The INS Drakon (Dragon), which is being constructed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems in Kiel, Germany, was launched there on August 14, according to Naval News. Later this year, the INS Drakon, Israel’s newest submarine, is scheduled to arrive at Haifa Naval Base.
It will be the third Dolphin 2-class vessel of the new generation and the sixth submarine overall in the Israel Navy’s fleet. The INS Drakon marks a turning point in Israel’s naval prowess.
International media sources have noted its unusually huge sail—the tower-like fin structure at its topside—which is reportedly larger than any other submarine in the navy.
According to Naval News, the ship might be able to carry cruise missiles as well as brand-new, upgraded ballistic missiles.
According to worldwide media sources, Israel’s submarines represent a major part of its nuclear deterrent and second-strike capacity.
In any case, the INS Drakon plays a unique function because it seems to have been built to serve as a link between the Dolphin 2s of the next generation and the three Dakar-class submarines that Israel will acquire in the 2030s.
These will swap out Israel’s three older first-generation Dolphins from the 1990s. The Dakar-type future submarines are still mostly unknown to the general public, but they will be outfitted with cutting-edge technology that will improve engine designs and power generators, as well as sensors that will do away with the need for more traditional ones.
The INS Drakon’s hull is longer than any of its predecessors as a result of its bridge function between the Dolphin 2 family of submarines and the Dakar generation.
Due to a crucial component known as air-independent propulsion systems (AIP), all Dolphin 2s of the second generation have larger bodies than Dolphin 2s of the first generation.
The submarines can stay below for a longer period of time thanks to these technologies, which produce energy from water and hydrogen.
As a result, the new generation of submarines, with their stealthy engines that avoid enemy sonar detection, are able to go farther on their missions and approach hostile coastlines at convenient times to acquire crucial intelligence.
However, it has been claimed that the INS Drakon’s hull is even bigger than that of her Dolphin 2 sisters, the INS Rahav and INS Tanin, which are already in service.
The Israeli Defense Ministry and Israel Defense Forces have not responded to such assessments, but the INS Drakon may be built to carry both cruise missiles and long-range ballistic missiles, which travel at low altitudes and have unpredictable paths.
The Israeli Defense Ministry and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems announced a €3 billion deal in January 2022 for three new technologically advanced Dakar-type submarines.
According to the statement at the time, the German government provided a “unique grant” to facilitate the acquisition.
A separate agreement for industrial-strategic cooperation calls for €850 million in German investments in Israeli businesses as part of this accord.
A long-term plan for Israel’s naval capabilities may be seen in the purchase of Dakar-class submarines, the first of which is scheduled to arrive in 2031.
These submarines should be able to conduct deep strikes and sophisticated intelligence gathering. Israel’s strategic depth depends on its submarine fleet because they offer operational capabilities and deterrence that no other platform can.
They are being developed as part of a local arms race.
The ability of Israel to use the sea as its strategic depth is more crucial than ever since its enemies are developing missiles and rockets that may strike anywhere within the Jewish state.
The Mediterranean Sea has also gained even greater significance over the past ten years, as the vast majority of imports continue to arrive by sea, and Israel’s Exclusive Economic Zone now provides the majority of the country’s energy supplies in the form of offshore gas rigs.
While much is yet unknown, the INS Drakon appears to be a scientific marvel as well as a strategic mystic, deceiving allies and foes alike about its precise capabilities.
Israel is obviously investing a lot of money in submarines.
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