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Further Reading

Dolphin

Three 1,925 ton Type 800 Dolphin class submarines have been built in German shipyards for the Israel Navy, with an additional two ordered in mid-2006 for delivery starting in 2010. Modern submarines with the most advanced sailing and combat systems in the world, they combine extensive sophistication with very easy operation. The purpose of these submarines is to enable the Israel Navy to meet all the tasks faced in the Mediterranean Sea in the 21st century. The submarines cost $320 million each, and are twice as big as the aging Gal-class submarines that the Israeli navy has relied on to date.

As early as 1984 the IN started with the "Concept design" involving the Dutch Wilton - Fejnord and the German IKL companies and later in 1986 the preliminary design had started. At those early stages the Navy had the "SAAR 5" program running in parallel and the main activity on the submarine subject was executed both in Germany (IKL, Lübek) concerning the platform and US (Rockwell, California) as for the combat systems. The ambitious modernization program of the Navy urgently needs a creative solution, which would enable the US funds and still select a capable and experienced shipyard in the conventional submarines.

Heavy pressure of the IDF combined with budgetary burden led Defense Minister Arens, on November 30th '90, to a regretful and unfortunate decision to terminate the submarine contract. In spite of several Ministers resistance to Arens' termination of the program, PM Shamir except the rule and make it final... but not for long.

On January 15th 1991 the Gulf War broke out and the next day Israel experienced for the first time the long distance ballistic missiles attack on its civilian population. An Israeli delegation is sent to Germany and late at night on January 30th Chancellor Kohl approves an assistance package including the construction of two Dolphin submarines. The project is again on its way and the contract is rewritten and signed on April '91.

The "Dolphin" class Submarine hull configuration is the traditionally "Single Hull" Submarine. The line design is optimized to get low resistance and to avoid flow Noise. Closing all the openings that are not in use permanently also eliminates flow noise, achieving the effect of "Closed Hull". The pressure hull of "Dolphin" is made out of the well known and proven steel for submarine with high strength and elasticity - HY 80.

The sonar consists of Low Frequency Sonar (LOFAR) with the Flank-Array mounted on the hull on both sides. It is also includes the Cylindrical Array (CA) in the bow, which complementary to the acoustic detection in medium frequencies and ranges. The Passive Ranging Sonar (PRS) consist of three antennas on each side of the submarine casing, helps allocate targets in the medium and short ranges. The Intercept Antenna (IA), installed on the casing, would detect and analyze any kind of acoustic transmission and would give sufficient alert on threats which might endanger the submarine.

Two Kollmorgen periscopes are installed in the "Dolphin". The search one is a special development for the IN equipped with IR capabilities, ESM directional antenna, optic & video, and communication antenna. Both periscopes are penetrating the hull. The attack one is obviously thinner to enable better undetected final approach. The stabilized picture improves somewhat the magnification.

On-board the "Dolphin" an Israeli "Elbit" Elint system is installed, expected to give full picture of all threatening emitters within few seconds after the antenna breach out the water. Signals can be received either via the periscope or the horn antenna, which is combined with the secondary communication mast.

The 10 Multi Purpose tubes are installed forward, penetrating the forward dome. These tubes are design to 21-inch diameter weapons. The weapons may be Swim-Out or ejected by hydraulic piston. Quick reloading is possible with the Embarkation and Storage System, which is installed behind the tubes.

The submarine has the capacity to carry anti-ship missiles, mines, decoys and STN Atlas wire-guided DM2A3 torpedoes. The surface-to-surface missiles may include the submarine-launched Harpoon which delivers a 227 kilogram warhead to a range of 130 kilometres at high subsonic speed. It is generally agreed that these submarines are outfitted with six 533-millimeter torpedo tubes suitable for the 21-inch torpedoes that are normally used on most submarines, including those of the United States.

Some reports suggest that the submarines have a total of ten torpedo tubes -- six 533-millimeter and four 650-millimeter. Uniquely, the Soviet navy deployed the Type 65 heavy-weight torpedo using a 650-millimeter tube. The four larger 25.5 inch diameter torpedo tubes could be used to launch a long-range nuclear-capable submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM). According to some reports the submarines may be capable of carrying nuclear-armed Popeye Turbo cruise missiles, with a goal of deterring an enemy from trying to take out its nuclear weapons with a surprise attack.

Under a system of rotation, some sources claim that two of the vessels would remain at sea: one in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, the other in the Mediterranean. A third would remain on standby.

The project initially was structured to include an industrial team consisting of HDW and Thyssen Nordseewerke, lead by Ingalls Shipbuilding. The project, under which the boats would be built in the United States by Ingalls using US FMS funds, was cancelled in 1990. The crews of the submarines started training in 1994, and participated in the building process as well as in the acceptance procedures for weapon systems. Germany donated two of these submarines to Israel, which were delivered in 1997. Israel bought a third Dolphin submarine from Germany. The project to build the Israeli Navy's third submarine, named "Tekumah ," was launched in Germany on 09 July 1998 with the participation of Defense Ministry Director General Ilan Biran and other naval officers. Tekumah [T'kuma] is the Hebrew word for "revival." The third submarine arrived in Israel during mid-1999.

