The first of four German-made Sa'ar 6-Class Corvette missiles ships will arrive in Israel early December after its flag was recently changed from the Federal Republic of Germany to the State of Israel.
While the ships are being built in Germany, more than 90% of the ships' battle systems are expected to be Israeli-designed, according to the IDF. It will arrive from Kiel, Germany without battle systems and could take up to 18 months to make it fully operational.The ship will be called INS Magen (Shield) and is intended to protect the Exclusive Economic Zone in Israel's Mediterranean Sea. In 2013, after natural gas was discovered in the Eastern Med, Israel's security cabinet gave the IDF the green light to secure and protect these reserves.
"The mission of defending Israel's exclusive economic zone and strategic assets at sea is the primary security mission of the Israeli Navy. These assets are essential to the operational continuity of the State of Israel, and having the ability to protect them holds critical importance," said Commander of Israel's Navy, Maj. Gen. Eli Sharvit.
