MNA � Chief of the Iranian Defense Ministry�s Marine Industries Organization highlighted Iran's progress in the field of marine equipment, saying that the Defense Ministry is planning to expand its homegrown destroyer and submarine flotilla.

�The design and development of a new destroyer and a kilo-class submarine have been put on the agenda in line with the plans to boost the country�s marine defense power,� Rear Admiral Rastegari told Mehr News Agency on Thursday.

Highlighting the vital role the marine industries and the naval forces play in the defending the country, which is linked to the free waters, the military chief note that the Defense Ministry has geared up to become self-sufficient in this field by developing different strategic marine equipment, such as new propulsion systems, gasoline and diesel engines, power transmission systems, and monitoring systems.

�Destroyers and giant submarines will become a big part of the Iranian Navy�s flotilla in the near future,� Rastegari said.

According to earlier reports, Iran is planning to design and manufacture a supergiant submarine weighing 3,200 tons, in a bid to enhance the country�s marine defense power.

The country has made considerable progress in the field of marine vessels, especially in the design and manufacture of submarines and destroyers.

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

Iran started producing submarines in 2003, and now has achieved the know-how to build modern vessels. The fully-domestic Ghadir-class and Fateh submarines, among several other vessels, have been manufactured by domestic experts.