015"/>
| 28 November 2007<ref name="Silverstone 2008 13–14"/> 
| 9 March 2015<ref>{{citation|first=Paul H.|last=Silverstone|title=Naval Intelligence|journal=Warship International|publisher=International Naval Research Organization|volume=52|number=3|date=September 2015|page=188|jstor=44894486}}</ref> 
| Sunk during storm in the Caspian Sea on January 28, 2018 and scrapped, replacement vessel ''Deylaman'' was constructed.
|-
|style="text-align:left|{{ship|IRIS|Sahand|2012|2}}
| 74
| [[Iranian Navy's Factories|Naval Factories]], [[Bandar Abbas]]
| 2010<ref name="J2015"/>
| 18 September 2012<ref>{{citation|first=Paul H.|last=Silverstone|title=Naval Intelligence|journal=Warship International|publisher=International Naval Research Organization|volume=50|number=1|date=March 2013|page=14|jstor=44893820}}</ref>
| 1 December 2018<ref>{{citation|title=Iran navy launches stealth warship in the Gulf|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-military-destroyer/iran-navy-launches-stealth-warship-in-the-gulf-idUSKCN1O033N|editor-first=Louise|editor-last=Heavens|work=Reuters|date=1 December 2018}}</ref>
| Sunk on 9 July 2024 before pulling out of water on 22 July and now under repair
|-
|style="text-align:left|{{ship|IRIS|Dena| |2}}
| 75
| [[Marine Industries Organization|Shahid Darvishi]], [[Bandar Abbas]]
| 2012<ref name="J2015"/>
| 2015<ref name="J2015"/>
| 13 June 2021<ref name="Archus"/>
| In active service
|-
|style="text-align:left|{{ship|IRIS|Deylaman| |2}}
| 78
| [[Marine Industries Organization|Shahid Tamjidi]], [[Bandar-e Anzali|Bandar Anzali]]
| 2017
| {{unknown}}
| 27 November 2023<ref>{{cite web | title=Iran's New Destroyer Goes in Service in Caspian Sea | website=Tasnim News Agency | date=2023-11-27 | url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/11/27/2996087/iran-s-new-destroyer-goes-in-service-in-caspian-sea | ref={{sfnref | Tasnim News Agency | 2023}} | access-date=2023-11-28}}</ref>
|| Replacement vessel instead of ''Damavand'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=ناو جدید "دماوند" به‌زودی به نیروی دریایی ارتش الحاق می‌شود- اخبار نظامی {{!}} دفاعی {{!}} امنیتی - اخبار سیاسی تسنیم {{!}} Tasnim |url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1402/04/10/2918835/ناو-جدید-دماوند-به-زودی-به-نیروی-دریایی-ارتش-الحاق-می-شود |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=خبرگزاری تسنیم {{!}} Tasnim |language=fa}}</ref> in active service.
|-
| style="text-align:left" |Zagros (ex-''Talaieh'')
|313
| [[Iranian Navy's Factories|Naval Factories]], [[Bandar Abbas]]
| 2013<ref name="J2015" />
| 2016<ref name="J2015" />
| 15 January 2025<ref>{{Cite news |title=Iran's navy unveils its first signals intelligence ship |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-navy-unveils-its-first-signals-intelligence-ship-2025-01-15/}}</ref>
|In active service
|-
| style="text-align:left" |{{ship|IRIS|Taftan| |2}}
| TBA
| [[Marine Industries Organization|Shahid Darvishi]], [[Bandar Abbas]]
| 2014<ref name="J2015" />
| 2017<ref name="J2015" />
| {{unknown}}
| Under construction<ref name="Mehr">{{citation|title=Iranian navy building 3 new destroyers: Sayyari|url=https://en.mehrnews.com/news/150535/Iranian-navy-building-3-new-destroyers-Sayyari|date=27 September 2019|access-date=15 July 2020|id=150535|work=Mehr News Agency}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Iran}}
* [[List of frigates of Iran]]
* [[List of frigate classes]]
* [[List of naval ship classes of Iran]]
* [[List of naval ship classes in service]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Mouge class frigate}}

{{Ship classes of the Iranian Navy}}
{{Weapons of Iran}}
{{Frigates of Iran}}

[[Category:Frigate classes]]
[[Category:Moudge-class frigates| ]]
[[Category:Ship classes of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy]]