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Israel’s newest and largest submarine has arrived at its naval base in Haifa, strengthening the navy’s ability to operate covertly at long distances.
The INS Drakon (meaning Dragon) completed a 3,792-nautical-mile voyage from Germany on Thursday, after 23 days at sea. At 74 metres long and weighing 2,600 metric tons, it is the sixth submarine in Israel’s fleet and the third of its Dolphin 2 class.
The vessel was built by German shipbuilder TKMS and has been in planning, construction and testing for around 12 years.
Its air-independent propulsion system (AIP) allows it to remain submerged for extended periods without surfacing.
“The AIP system is very significant. It increases the level of stealth by orders of magnitude,” the commander of the navy’s 7th Submarine Flotilla, who goes by the pseudonym Captain Yud, told The Times of Israel.
The navy’s chief of staff, Rear Admiral Guy Levy, described the arrival as a “very moving day”, adding: “The Navy is growing stronger. This is a powerful platform that increases the Israeli Navy’s stealth capabilities.”
Defence minister Israel Katz said the submarine’s arrival sent a “message” to Iran and other potential adversaries.
“The submarine’s arrival is an important message to all those who seek to threaten us, foremost among them the murderous Ayatollah regime in Tehran,” he said.
Israeli systems will be installed on the submarine before the vessel is declared operational, a process expected to take several months.
Israel plans to replace its three ageing first-generation Dolphin-class submarines with a new Dakar-class fleet, also built by TKMS, with the first vessel expected to be delivered in 2031.
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