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Dolphin-class submarine for Israel leaves Kiel harbor
🇩🇪 Germany /Conflict & Security

Dolphin-class submarine for Israel leaves Kiel harbor

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Outcome reported
  • The INS Drakon left the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel and crossed the Kiel Canal en route to Israel.
  • The 68-meter submarine is the last of six Dolphin-class boats built for Israel at the German shipyard and carries 10 torpedo tubes.
  • The export remains controversial because experts say the submarine could be modified to carry nuclear weapons.

The INS Drakon has left the shipyard in Kiel and begun its journey to Israel, marking the departure of the last Dolphin-class submarine built for the Israeli navy by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS.

The submarine sailed from Kiel on Tuesday and passed through the Kiel Canal under escort from Schleswig-Holstein’s state police. Israel’s military said it was heading to the northern coastal city of Haifa. The vessel is 68 meters long and is equipped with 10 torpedo tubes.

The export has drawn controversy because experts believe the submarine could be upgraded to carry nuclear weapons. With the delivery, Israel now has six submarines developed at the TKMS shipyard in Kiel.

A farewell ceremony in Kiel was attended by German Navy chief Jan Christian Kaack, Israel’s ambassador Ron Prosor and representatives of the Israeli military. Israel’s army said the departure required extensive security measures and praised the submarine’s capabilities, including a range greater than that of other Israeli navy submarines.

Prosor described the delivery as evidence of the strategic relationship between Germany and Israel, saying, “The delivery of the submarine is a testament to the depth of the strategic partnership between Jerusalem and Berlin.”

The delivery of the submarine is a testament to the depth of the strategic partnership between Jerusalem and Berlin.

— Ron ProsorIsrael’s ambassador made the remark at the farewell ceremony in Kiel.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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