Dena in 2023
History
Iran
Name Dena
Namesake Dena
Builder Iranian Navy's Factories, Bandar Abbas
Laid down 2012
Launched 2015
Sponsored by Ali Khamenei
Commissioned 2021
Home port Bandar-Abbas
Identification
  • Pennant number: 75
  • Code letters: EQAH
Fate Torpedoed and sunk on 4 March 2026
General characteristics
Class & type Moudge-class frigate
Displacement 1,500 tonnes
Length 95 m (311 ft 8 in)
Beam 11.1 m (36 ft 5 in) estimated
Draught 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in) estimated
Propulsion
  • 4 × 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) diesel engines
  • 4 diesel generators; 4 x 740 hp (550 kW)[1]
Speed 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement 140
Sensors &
processing systems		 Asr 3D PESA radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys		 Unknown EW
Armament
  • 1 × 76 mm DP rapid fire auto-cannon
  • 1 × Fath 40 mm AA cannon; Bofors copy
  • 4 × SSMs C-802 / Noor
  • 2 × crew-served 20 mm cannons Oerlikon
  • 2 × triple 324 mm light torpedoes
  • 4 × Sayad-2 SAMs
  • 2 × chaff dispensers
Aircraft carried 1 × Bell 212 ASW helicopter
Aviation facilities helipad

IRIS Dena (75) (Persian: ناوشکن دنا) was a Moudge-class frigate in the Southern Fleet of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy. She was named after Mount Dena, and was commissioned into the navy in 2021.

She was sunk on 4 March 2026 during the 2026 Iran war by the Los Angeles-class submarine Charlotte of the United States Navy in international waters near the southern coast of Sri Lanka.

She was the first ship to be sunk in active combat by a submarine since 1982, when the Argentine Navy cruiser ARA General Belgrano was sunk by torpedoes from the Royal Navy nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror during the Falklands War; and the first ship to be sunk by an American submarine since the Pacific theater of World War II.[a]

Description

Dena during its commissioning in 2021
Rear view of IRIS Dena

Dena was a Moudge-class frigate, described as both a destroyer and frigate by the English media, and was known as a nâvšekan (ناوشکن) in Persian, which translates to "destroyer". The ship was 94 m (308 ft 5 in)–long, 11 m (36 ft 1 in)–wide, and displaced about 1,300 to 1,500 tons. Similar to other ships of its class, it had a landing pad to host a helicopter.[4][5]

Dena was the first Iranian ship equipped with the Iranian "Bonyan 4" engines. It had four engines, each generating 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) for a total power of 20,000 hp (15,000 kW). It had a bow thruster system for increased maneuverability.[6] The ship had slightly canted sides compared to its predecessor, designed to reduce its radar signature. It was equipped with an Asr phased array radar.[5]

Armament

As per Iranian Navy Commander Hossein Khanzadi, the ship carried a significantly greater armament compared with the frigates of the same class. Dena was equipped with a vertical launching system, a first for an Iranian ship.[7] The ship was equipped with surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles. It had an armament of four Ghader anti-ship missiles, a 76 mm Fajr-27 naval gun, a 40 mm Fath-40 AA cannon, a 30 mm Kamand anti-aircraft defense cannon, two 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, and two triple 324 mm anti-submarine torpedo launchers.[5]

Service history

Dena was launched in 2015, and was commissioned into the Iran Navy in 2021.[8] In 2022–2023, Dena and IRIS Makran of the 86th naval fleet performed the 360-Degree mission around the world, a historic mission for the Iranian Navy.[9][10]

In February 2026, Dena participated at the International Fleet Review 2026 held at the Indian port of Visakhapatnam.[11] Following the Fleet Review on 18 February, the ship docked at the Indian port on 20 February. On the same day, the Commander of the Iranian Navy, Commodore Shahram Irani, who was on a visit to India for participating in various events including the Fleet Review, Indian Ocean Naval Symposium and the 2026 Milan exercise, met the Indian Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.[12]

Sinking

Main article: Sinking of IRIS Dena
Dena sinking after being torpedoed by a US submarine

On 4 March 2026, amid the 2026 Iran war, Dena transmitted a distress call at 05:08 hrs (UTC+05:30), 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) off the coast from Galle, Sri Lanka, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation by the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force.[13][14] The ship sank before the Sri Lanka Navy could reach the area.[15] The Sri Lanka Navy rescued 32 sailors, who were sent to the Galle National Hospital.[16] Later, the Sri Lanka Navy recovered the bodies of 87 sailors.

The United States confirmed on 4 March that Dena had been sunk by USS Charlotte. It fired two Mark 48 torpedoes, of which one hit Dena.[17][18][19] The ship became the first to be sunk by an American submarine since the Pacific theater of World War II.[a][20]

Notes

  1. ^ a b In 2010, South Korean corvette ROKS Cheonan was sunk near the border with North Korea. An investigation into the incident by a group of countries concluded that it was sunk by a torpedo launched by a North Korean Yeono-class midget submarine, though North Korea denied any responsibility.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ "Iranian IRIS Dena & IRIS Makran dock in Brazil despite US pressure". Army Recognition. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  2. ^ "External Impact Likely Cause of Ship Sinking". The Korea Times. 15 April 2010. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
  3. ^ "North Korea rebuffs South Korea's evidence on Cheonan attack". Christian Science Monitor. 20 May 2010. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Islamic Republic of Iran Navy". The Defense Post. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Iran's latest Mowj Class warship: IRIS Dena". H I Sutton. January 2021. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Get familiar with Iran's newest destroyer, Dena". Iran Press. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Iranian Navy to equip Dena destroyer with VLS system". Navy recognition. Archived from the original on 28 May 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  8. ^ "'Atrocity at sea': Iran warns US after strike on 'guest of India's Navy' IRIS Dena". Live Mint. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  9. ^ "Iranian flotilla returns after round-the-world cruise amid tensions with US". AA. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 12 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Iranian Navy Surface Action Group Docked in South Africa, Satellite Photos Reveal". USNI News. 6 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  11. ^ Rana, Javaria (15 February 2026). "Operation Sindoor carrier INS Vikrant, QUAD navies to feature at IFR-MILAN in Visakhapatnam". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Iran Navy Chief in India, Destroyer Docks in Vizag". Kashmir Observer. 21 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  13. ^ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (4 March 2026). "US submarine sank Iranian warship off Sri Lanka's coast, Hegseth says". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Iranian frigate sinking off Sri Lanka: foreign minister". BSS. 4 March 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  15. ^ "Iran latest: Around 140 people missing after Iranian navy ship sinks near Sri Lanka". BBC News. 4 March 2026. Archived from the original on 4 March 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Around 180 sailors were onboard the distressed Iranian naval ship 'IRIS Dena' off Galle- FM". The Morning. 4 March 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  17. ^ Cotterill, Tom; Rothwell, James (4 March 2026). "US submarine sinks Iranian warship off Sri Lanka". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  18. ^ "One dead and dozens injured as Iranian ship sinks off Sri Lanka in 'submarine attack'". The Independent. 4 March 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  19. ^ LaPorta, James; Watson, Eleanor (5 March 2026). "Torpedo that struck Iranian warship was fired by USS Charlotte, U.S. officials say". CBS News.
  20. ^ Howard Altman; Joseph Trevithick (4 March 2026). "U.S. Navy Submarine Torpedoes Iranian Frigate In Indian Ocean". The War Zone. Archived from the original on 4 March 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  • Media related to IRIS 75 Dena (ship, 2021) at Wikimedia Commons