German shipbuilder thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has shipped the Israeli Navy’s third and final Advanced Dolphin-class submarine.
The vessel, named INS Drakon, has departed the company’s facility in Kiel and is now in transit to the Middle Eastern country.
Its commissioning will mark the completion of a 2006 program to double the military’s existing Dolphin fleet using modern hulls integrating air-independent propulsion, enabling sustained operability without resurfacing for oxygen.
Alongside the extended underwater endurance, the new platforms feature heavier components, longer hulls, and increased maneuverability.
“We are successfully concluding a challenging program that was characterized over many years by trust, technological expertise, and shared responsibility,” said Oliver Burkhard, CEO of TKMS. “Israel is an important partner for us in the maritime sector.”
Progress in Replacements
TKMS noted that it is continuing work on a parallel submarine program to replace Tel Aviv’s legacy Dolphin submarines.
That effort will produce a new series called “Dakar,” with development valued at 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion).
Contract for the vessels was awarded to the firm in 2022 and is scheduled to be completed by the early 2030s.
“With the ‘DAKAR’ class, we are continuing our collaboration and demonstrating that TKMS not only develops complex naval programs but also reliably brings them to fruition,” Burkhard stated.
Israeli Navy’s Dolphin II Submarine
The Advanced Dolphin system, also called the Dolphin II, is powered by a hybrid diesel-electric and AIP setup found inside the Germany Navy’s own Type 212 submarines.
It measures 57 meters (187 feet) long, has a beam of 7 meters (23 feet), and offers space for up to 45 personnel.
The vessel uses six 533mm tubes and four 650mm tubes to launch various torpedoes supported by the STN Atlas ISUS battle management system, which integrates sensing and electronic warfare data.
The Advanced Dolphin moves at over 25 knots (46 kilometers/29 miles per hour) and can dive up to 350 meters (1,148 feet).
The lead Dolphin II-class submarine, INS Drakon. Photo: Israel Defense Forces