MNA – Iran’s Ministry of Defense plans to design and develop kilo-class submarines weighing over 3,000 tons.

According to Fars News Agency, Iran’s military forces are set to manufacture a supergiant submarine weighing 3,200 tons, in a bid to enhance the country’s marine defense power.

The envisaged vessel will be 87 meters in length and will have a beam of 10 meters.

Earlier in November, Commander of Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, said Iran ranks first among Persian Gulf littoral states in producing marine equipment.

Noting that the Navy of the Islamic Republic's Army has become fully self-sufficient in terms of domestically producing surface vessels and submarines, the general said Iran started producing submarines in 2003, and has now achieved the know-how to build modern vessels.

The fully-domestic Ghadir-class submarine, weighing 150 tons is now operating in the Navy’s fleet.

Another domestically-made submarine, Fateh, will also join the Iranian Navy’s fleet next month.

Fateh (Conqueror) is a 100% domestically-manufactured submarine. The 600-ton Fateh is among semi-heavy submarines and is equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry such as torpedoes and naval mines. It can operate more than 200 meters below the sea surface for near five weeks, according to Navy officials.