Dakar-class submarine

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This article is regarding the recent procurement of a class of three conventionally-powered submarines by the Israeli Navy. This class is not to be confused with its predecessor - the Dolphin-class submarines, which are currently in active service with the Israeli Navy.
Dakar-class submarine
Naval Ensign of Israel.svg
Class overview
BuildersThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)
Operators Israeli Navy
Preceded by Dolphin class
CostEUR €3 billion (Total deal)[1]
In serviceExpected to enter active service from 2031.[2]
Planned3[3]
General characteristics
TypeAttack submarine
Propulsion
Armament
NotesPlanned to replace the first batch of three Dolphin-class submarines.[6]

The Dakar-class submarines (Hebrew : הצוללות מסדרת דקר) is a class of AIP-capable, diesel-electric attack submarines ordered by the Israeli Navy from German-based naval conglomerate ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).[7]

Compared to the Israeli Navy's currently-serving Dolphin-class submarines, the Dakar-class features a starkly-new design and has been specifically customised to fulfill the operational requirements specified by the Israeli Navy.[8] The class has been named in honor of INS Dakar, an Israeli-submarine which mysteriously sank in 1968.[9]

In January 2022, Israel's Ministry of Defense (מִשְׂרַד הַבִּטָּחוֹן) ordered three submarines - as a replacement to the first batch of the Israeli Navy's Dolphin-class submarines; the first of the new submarines are slated to enter service within nine years.[10][11]

Overview[]

Design[]

Current details about the class' design are scant; however, it is understood that the submarines have been specifically engineered to fulfill the operational requirements of the Israeli Navy.[12] According to a computer-generated rendering released by TKMS, the design of the Dakar-class appears to be similar to the Dolphin-class submarines and the concept art of the Type 212CD submarine, currently being built for the German Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy.[13]

Distinctive features[]

According to multiple reports, the Dakar-class submarines possesses the following features -

Armament[]

Current details about the armament of the Dakar-class are scant; however, it is believed that apart from its torpedo tubes, the class' design may incorporate vertical launching system (VLS) cells, capable of firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), or submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCM) - presumably equipped with nuclear warheads or surface-to-air missile (SAM)[17]

Capabilities[]

Little is known about the class' designated capabilities, ostensibly due to Israel's tight control on information and confidentiality regarding its military assets, especially its submarine fleet.[18] According to Benny Gantz, Israel's Minister of Defense, the Dakar-class submarines would "upgrade the capabilities of the Israeli Navy, and will contribute to Israel's security superiority in the region".[19]

Concurrently, it is believed that the submarines may feature ballistic missiles, given the submarines' unusually long sail - presumably to accommodate VLS cells, although there is no indication that Israel has, or is currently developing an SLBM.[20]

The suggestion that an enlarged sail may probably be used for housing nuclear-tipped missiles is very likely; for example, early-generations of Soviet-designed ballistic missile submarines, such as the Project 611 submarines, carried ballistic missiles in their sail.[21] If true, the Dakar-class would be the second class of conventionally-powered, air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped submarines capable of carrying and launching ballistic missiles; the first one is the KSS-III submarine - operated by the Republic of Korea Navy, although it carries ballistic missiles in its hull, not in its sail.[22]

Aside from the prospective use of ballistic missiles, the possibility of utilizing VLS cells in the sail for accommodating additional missiles - whose size may be exceedingly large to be launched from either the hull or from torpedo tubes - such as submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCM), is also likely.[23]

History[]

In 2017, Israel and Germany signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to acquire three new submarines, as part of the Dolphin class, at a cost of USD $1.5 billion.[24] According to the deal, Germany agreed to subsidize up to 30% of the submarine's hull, mechanical and electrical costs.[25]

In 2018, the Israeli Navy announced that the three future submarines were to be classified as the Dakar-class, in honor of INS Dakar (Hebrew: אח"י דקר) - an ex-Royal Navy T-class submarine purchased by the Israeli Navy, which mysteriously sunk while being transferred to Israel in 1968.[5]

On 20 January 2022, Israel's Ministry of Defense officially contracted TKMS to construct the three diesel-electric attack submarines, at a cost of EUR €3 billion.[26] The three designated submarines are poised to replace the first batch of three Dolphin-class submarines, which were built in Germany and commissioned between 1999 and 2000.[27] The deal also included the creation of a training simulator in Israel, and the supply of spare parts.[28]

Reportedly, ThyssenKrupp invested €250 million into TKMS in 2019, in anticipation of the order - developing a new shipyard in Kiel to operate as a new centre of competence for submarine manufacturing capabilities, as well as the construction of a new shipbuilding hall and fuel-cell production site.[29]

Cost[]

The deal for the three submarines - which was originally estimated to cost around €1.8 billion, has increased by a margin of €1.8 billion, to a total of €3 billion; the increase in the price is yet to be officially clarified.[30] The German government, which agreed to subsidize €600 million into the deal, out of the original price of €1.8 billion, asserted that it would not raise its subsidy in proportion with the increase in price; as a result, the net cost to Israel will thus be twice as high, at €2.4 billion.[31] However, the Ministry of Defense had approved the procurement of the three submarines at the inflated price, without the public or the Knesset - Israel's parliament, being notified.[32]

Case 3000[]

