17 March 2013/05 Jumada l-Ula 1434/27 Esfand 1391/06 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

Iranian Navy officials say an Australian ASW (anti-submarine/ship warfare) aircraft approached an Iranian helicopter carrier and a destroyer while they were off the coast of Sri Lanka.

“The Navy’s 24th fleet of warships, comprised of Khark chopper carrier and Sabalan destroyer, which was nearing Sri Lanka’s coasts after leaving Zhangjigang port of China and crossing the line of the Equator.…The reconnaissance plane changed its flight route immediately after receiving the warships’ warning but dropped some subsurface units detection devices…..all the dropped devices were hunted skillfully and by the timely action of the Iranian Navy forces.”-Admiral Siyavash Jarreh, Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN)