Defense officials push to expand Israel's submarine fleet as Turkey continues naval buildup
The report follows a send-off ceremony in late August for the Israel's newest submarine, attended by Israel Navy Chief V.-Adm. Eyal Harel and German Naval Chief V.-Adm. Jan Christian Kaack.
Israel's defense officials are advocating for an expansion of the country's submarine fleet to eight vessels, according to Army Radio. This recommendation stems from Turkey's ongoing naval buildup, with the current Turkish fleet of fourteen submarines projected to grow to eighteen in the coming years. Israel's navy presently operates five submarines, with a sixth, the INS Drakon, en route to the country's shores.
The defense officials stressed that the fleet expansion should entail the replacement of older vessels rather than merely increasing the overall numbers, as reported by Army Radio.
The Israeli defense establishment expressed its intention to push for the issue in a structured manner, pending the conclusion of the October elections. Army Radio noted that the procurement of the submarines cannot proceed until after the elections. The final German submarine, known as the Dragon model, was recently sent off for Israel in a send-off ceremony attended by Israel Navy Chief V.-Adm. Eyal Harel, German Naval Chief V.-Adm. Jan Christian Kaack, and other high-ranking Israeli and German officials.
The IDF and the Defense Ministry announced the departure of the INS Drakon for Israel on September 1, with the submarine being one of Germany's new Dragon models. These German-made submarines possess the capability to carry nuclear weapons, and reports suggest that Israel's triad of nuclear deterrence includes land-, sea-, and air-based attack capabilities.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
