Iran on Thursday unveiled the Shahid Bagheri, the nation’s first drone-carrier warship.

According to a report in the Islamic Republic News Agency, the vessel comes equipped with a 180-meter runway for the hundreds of drones it will carry. The ship can also hold helicopters and fire cruise missiles.

Iran says the ship can travel up to 22,000 nautical miles without needing to refuel. At the unveiling ceremony, Gen. Hossein Salami said the ship can travel “independently” for up to a year, greatly improving Iran’s naval capabilities.

Iranian Rear Adm. Alireza Tangsiri said the ship was converted from a commercial vessel, a process that took two years. He noted that the ship contains numerous nonmilitary facilities, including exercise space and medical facilities.

Maj. Gen. Mohammad Baqeri said the ship constitutes a major step forward for Iranian naval manufacturing, asserting that most of Iran’s military technology is produced domestically.

Before the Islamic Revolution in the late 1970s, almost all of Iran’s military equipment was imported. The nation embarked on a military self-sufficiency effort in the 1990s and has since produced its line of drones and missiles.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.