Israeli Submarine Fleet comprises 6 attack submarines. Israeli Navy is operating 3 German Dolphin-class and 3 Dolphin-II class submarines. All are acquired from Germany.
Entire Israeli submarine fleet is designed aand constructed by Germany’s Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW). Between 1999 and 2000, Israeli navy commissioned three submarines of Dolphin class named as INS Dolhpin, INS Livyathan and INS Tekumah. In 2014, Israeli Navy commissioned INS Tanin, first submarine of Dolphin-II class.
Dolphin
Israeli Navy is operating three submarines of this class. Dolphin-class submarines are 57.3 meters long with a 6.8-meter-wide beam and has a speed of 20 knots when submerged. This ships are equipped with 6 single 533mm Torpedo Tubes which can fire
- UGM-84C Harpoon Block 1B Anti Ship Missiles
- SeaHake (DM2A3) Heavy Weight Torpedoes
- SeaHake mod 4 (DM2A4) Heavy Weight Torpedoes.
Dolphin class submarines are also equipped with 4 single 650mm Torpedo Tubes capable of firing dual-capable Land Attack Cruise Missiles.
Read More: Indian Navy Submarine: INS Vela (S 24)
Dolphin-II
Dolphin-II class submarines are similar to older dolphin class submarines but much than previous class. The Dolphin-II-class submarines are capable of reaching a top speed of 25 knots (46.3 km/h) when submerged.
These submarines are equipped with 6 single 533mm Torpedo Tubes capable of firing
- UGM-84C Harpoon Block 1B AShM
- SeaHake (DM2A3) Heavy Weight Torpedoes
- SeaHake mod 4 (DM2A4) Heavy Weight Torpedoes
- Kaved Heavy Weight Torpedoes,
Similar to Dolphin class, Dolphin-II are also equipped with 4 single 650mm Torpedo Tubes which can launch Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDVs), and dual-capable Land Attack Cruise Missiles.
As per Naval News, Latest boat of Dolphin-II could be equipped with Vertical Launch System (VLS).
If correct, the Israeli submarine is only the second modern AIP equipped submarine in the world designed with this capability.
