Israel Considers Expanding Submarine Fleet Amid Turkish Naval Buildup

Israel's defense establishment has recommended increasing the country's submarine fleet to eight active vessels, a significant expansion from the current five, in response to Turkey's growing naval capabilities. The recommendation, reported by Galei Tzahal (Army Radio), suggests Israel should not maintain its current fleet size but rather aim for eight submarines in the coming years.

Turkey currently operates 14 submarines and plans to increase its fleet to 18 with new German-built vessels. Israel, in contrast, has five submarines, with a sixth expected to arrive soon. The defense establishment's proposal is to not only gradually replace older submarines but also to increase the total number.

The first step involves exercising an option to purchase a seventh submarine from Germany for approximately one billion euros, a move recommended before an anticipated price increase. Subsequently, the acquisition of an eighth submarine will be considered. This marks a shift from previous assessments, which deemed five submarines sufficient, later updated to six.

The decision is influenced by the post-October 7 security landscape and the evolving Turkish threat. Additionally, Israel recently conducted a joint naval exercise with Greece, signaling to Turkey that Israel is closely monitoring its naval expansion and preparing accordingly.