See also : Dolphin-class submarine and Trial of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Noticeably, the procurement of the Dakar-class submarines occurred just days before the Cabinet of Israel initiated investigations into allegations of corruption regarding the procurement of the Dolphin-class submarines, between 2009 and 2016.[33] Referred to as the "Case 3000", the scandal encompasses allegations of corruption, bribery and tax evasion against multiple Israeli individuals connected the acquisition of the Dolphin-class submarines; among the accused is Benjamin Netanyahu - Israel's former prime minister, David Shimron - Netanyahu's personal lawyer and Eliezer Marom - a former chief of the Israeli Navy, who had previously served under Netanyahu.[34]

However, the acquisition of the Dakar-class submarines is not related to the scandal, nor has Netanyahu been named as a suspect in it.[35]

Boats in class[]

Hull numbers Name Builder Launched Commissioned Status
(??) INS Dakar (אח"י דקר)  Germany

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)

Expected in 2031[36][37] Ordered
(??) INS (??) Ordered
(??) INS (??) Ordered

See also[]

Other submarines of notable comparison and era[]

Other references to the Israeli Navy[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Israel inks multi-billion dollar submarine deal with Germany". eastmojo.com. 21 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Israel signs scandal-ridden €3 billion deal with Germany to buy new submarines". The Times of Israel.
  3. ^ "Israel Orders 3 New Dakar-Class Submarines From TKMS". navalnews.com. 20 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Israel inks multi-billion submarine deal with Germany ahead of corruption probe". thecradle.co. 20 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b "New Israeli submarines to have new capabilities". jpost.com. 20 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Israel signs $ 3.4 billion submarines deal with Germany's Thyssenkrupp". reuters.com. 20 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Israel Orders Three New Submarines From ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems". thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com/en. 20 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Israel signs $3.4b sub deal with German firm". tv7israelnews.com. 21 January 2022.
  9. ^ "IDF's New Submarine Model to be Named after Lost INS Dakar". israeldefense.co.il. 11 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Israel signs scandal-ridden €3 billion deal with Germany to buy new submarines". The Times of Israel.
  11. ^ "Israel inks multi-billion dollar submarine deal with Germany". bgdailynews.com. 20 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems Has Secured A Major Deal". spsmai.com. 21 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Our First Look At Israel's New Dakar Class Submarine Reveals A Very Peculiar Feature". thedrive.com/the-war-zone. 20 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Our First Look At Israel's New Dakar Class Submarine Reveals A Very Peculiar Feature". thedrive.com/the-war-zone. 20 January 2022.
  15. ^ "First Look At Israeli Navy Dakar Class Submarine". hisutton.com. 21 January 2022.
  16. ^ "First Look At Israeli Navy Dakar Class Submarine". hisutton.com. 21 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Our First Look At Israel's New Dakar Class Submarine Reveals A Very Peculiar Feature". thedrive.com/the-war-zone. 20 January 2022.
  18. ^ "How Israel's secretive submarines simulate attacks at sea". businessinsider.com. 11 June 2021.
  19. ^ "Israel signs $3.4 billion deal with Germany to buy three submarines". ir-ia.com. 21 January 2022.
  20. ^ "This is the first time I've seen Israel's next-generation Dakar-class submarine". autobala.com. 20 January 2022.
  21. ^ "First Look At Israeli Navy Dakar Class Submarine". hisutton.com. 21 January 2022.
  22. ^ "Israeli Submarines: 3 submarines to fire nuclear missiles will join the Israeli Navy, Iran's tension is set to increase". hindustannewshub.com. 21 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Our First Look At Israel's New Dakar Class Submarine Reveals A Very Peculiar Feature". uk.universalpersonality.com. 21 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Germany approves deal on three submarines for Israel". dw.com. 23 October 2017.
  25. ^ "Israel signs MoU for 3 German submarines amid shipyard investigation". armytimes.com. 24 October 2017.
  26. ^ "Israeli Ministry Of Defence Orders Three Dakar-Class Submarines From ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems". militaryleak.com. 20 January 2022.
  27. ^ "Our First Look At Israel's New Dakar Class Submarine Reveals A Very Peculiar Feature". thedrive.com/the-war-zone. 20 January 2022.
  28. ^ "Israel Buys Three Military Submarines from Germany". english.aawsat.com. 20 January 2022.
  29. ^ "ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems builds three new submarines for Israel". fuentitech.com. 21 January 2022.
  30. ^ "German Subs to Cost Twice as Much as Planned". hamodia.com. 18 January 2022.
  31. ^ "Israel to buy German submarines despite cost doubling". Globes. 18 January 2022.
  32. ^ "Israel Signs Deal With Germany to Buy Three Submarines". haaretz.com. 20 January 2022.
  33. ^ "Israel approves state probe into German submarine procurement". morungexpress.com. 24 January 2022.
  34. ^ "Israel launches state probe into German submarine purchase". abcnews.go.com. 23 January 2022.
  35. ^ "Israel Inks Multi-Billion Dollar Submarine Deal with Germany". naharnet.com. 21 January 2022.
  36. ^ "Israel signs scandal-ridden €3 billion deal with Germany to buy new submarines". timesofisrael.com. 20 January 2022.
  37. ^ "Israel Submarine Capabilities". nti.org. 29 July 2015.
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