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Israel acquisition of German-built INS Drakon submarine

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-03 10:47 UTC → 2026-09-07 11:32 UTC · added removed

Germany has transferred the INS Drakon, a Dolphin-II class submarine built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), to the Israeli Navy. The vessel, costing approximately $634 million, is the final and largest submarine of its class constructed in Germany since World War II. The 73-meter-long submarine has a displacement of approximately 2,400 tons and features an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system based on fuel cells. The vessel It is equipped with ten torpedo tubes—six of 533 mm and four of 650 mm—and an enlarged sail that analysts speculate could house vertical launch systems, though this remains unconfirmed. systems. In early September 2026, the INS Drakon departed the TKMS shipyard in Kiel to begin its journey to Israel. A formal ceremony was held in Kiel involving Israeli and German officials. Notably, the The name ‘Drakon’ was chosen as a compromise after relatives of the crew from the sunken submarine Dakar objected to the name being reused; the name ‘Dakar’ is instead reserved for a future submarine class expected in the early 2030s. Recent reports indicate that the INS Drakon This delivery is part of a broader significant surge in German military support. Germany approved approximately €800 million ($930 million) in arms exports to Israel for the first half of 2026, a figure four times the total value of exports approved throughout 2025. Roughly two-thirds Approximately 67 percent of these authorized values are tied licenses relate to large-scale the maritime and defense projects, including project involving the INS Drakon. The broader contract for this submarine class is estimated at €3 billion, with the German government providing 20 percent in financing. This increase in shipments has drawn criticism from the Left Party, which accused the government of ‘boundless double standards’ regarding its support for Israel.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-07 11:32 UTC Israel acquisition of German-built INS Drakon submarine
  2. 2026-09-03 10:47 UTC Israel acquisition of German-built INS Drakon submarine
  3. 2026-09-02 01:58 UTC Israel acquisition of German-built INS Drakon submarine
  4. 2026-08-16 13:49 UTC Israel acquisition of German-built INS Drakon submarine
  5. 2026-08-10 01:02 UTC Israel acquisition of German-built INS Drakon submarine

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