Israel Receives 'Dragon' Submarine, Largest Built in Germany Since WWII

The 'Dragon' submarine, the sixth and largest vessel acquired by Israel from German manufacturer TKMS, arrived in Israeli territorial waters on September 23rd. The submarine, which departed Germany in early August, is the largest built in Germany since World War II and is valued at approximately 550 million euros. It is intended for the Israeli Navy's seventh flotilla.

The submarine's journey faced significant hurdles. Norway and Denmark denied permission to use their waters for testing, even with the German flag, due to restrictions on military cooperation with Israel. Consequently, tests were conducted in international waters in the North Sea. Furthermore, France and Canada refused export permits for certain components, necessitating their production and installation in Israel at the German shipyard.

The 'Dragon' measures approximately 72 meters in length with a submerged displacement of about 2300 tons, making it the largest and most powerful submarine in the Middle East. While formally completing the Dolphin-2 class, its advanced modernization positions it as a technological precursor to the next generation of Dakar-class submarines. It features an enlarged superstructure with a vertical missile launch system and is equipped with 533mm and 650mm torpedo tubes.

Equipped with an air-independent propulsion system utilizing fuel cells, batteries, and diesel generators, the 'Dragon' can recharge batteries underwater, significantly extending its submerged operational time. Previous Israeli submarines of this class could remain submerged for up to 18 days and reach speeds of 25 knots (approximately 46.3 km/h).