Israel's announcement that it plans to buy three new (and larger) submarines will maintain its desired level of six submarines.
See more details in this article https://www.yahoo.com/news/israel-seeking-three-submarines-germany-report-094813311.html .
COMMENT
To maintain Israel's fleet of 6 submarines Israel will introduce one (possibly 3,000 tonne) Dolphin 3 when retiring each of its aging-by-then Dolphin 1s. The TKMS Dolphin 1s were commissioned in 1999 and later, non-AIP and derived from TKMS Type 209s. Note - to maintain the six submarine fleet Israel also has three Type 214 derived Dolphin 2s (with AIP). See curret Dolphin numbers here.
The most important mission of Israel's Dolphin submarine fleet is as nuclear armed second strike platforms. Iran is on top of the hit list.
The first of the three new submarines is due to be bought by, or delivered to, Israel in 2027. If larger they could be of the 3,000 tonne class that TKMS is designing with South Korea. Israel's current larger subs (the Dolphin 2s) are just 2,000 tonnes (surfaced).
At a very low "combined price of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) [for the three Dolphin 3s]" it appears Germany is continuing the tradition of heavily subsidizing submarine sales to Israel. This is a German post Holocaust "reparations" policy.
A 3,000 tonne sub could:
- have greater range/endurance time on station
- accommodate larger, longer range, nuclear tipped land attack missiles (probably fired
horizontally from the 650mm (or larger)) torpedo tubes.
- a more powerful combat system with more potent sensors, including passive sonars.
- longer time totally submerged
- accommodate more crew to minimise exhaustion and
- can accomodate larger/longer range/heavier warhead missiles (fired vertically or horizontally).
Pete
3 comments:
Dear Pete,
The price for one Type 212A was 400 million Euro in 2002.
The price mentioned may be to relax the Israeli taxpayers.
For sure Germany will pay an amount to keep the submarine business running.
With inflation and displacement as a linear factor the price will be about 1 billion Euro per submarine. The official price for 1 Dolphin class 2 submarine including weapons was $1 billion. Israel implemented its own weapon system add-ons to use the big tubes in a proper way.
The 4 bigger 650 mm tubes are just an add on. 4 or 6 tubes are sufficient for conventional attack. The tubes may also act as additional stowage. 4 missiles loaded won't occupy space for reloads. Maybe just 4 reloads but hell 8 nukes are more than enough to scare even the most faithful people around the Kaaba.
Here a picture of the impressive 10 tube arrangement:
http://defense-update.com/20110506_enhanced_dolphin.html
More here: http://submarines.dotan.net/
e.g.: INS Gal museum:
https://youtu.be/y2WIJzht-18
I guess the German build Dolphin III will be the first try for the next South Korean submarine class.
Regards,
MHalblaub
P.S.: It is hard to keep sound propagation simple...
Hi MHalblaub
Yes the low-low price for those future Israeli subs may indeed be to relax Israeli taxpayers. The no-frills upfront price (just over $400 million per sub) may well be padded out later to more like $2 Billion per sub.
https://youtu.be/y2WIJzht-18 really shows how small INS Gal is inside - just
420 tonnes (surfaced). Gal being a modified Type 206 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gal-class_submarine .
Regards
Pete
The shipyard build cost of a submarine, like a warship, is normally only a fraction of the total cost. Its what goes inside especially the sensors and computer systems that operate them that cost a fortune. Australia like some other western countries seems to these days add the crew training, weapons stocks and even the sustainment costs including major overhauls to a price that is said to be 'sticker price'. Even GST has to be added nowdays !
We can see from the first comment, having Israel doing its own weapons system, which is expensive for them, but would mean a cost reduction from the builder.
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