Israel's Doomsday Submarines Nearly Ready
Dolphin II Class Nearing Completion
By Robert Beckhusen
The
Israeli navy is a bit of an odd duck. It’s designed largely for coastal
and eastern Mediterranean warfare. But among all of Israel’s small
corvettes and missile boats are some some seriously mighty submarines.
Israel is also investing heavily in growing its
submarine fleet. It’s a reflection of Tel Aviv’s increasing reliance on
the underwater boats for a range of operations — including nuclear
deterrence.
Right now, three Dolphin II-class
submarines are under construction at Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine
Systems shipyards in Kiel. Once the submarines complete their trials and
head towards the Mediterranean, they will become the most powerful
Israeli submarines ever.
More than 225 feet long, the diesel-electric Dolphin II class is part attack submarine, part nuclear strike ship and part commando taxi.
They’re also painted in an unusual combination of
black, blue and green colors. That’s “meant to make the ship less
visible, and thought to be especially effective in Mediterranean
waters,” Defense News noted after recently publishing new photographs of the fat, oddly-shaped boats in dry dock and on sea trials.
In terms of weapons, the three boats of the Dolphin II class—the Tannin, Rahav and
a third unnamed submarine—contain 10 torpedo tubes capable of launching
fiber optic cable-guided DM-2A4 torpedoes. Germany has already handed over the Tannin, which is preparing for its journey to Israel.
Four of these tubes are larger 26-inch tubes—the
size is rare for a Western-built submarine—capable of launching small
commando teams or firing larger cruise missiles. The remaining six tubes
measure at 21 inches.
Although not admitted by the Israeli government, the Dolphin II is
widely believed to soon possess nuclear-tipped Popeye Turbo cruise
missiles. The submarine’s armament includes non-nuclear anti-ship
Harpoon and anti-helicopter Triton missiles.
In 2012, German news magazine Der Spiegel interviewed
several German defense ministry officials, all of whom were under the
assumption that Israel intends for these submarines to carry nuclear weapons. The missiles can also be launched “using a previously secret hydraulic ejection system,” the magazine reported.
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The photographs at Defense News also reveal horizontal planes for trailing communications gear and sonar buoys. But the classified propeller is covered by a tarp to keep out prying eyes.
For sensors, the Dolphin II comes with the
German-made CSU-90 active radar, a PRS-3 passive ranging sonar and a
FAS-3 flank sonar. These sensors are in addition to an Israeli-made
surface search radar.
Of course, submarines need to be stealthy—and the Dolphin II is
indeed quiet. The trick is in the submarine’s air-independent
propulsion fuel cells, which provide power under the surface as the
diesel engines—used for running on the surface—rest and recharge.
This system is quieter than the nuclear-powered
engines on American and Russian submarines, which must constantly
circulate engine coolant. Nuclear submarines are virtually unlimited in
terms of range, and are better used for deep-water operations. But
Israel has no need for nuclear-powered subs when quiet diesel subs can
do the same job.
The Dolphin II’s top speed maxes out at 20
knots when submerged. But the maximum distance before needing to be
refueled is around 9,200 miles at a speed of eight knots underwater.
This puts the submarines in range of Iran.
And that’s why Israel is investing in an up-armed
submarine fleet. The Israeli military wants to maintain its undeclared
nuclear strike force. Given Israel’s small size, a nuclear deterrent
promises massive retaliation if Israel’s homeland is threatened.
Plus, submarines are very useful for littoral operations off the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
Israel has also boosted its submarines’ operational
tempo. In 2013, Israeli submarines spent 58 percent of their time at
sea compared to 36 percent from 2010 to 2012, according to the Times of Israel. This not only included secretive missions off Lebanon, but “deployments lasting several weeks that took the submarines thousands of kilometers from Israel,” the paper reported.
In July 2013, a series of mysterious explosions occurred at the Syrian port of Latakia. Though Israeli aircraft were likely responsible for
the attack—which targeted a shipment of Russian Yakhont anti-ship
missiles—such operations can be carried out by submarines.
Now the Israeli navy will soon have the much more capable way to do it.
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