Iran unveils new domestically manufactured hovercraft
During a ceremony held in Tehran on Monday, Iran unveiled a new hovercraft, named the Tondar (Thunder), which has been designed and manufactured by experts at the Defense Ministry, Tehran Times reports.
Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi attended the ceremony and briefed reporters on the features of the hovercraft, which can be used in various types of missions carried out by the country’s armed forces.
According to Vahidi, the Tondar hovercraft, which has been equipped with special systems of gathering information, can be used to patrol the country’s coastal waters, carry out medium-range reconnaissance missions on land and sea, conduct defensive asymmetric operations, and transport troops and equipment.
He also said that the ability to pass through difficult flat terrains such as swampy, boggy, and sandy regions is one of the significant features of the hovercraft.
He went on to say that various types of domestically designed weapons and guns such as rocket launchers and cannons can be installed on the hovercraft.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Vahidi said that mass production of the hovercraft will increase the mobility and operational capabilities of Iranian naval forces.
In addition, he said that through completing the project to manufacture the hovercraft, the experts at the Defense Ministry not only managed to build an indigenous combat vehicle but also improved the technology of domestically designed mechanical, hydraulic, and electronic systems.