IRIS Dena
The IRIS Dena was an Iranian warship, sunk on March 4, 2026.[1] American military forces attacked Iran in early March, killing its leader, and many other senior figures.
The Dena and IRIS Macron circumnavigated Planet Earth in 2022.[2]
The Dena was a modern vessel, equipped with both anti-air and antiship missiles.[1] She had a landing deck, for drones and helicopters, and could launch fast attack boats.
A single Mark 48 torpedo from the USN submarine USS Charlotte sank her.[1][3] The sinking was the first by a USN submarine since World War 2.[2] A ship from the Sri Lankan Navy rescued less than half her crew.[4]
Dena was launched in 2021.[2]
After her sinking there was an international debate as to whether the sinking was in breach of the laws of war.[5][6]
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "US Submarine Strike That Broke Iran's Naval Fleet: A Strategic Breakdown". AiTelly via YouTube. 2026-03-06. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2
"Why IRIS Dena was a 'sitting duck' for the Mk 48 torpedo ?". Defense Updates via YouTube. 2026-03-05. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
It represents the first confirmed instance of an American submarine destroying a surface warship since World War II. It is also the first such submarine attack anywhere in the world since 1982, when the HMS Conqueror of the Royal Navy torpedoed and sank the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War.
- ↑
"Iran's Sunken Frigate: What it Means For the Conflict". Warship Design via YouTube. 2026-03-05. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
IRIS Dena was a modern Moudge class frigate of the Iranian navy - but in March 2026 she was hunted down and destroyed at sea by the American submarine USS Charlotte. In the broader context of the developing conflict it can be hard to understand just what this means - and what the current state of Iran's navy actually is. Today we'll examine Dena and her fleetmate, what they're actually capable of and what their loss means for a nation that is being attacked relentlessly by a much more powerful force.
- ↑
Andrew Chang (2026-03-04). "The U.S. torpedoes an Iranian warship". CBC News via YouTube. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
Andrew Chang explains the U.S. torpedo attack that sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka.
- ↑
"'Iran Win…Without Mercy': Did the US Commit War Crime in Indian Ocean?". Times Now. 2026-03-05. Archived from the original on 2026-03-05. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
The US submarine did not search for survivors. It departed the area. The rescue of 32 critically injured sailors from 180 aboard fell entirely to the small Sri Lankan Navy, which did its best in that scenario to rescue sailors after receiving a distress signal at 5:08 a.m.
- ↑
"War Crimes in Iran". Legal Eagle via YouTube. 2026-03-15. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
Did the Trump Administration commit War Crimes in Iran?