Israel to Buy Nuclear-Weapon-Capable Submarines

Israel has agreed to purchase two submarines from Germany that would enhance Tel Aviv’s second-strike nuclear-weapon capability, The Jerusalem Post reported yesterday (see GSN, Nov. 26, 2003).

Under the contract, the Dolphin-class boats would be powered by conventional diesel engines supplemented by fuel-cell technology to allow the submarines to remain underwater for longer periods of time, the Post reported.

The boats have the capacity to launch nuclear-armed cruise missiles, according to Jane’s Defense Weekly (see GSN, Oct. 14, 2003).

Israel already operates three older Dolphin-class boats it acquired from Germany following the 1991 Gulf War, the Post reported.  Germany donated two of those submarines and split the cost of the third.  Under the new deal, Israel will buy the two submarines for $1.27 billion, with Germany providing financing for one-third of the cost, according to the Post (Yaakov Katz, The Jerusalem Post, Aug. 22).

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