Naval Systems

Ashura-class speedboat

Also known as
  • Ashoora
  • Ashura
  • Ashoura
  • Ashura I
  • Ashoora-class
  • Ashoura-class
  • MIG-G-0800
  • MIG-G-0800 Ashura
  • Ashoora small boat
  • Ashura-33
  • FB RIB-33

The Ashura-class speedboat is a small Iranian fast patrol and fast inshore attack craft family associated with the IRGC Navy's asymmetric small-boat force. Public sources describe the original Ashura/Ashoora boat as a compact glass-reinforced-plastic craft with gun, rocket, troop-carrying, and mine-capable configurations, while later Iranian reporting also applies the Ashura-class label to improved missile-capable boats.

Profile / Specs

Specifications

Hull class
Small glass-reinforced-plastic speedboat / fast inshore attack craft
Representative displacement
About 1 t for Ashura I / MIG-G-0800 in open references
Representative length
About 6.7 m for Ashura I in open references; larger Ashura-33 database entries are separate
Representative beam
About 2.3 m for Ashura I / MIG-G-0800 in open references
Representative draft
About 0.4 m to 0.6 m depending on source
Representative crew
About 4 for MIG-G-0800 Ashura in open references
Propulsion
Outboard-powered small-boat arrangement; open references vary on exact engine description
Representative armament
Heavy machine gun, 107 mm rocket launcher / multiple rocket launcher, ZU-23-2 cannon in some references, or mine rails depending on configuration
Mine capability
DIA reporting notes Ashoora small boats with mine rails capable of holding at least one mine
Reported missile fit
Tasnim and Mehr report later Ashura-class boats armed with Kowsar missiles
Role
Fast patrol, harassment, swarm support, troop movement, limited mine laying, and later missile-capable small-boat roles
Small-Boat Role

The public record treats Ashura/Ashoora less as a single standardized combatant and more as a small-boat family inside Iran's asymmetric naval posture. The sources support compact hulls, light weapons, mine rails, and later missile-capable delivery claims, but they do not directly identify an Ashura-class boat in a specific cataloged conflict.

Inventory context

DIA and ONI describe Iranian naval small craft as part of an IRGC Navy approach built around speed, numbers, mines, missiles, and harassment in constrained waters.

Evidence boundary

The boat is kept as a relationship-only support record because checked sources did not tie Ashura/Ashoora directly to a specific catalog conflict row.

Sources: Iran Military Power; Iran's Naval Forces; Iran's Asymmetric Naval Warfare.

Variants

Open sources use Ashura, Ashoora, and Ashoura for the original small MIG-G-0800 boat, while later Iranian reporting also applies Ashura-class to improved missile-capable boats. Ashura-33 / FB RIB-33 appears in database sources as a related larger designation rather than a proven match for the original Ashura I.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Ashura I / MIG-G-0800Original small monohull speedboat

Wikimedia Commons and CMANO identify the compact Ashura I / MIG-G-0800 as a glass-reinforced-plastic, Boston Whaler-type Iranian boat.

Sources: Ashura monohull Commons category, MIG-G-0800 Ashura database entry

Gun, rocket, and mine configurationsField configurations

Washington Institute, CSIS, and DIA sources describe Ashura/Ashoora boats with heavy machine guns, multiple rocket launchers, and mine-carrying or mine-laying arrangements.

Sources: Iran's Asymmetric Naval Warfare, The Iranian Sea-Air-Missile Threat to Gulf Shipping, Iran Military Power

Improved Ashura-class boatsLater missile-capable delivery batches

Radio Farda reported improved Ashura boats among the 2020 IRGC Navy delivery, and Tasnim-linked reporting later described 110 Ashura-class missile-launching speedboats entering IRGC Navy service.

Sources: More Than 100 Gunboats Delivered To Revolutionary Guard's Navy, Iran: 110 Combat Speedboats Delivered To IRGC Navy

Ashura-33 / FB RIB-33Related larger designation

CMANO lists MIG-G-0800 Ashura 33 / FB RIB-33 separately with larger dimensions and 107 mm rocket armament, so this page treats it as an adjacent designation rather than a confirmed duplicate of Ashura I.

Sources: MIG-G-0800 Ashura 33 database entry

Carried Mines

The clearest sourced loadout relationship is the Ashoora mine-rail fit described in U.S. defense reporting.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Iranian naval mines, Naval mine family, MunitionsIranian naval minesNaval mine family

DIA says many Ashoora small boats were fitted with mine rails capable of holding at least one mine.

Sources: Iran Military Power

Carried Missiles

Iranian reporting says later Ashura-class boats entered service with Kowsar missiles.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Kowsar cruise anti-ship missile, Anti-ship cruise missile family, MunitionsKowsar cruise anti-ship missileAnti-ship cruise missile family

Tasnim and Mehr reported Ashura-class boats armed with Kowsar missiles during the January 2024 IRGC Navy delivery ceremony.

Sources: Tasnim IRGC Navy speedboats report, Mehr IRGC Navy speedboats report

Timeline

Ashura-class speedboat Key Events

  1. Ashura mine-laying role described

    Washington Institute reporting says small Iranian Ashura-class mine-laying boats often escaped detection during late Tanker War-era Gulf hostilities.

    Sources: Iran's Asymmetric Naval Warfare

  2. Asymmetric naval warfare study details the boat

    Fariborz Haghshenass described the fiberglass Ashura motorboat as a numerous IRGC Navy craft able to carry a heavy machine gun, multiple rocket launcher, or single contact mine.

    Sources: Iran's Asymmetric Naval Warfare

  3. Improved Ashura-class boats delivered

    Radio Farda reported that a Bandar Abbas delivery of more than 100 new IRGC Navy gunboats included improved Ashura, Tareq, and Zolfaghar versions.

    Sources: More Than 100 Gunboats Delivered To Revolutionary Guard's Navy

  4. Missile-launching Ashura-class batch reported

    Tasnim reporting republished by Eurasia Review said 110 Ashura-class speedboats joined the IRGC Navy and could fire missiles and rockets.

    Sources: Iran: 110 Combat Speedboats Delivered To IRGC Navy

  5. Kowsar missile integration reported

    Tasnim quoted the IRGC Navy commander saying Tareq-class and Ashura-class boats had been armed with Kowsar missiles and paired with 3-D radars.

    Sources: Tasnim IRGC Navy speedboats report

Media

Ashura-class speedboat Images

Related Weapon Systems
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Sources