Israel’s Navy officially received its sixth submarine, the INS “Drakon,” in Haifa on Thursday. The ceremony at the naval base was attended by President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, and Navy Commander Eyal Harel, among others. Representatives of the German manufacturer TKMS were also present.
According to statements from the Israeli military, the arrival of the “Drakon” marks a significant step in the long-term expansion of the Navy. The submarine was built in Germany and is the third and final vessel of the Dolphin AIP class procured by the Israeli Ministry of Defense for the Navy.
At the reception ceremony, Chief of Staff Zamir explicitly linked the commissioning of the new submarine to the changed strategic situation in the Middle East. While Israel had severely struck the capabilities of its adversaries in recent years, their intentions had not fundamentally changed.
“Even in these days, our eyes are fixed on what is happening in Iran and with its proxies,” said Zamir. The Iranian regime was “battered and wounded,” but had not changed its intentions. The Chief of Staff also referenced the obstruction of international shipping lanes and attacks on energy and other national infrastructure in the region.
Amid the Ongoing War, the IDF Reveals Its Sixth Submarine—INS “Drakon”, Which Will Serve as a Strategic Combat Asset Across the Various Operational Arenas. pic.twitter.com/YaxEbsMmUg
— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) November 12, 2024
With the addition of the “Drakon,” the Israeli Navy is reaching “new heights” in its operational capabilities, according to Zamir. It will be “more covert, longer-range, deeper, and more lethal.” The submarine is an essential component in building a long-term strategic naval force.
The INS “Drakon” is more than 70 meters long and approximately 30 percent larger than the previous submarines of the Dolphin series. It features an air-independent propulsion system, known as AIP. This system uses oxygen and hydrogen to generate energy, allowing the batteries to be charged during extended dives without the vessel needing to surface or take in outside air. This enables it to remain submerged—and thus concealed—for longer periods.
Construction of the submarine took more than twelve years. Its journey from Germany to Israel covered approximately 8,000 kilometers, or around 4,000 nautical miles. Israeli naval officers and engineers were involved in the project in Germany for years and also accompanied the testing phase.
According to Israeli security officials, the “Drakon” will not be immediately deployed for operational missions following its arrival. Additional systems are first to be integrated and final work completed in Israel. This process is expected to take approximately two months.
The importance of the submarine fleet has continued to grow for Israel in recent years. According to security officials, Israeli submarines have been at sea for approximately 10,000 hours annually since October 7, 2023. The vessels are now reportedly operating in areas where Israeli submarines had not previously been deployed. These include reconnaissance and other operational missions in regions far from Israel.
The Navy finds itself confronted with an increasingly complex environment. In addition to Iran and the Houthis in Yemen, Israeli security circles are also monitoring the expansion of regional naval forces and potential threats to strategic infrastructure in the Mediterranean. International shipping lanes are of particular importance: according to Israeli security officials, approximately 98 percent of Israel’s foreign trade is conducted by sea.
President Herzog also highlighted the strategic reach of the new submarine at the ceremony. The “Drakon” and the additional submarines set to join the fleet in the coming years represent a Navy with greater operational capabilities. Israel will be able to deploy these capabilities thousands of kilometers from its borders if necessary.
At the same time, Herzog pointed to the special historical dimension of German-Israeli cooperation. Eighty-one years after the Holocaust, one of Israel’s most technically sophisticated weapons systems is being developed and built jointly with Germany. Zamir also described the security cooperation between the two countries as strategically significant.
With the “Drakon,” one generation of Israel’s submarine program also comes to a close. Three submarines of the new Dakar class are already under construction, intended to eventually replace older vessels and further expand the capabilities of the Israeli Navy. According to the Ministry of Defense, they are set to have greater ranges and enable longer deployments.
