The Israeli Navy on Wednesday welcomed the first of four German-made warships that will be at the vanguard of the country's efforts to protect its coastline and growing natural-gas industry.
The INS Magen ("Shield") docked at Israel's Haifa port, with three more of the corvettes scheduled to arrive over the next two years. The Sa'ar-6 corvette will bring the number of missile boats deployed by the Israeli Navy to 15, and will lead Israel's efforts to protect its 320-kilometer (200-mile) exclusive economic zone.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Over a decade after finding sizable reserves off its Mediterranean coast, Israel now generates some 60% of its electricity from natural gas, according to the national electric company, and has begun to export gas to its Arab neighbors Jordan and Egypt. Israel is also pursuing a project with Greece and Cyprus in hopes of creating an Eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline to Europe.
With so much at stake, the Iranian-backed Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah has identified Israeli gas installations as high-priority targets.
STATUS UPDATE: We just leveled up our fleet. pic.twitter.com/uWEJVsDaFw
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 2, 2020
"Behind me is one of the most advanced war machines in the world, which poses a significant leap forward in the Israeli military's ability to ensure our strength at sea and in naval operations," IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi noted during the INS Magen's docking ceremony.
The new ships are to be equipped with powerful radar and other electronic systems and handle rough seas much better than their predecessors. The 90-meter (295-foot) vessels are equipped with rocket and missile defense systems, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, torpedoes and an upgraded launching pad for Israel's newest attack helicopters.
"The Israel Navy has proved it can initiate, plan, lead and implement a serious force build-up program for the long term that will answer the state of Israel's strategic needs – from maintaining our naval superiority in the area to protecting the gas rigs and securing the trade and import routes to Israel," President Reuven Rivlin said at the ceremony.
Israel agreed to buy the vessels in a 2015 deal valued at roughly $480 million apiece, with the German government covering about 25% of the cost.
The deal, which is part of a larger procurement of warships and submarines from German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, has come under question, raising suspicions of a severe conflict of interest among several Israeli officials involved in the negotiations.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
