Iran’s first helicopter carrier and destroyer dock in Port Sudan

Two Iranian warships, the new Bushehr helicopter carrier and the Jamaran destroyer, docked Saturday, Dec. 8 in Port Sudan. DEBKAfile: This was the Bushehr’s maiden voyage outside the Persian Gulf. The new 13,000-ton vessel carries 12 Iranian strike helicopters, a crew of 200 and has a range of 8,000 nautical miles that reaches the US coast. There are five landing spots on its decks and four parking spots, as well as SM-1 and SAM anti-air missiles and 40-mm Fath-40 AAA anti-air cannon. Tehran invested $800 million in its first helicopter carrier.