Israel orders three new submarines from TKMS
Rendering of a Dakar-class submarine. (Image: TKMS)
The presence of an elongated sail on concept artwork and the high price tag of the submarines has prompted questions about the capabilities of new boats ordered by Israel from Germany.
The Israeli government on 20 January announced it had reached an agreement with German firm ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) on framework conditions for the purchase of three new Dakar-class hunter-killer (SSK) submarines.
TKMS said the Dakar-class boats would be built to a ‘completely new design’ engineered to meet Israeli Navy requirements and replace the country’s first batch of Dolphin-class submarines.
The purchase, worth around €3 billion ($3.40 billion), will be part-funded by a German government grant.
The Israeli MoD said the first submarine would be delivered to the navy within ‘about’ nine years, adding that the hulls would be
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