A major role for hunter, killer and patrol submarines is the destruction of enemy submarines and shipping. In order to achieve this, the submarine must load, store and launch a range of stores. The submarine must also detect its target while attempting to remain covert. The Israel Navy has three Gal submarines. They were built in the 1970s at the Vickers shipyard in Britain, based on German blueprints. The Gal submarines are an important part of the main combat force of the Israel Navy.

The German Type 209 diesel electric submarine is the most popular export-sales submarine in the world, and sales continue as smaller nations modernize their aging fleets. Greece was the first country to order this type of submarine from Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) of Kiel, Germany, and the first batch of these submarines entered service in 1971. The 1,200-ton Type 209 submarine is a hunter killer submarine that India purchased from HDW, Germany. The initial contract was for 2 submarines to be sold and for 4 more to be constructed at the Mazagaon docks in Mumbai. The deal however went sour when it was hit by a bribery scandal, after the first four ships were delivered to the Indian Navy.

Advances in electric drive and power conditioning were introduced into the German Type 212. This German submarine has low and balanced signatures including acoustic signatures, longer submerged mission capability and a modern combat system with sophisticated sensors and state of the art torpedoes. The technologies inherent in this design include a fuel cell air independent propulsion (AIP) system with a back up single diesel generator, highly modular arrangements of critical areas and the frame carrying the diesel generator and auxiliary equipment such as the hydraulic pumps, compressors, etc.- is enclosed in a sound absorbent capsule and isolated from the pressure hull. The AIP system utilized is more commonly called 'MESMA'. Translated it means Autonomous Submarine Energy Module and was developed for submarines.

The 1,720-ton Dolphin class is evidently somewhat larger than the 1,500-ton Type 212 submarines, and incorporates a conventional diesel-electric propulsion system rather than the AIP system.

The detection that the submarines were equipped with two types of torpedo tubes (533mm and 650mm respectively) fueled speculation that the submarine might have a possible nuclear role, given that 533mm torpedo tubes would have been sufficient for the weaponry that was to be installed on board.

When questioned about this in parliament, the German government confirmed the presence of the 650mm tubes in the Dolphin submarines but could not provide an explanation, other than that the tubes were to be fitted with liners upon delivery to reduce the tubes' diameters to 533mm. Because 50% of design rights are reported to belong to Israel, and, as a result it had no 'design authority', the German government claimed that it could not have any knowledge of the larger tubes' purpose.

An article published by the Los Angeles Times in mid-October 2003, indicated that Israel had successfully modified American-supplied Harpoon cruise missiles for use with nuclear warheads on its submarines. The process would have involved reducing the size of the warheads to fit inside the missiles as well as altering the guidance systems so as to be able to hit land-based targets, but would enable Israel to deliver nuclear weapons from the sea virtually unimpedded. The claim was however disputed by Israeli and others who questioned the ability of the Harpoon missile to carry a nuclear payload.

As of early November 2003, it was reported by the German newspaper Berliner Zeitung, that Germany`s leading shipyard company HDW was involved in negotiations with Israel to construct two additional Dolphin submarines. HDW confirmed these conversations, which were said to be of a purely technical nature and claimed the German government had approved them. It was also reported that Israeli engineers had modified the missile launching pads of earlier Dolphin submarines at the Kiel's HDW dockyard, possibly to accomodate nuclear warheads.

The German Focus magazine reported on November 24, 2003, that the German government had halted the delivery of the two submarines to Israel. It was later clarified that while Israel did have an interest in additional submarines, given the financial burden associated with such a deal for Israel, Washington or Germany, only technical negotiations were being conducted with HDW, and that as a result, neither a formal nor preliminary request for any export license had been issued. The German Green party, however, who had originally opposed the delivery of the first three dolphin submarines, demanded that, in the future, additional submarines could only be delivered to Israel on the basis of a binding assurance that they would not be used as nuclear weapons platforms.

In late August 2006, Germany confirmed the sale of two additioanl Dolphin submarines to Israel for approximately 1 billion euros, with the German government footing one-third of the submarines' construction costs from its household budget. The contract signing between Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and Israeli authorities for these submarines was reported to have taken place on July 6, 2006. Delivery of the two new Dolphin submarines was expected to take place in 2010.

On Sep 30, 2009 it was reported that Israel had taken delivery of two German-made submarines capable of launching missiles with nuclear warheads. "We have received two Dolphin-class submarines built from Germany," Israel and Arab media reported quoting an anonymous Israeli military spokesman. The submarines were ordered in 2005, and delivery was originally scheduled for 2010. With the latest delivery, Israel held five state-of-the-art U212s.

One of the subs delivered by the German government is permanently stationed in the Gulf, and Israeli media have said that the fleet of five vessels could be key in any decision by Israel to launch an attack on Iranian targets from the sea. An Israeli submarine used the Suez Canal for the first time in June 2009, anchoring in the Red Sea in a journey that would have normally required the Israeli vessel to travel around the coast of Africa. Escorted by Israeli navy vessels, the move was intended to send a message to Iran. An Israeli submarine would not have been able to sail through the Suez Canal without Egypt knowing about it and granting permission. The Canal's water is shallow and boasts lively vessel traffic that would endanger a submarine, even if it sailed at minimal depth below sea level.