Iranian frigate Alvand

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Career (Iran)
A port view of the Iranian frigate Alvand
Name:	IRIS Alvand
Operator:	Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
Ordered:	1960
Builder:	Vosper Thornycroft
Laid down:	1968
Launched:	1968
In service:	1971
Renamed:	1980
Reinstated:	1990
Homeport:	Bandar-Abbas
Status:	In service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Alvand (SAAM) class frigate Vosper Mk 5
Displacement:	1,100 tons (1,540 tons full load)
Length:	94.5 m (310 feet)
Beam:	11.07 m (36 feet)
Draught:	3.25 m (10.5 feet)
Propulsion:	2 shafts, 2 Paxman Ventura cruising diesels, 3,800 bhp, 17 knots 2 Rolls Royce Olympus TM-3A boost gas turbines, 46,000 shp, 39 knots
Speed:	39 knots max
Range:	5,000 nm at 15 knots
Complement:	125-146
Armament:	4 x C-802 anti-ship missiles 1 × 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mark 8 gun 1 x twin 20 mm AAA, 2 x single 20 mm AAA 2 × 81 mm mortars 2 × 0.50cal machine guns 1 x Limbo ASW mortar 2 x triple 12.75 in torpedo tubes

Iranian frigate Alvand (Persian: الوند), a British-made Vosper Mark V class frigate (also known as Alvand class frigate), was commissioned in 1971 as part of a four-ship order and is the lead ship of the class and flagship of the Iranian Navy.

The ship was originally called Saam, named after the Saam class (which is named after Sām, a mythical hero of ancient Persia, and an important character in the Shahnameh) as it was the lead-ship. But after the Islamic Revolution the class was renamed to Alvand class, after the Alvand mountain-chain and so this ship, being the lead ship was renamed Alvand.

The ship is rareley seen outside the Persian Gulf nowadays, although it did join the Indian Navy's 'Bridges of Friendship', held in Bombay on February 17, 2001 to celebrate India's 50th anniversary as republic where in 60 Indian vessels and 24 foreign vessels (including the Alvand) participated. The Alvand appeared to be in good state despite being thirty years old.^[1]