Israel Receives Its Most Expensive Submarine, INS Drakon, from German Shipyards
The German shipyards ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) have delivered the INS Drakon, the most expensive submarine in Israel's history, to the Israeli Navy. Originally scheduled for delivery in 2025, the handover was delayed and took place this year. INS Drakon is the sixth submarine Israel has acquired from TKMS for its Shayetet 7 naval unit and is the largest submarine built in Germany since World War II. Its estimated cost is approximately 550 million euros, equivalent to about 634 million US dollars.
Israel's reliance on Germany, particularly TKMS, for submarine technology remains critical and is expected to continue for the next decade. However, above-water naval capabilities are seeing some changes: in December 2024, Israel's Ministry of Defense signed a contract with Israeli shipyards to purchase five advanced Reshef-class missile boats for around 840 million dollars, intended to replace the aging Nirith-class vessels after nearly 40 years of service.
The development of INS Drakon involved a strategic redesign starting in 2018, which extended the design and construction phases to about three and seven years respectively, increasing costs. Unlike Israel's first three submarines, INS Drakon and its immediate predecessors, INS Tanin and INS Rahav, feature Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems that allow battery charging underwater, enabling longer submerged operations. The submarine exceeds 70 meters in length, weighs over 2,000 tons, making it the largest and most powerful submarine in the Middle East, capable of carrying larger crews and more extensive weaponry.
According to reports, INS Tanin and INS Rahav can remain submerged for up to 18 consecutive days and reach speeds of 25 knots (about 46.3 km/h). Looking ahead, three additional Dakar-class submarines are expected to arrive in Israel starting in 2031, replacing older vessels commissioned around 1999-2000. Israel signed a contract with TKMS in 2022 for these submarines at an estimated cost of 3 billion euros, with the German government expected to finance about 20% of the deal.
Overall, the submarine sector is set to remain a cornerstone of German-Israeli security cooperation for decades. In terms of Israeli arms sales, Germany ranks second among buyers, accounting for about 21% of Israeli exports between 2021 and 2025, following India at 29% and ahead of the United States at 7.8%.
