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.
The entire Israeli submarine fleet is designed and constructed by Germany’s Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW). Between 1999 and 2000, the Israeli navy commissioned three submarines of the Dolphin class named INS Dolphin, INS Livyathan, and INS Tekamah. In 2014, the Israeli Navy commissioned INS Tanin, the 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 have a speed of 20 knots when submerged. These boats are equipped with 6 single 533mm Torpedo Tubes which can fire
- UGM-84C Harpoon Block 1B Anti Ship Missiles
- Seagate (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 more than the 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 the Dolphin class, Dolphin-II is 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, the 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.
Umair Aslam is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Defense Insight. He has worked as a defense journalist reporting on military modernization programs, nuclear non-proliferation, arms control, and the South Asian Arms race.
