The
Israeli Navy announced that INS Tanin, the first Dolphin Batch II class
SSK, has joined its fleet. INS Tanin is also the fourth of six Dolphin-class
submarines that the Israeli navy has on order with German shipyard ThyssenKrupp
Marine Systems (TKMS / HDW). Delivery of the sixth and final SSK in
scheduled for 2019. |
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The new INS Tanin submarine, built in Germany, will
equip the IDF with unprecedented capabilities at sea. Israel’s
powerful INS Tanin (Crocodile) submarine is on its way from Germany
to the port of Haifa. The INS Tanin, one of the world’s most advanced
submarines, will soon join the navy’s elite Shayetet 7 fleet on
Israeli shores. The vessel is expected to upgrade Israel’s naval
capabilities, allowing IDF forces to confront a broader range of challenges
at sea.
In recent months, the vessel’s crew has been training in the Baltic
Sea and the North Sea under challenging situations and conditions. According
to Israel Navy Commander Major General Ram Rothberg, the submarine will
allow Israeli naval forces to “travel further and deeper [underwater]
for longer periods of time” and to achieve a “level of strength
we have not seen until today.”
In May 2012, the IDF launched the INS Tanin at an official ceremony
in Germany, where the submarine was built. The INS Tanin is part of
Israel’s Dolphin-Class submarines, which are considered among
the most powerful and sophisticated on and below the surface of the
Earth. They are silent, sophisticated and tremendously powerful.
The Dolphin-class submarine is a versatile tool that can adjust itself
to a variety of tasks. The IDF’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Benny
Gantz once described these submarines as “a long strategic arm
– sophisticated, very quiet, and extremely important in our struggle”
against enemy forces.
The INS Tanin’s personnel regularly performs intensive operational
activity near and far, operating away from the public spotlight. Now,
the submarine flotilla will be able to tackle new challenges and keep
the Israeli home front even safer.
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