Iran says it has deployed small submarines in the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as “invisible guardians” amid the continuing crisis in relations with the United States and the collapse of a series of peace negotiations.
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Iran possesses at least 16 Ghadir-class midget submarines. Each vessel is operated by a crew of fewer than ten people and can carry either two torpedoes or two Chinese-designed C-704 anti-ship cruise missiles.
These submarines are significantly noisier than most modern underwater vessels. Their crews also have limited operational experience, while the boats themselves are known to suffer from maintenance problems.
Tehran has traditionally maintained influence in the Strait of Hormuz through missiles, drones, and the threat of using them. Analysts believe the small submarines are intended to serve a similar deterrent role.
The geography of the region, however, limits their capabilities. The Strait of Hormuz is no deeper than about 100 meters in most areas, while the Persian Gulf as a whole remains relatively shallow. That makes covert submarine operations more difficult because active sonar can detect objects even when they remain stationary.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claims the Ghadir submarines were “specifically designed” for the conditions of the Strait of Hormuz and the region’s shallow waters.
So far, Iranian submarines have not taken part in combat operations during the current war. Iran’s only fully operational conventional submarine—a Soviet-built Kilo-class vessel—was destroyed while docked at port.
The Ghadir midget submarines are far smaller, with a displacement of roughly 115 tons. By comparison, Kilo-class submarines displace more than 2,000 tons, while American Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines exceed 6,000 tons.
Such small submarines are typically intended for coastal defense, as they are unable to conduct long autonomous patrols or dive to great depths.
The Iranian Ghadir submarines are based on North Korean designs. Tehran officially announced the start of their production in 2005.
The United States and Israel have previously claimed that most of Iran’s naval fleet has been destroyed. Nevertheless, over the past week small Iranian boats twice attacked American ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said both attacks were repelled.
Despite that, commercial shipping through the strait remains heavily restricted.
Emma Salisbury of the Foreign Policy Research Institute and the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre says the main threat posed by such submarines is their potential use for laying naval mines.
According to her, Iran could also deploy them alongside fast attack boats and drones in a mass assault on American ships if the country’s leadership is willing to accept high risks for submarine crews.