Arvandan Shipbuilding Co., the manufacturer of these vessels, is a civilian shipyard that specializes in light passenger ferries. According to Jane's Fighting Ships, the ships in the class are yard auxiliary general (YAG), while the International Institute for Strategic Studies classifies them as transport ship (AP).[1] The U.S. Navy has variously described the class as "auxiliary patrol vessel" or "light personnel transport".
The class design is 33m (108feet) long, would have a beam of 8m (26feet) and a draft of 1.5m (04.9feet). It uses two shafts coupled with two diesel engines that provide power for a top speed of 27kn. Nasser vessels can carry 86 troops or 35 tons of supplies.
Joseph Trevithick, a fellow at GlobalSecurity.org, says the vessels seem "lightly armed", adding that it "did not necessarily mean it might not have been threatening". Trevithick also opines that they could be used as minelayers. The 2015 edition of Jane's mentions that the ships are equipped with one 12.7mm machine gun, as well as unknown electro-optic systems.
Known ships of the class include:
| Name | Hull № | Code letters | Commissioned | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | In service | ||||
| 112 | In service | ||||
| 113 | March 2011 | In service | |||
| 114 | In service | ||||
| 115 | In service | ||||
| Shahid Nasserinejad | 116 | In service | |||
| Shahid Basir | TBD | TBD | TBD | Under construction |