'From Berlin with love' - Germany's Federal Security Council has approved the export of a fifth submarine to Israel.

'From Berlin with love' - Germany's Federal Security Council has approved the export of a fifth submarine to Israel. (SP).

It's the penultimate submarine promised to Israel by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and will be handed over by the company Thyssen Krupp.

Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper revealed the approval, citing the Federal Security Council's report to the parliamentary Economics Committee.

Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) builds the new Air Independent Propulsion Dolphins and the decision to sell them has been criticized for two reasons. One, in that German taxpayers are shouldering a third of the cost.

Secondly, the vessels are reportedly capable of being equipped with nuclear weapons.

Peter Roberts is an expert in sea power and naval weapons systems at the Royal United Services Institute in London and told Sputnik News that Israel will want to produce and develop nuclear capability on the new submarines.

"That's the long term aspiration", says Roberts. "But does it have it right now? No.

"These are new batch of submarines that Israel is receiving which have a markedly increased capability on what they'd had previously in terms of range, covertness and ability to reach different parts of the world then they had previously been able to do."

Roberts adds that the submarines have the capability to become nuclear armed, "but probably not right now." "Several hurdles have to be overcome before it can be armed with a nuclear warhead."

He explains that the key to being able to arm the submarines with nuclear weapons is down to the delivery mechanism.

"The Israelis rely on the fact they could fire the Popeye submarine missile — a system that the Americans successfully launched in 2002. But traditionally the Israelis only keep the Harpoon anti-ship missile."

"These are the first submarines that will be able to fire this missile, the size of the torpedo tubes allow it to be fired, they have a bigger tubes for bigger missiles.

A recent report titled 'German Submarines — Capabilities and Potential', written by Captain Raimund Wallner, and published by the Royal United Services Institute in London, says:

"To sum up, one may say that due to their characteristics of compactness, covertness, sustainability and high combat power, submarines made in Germany are already able to meet the majority of the demands which today's and future scenarios pose to underwater platforms. Hmmm......To boldly go to Iran. Read the full story here.

Video - EMP - Electronic Armageddon......For Iran?

Explorer: Electronic Armageddon from Toby Roberts on Vimeo.

"Run Silent - Run Deep" Israel’s Newest, Most Expensive Weapon: The INS Tanin Submarine.

"Run Silent - Run Deep" Israel’s Newest, Most Expensive Weapon: The INS Tanin Submarine.(Algemeiner).

In a commemoration aboard Israel’s 4th and newest submarine, the INS Tanin (”crocodile,” or “alligator”), the IDF on Sunday held a wreath-laying ceremony at the site where 69 soldiers of INS Dakar went down with the ship, in the Mediterranean Sea some 270 miles off the Israeli coast in 1968, the Israeli army said.

“We will guard, protect, and act in any enemy coast, and fight bravely for the navy and the state of Israel,” Adm. Ram Rothberg, said at the event, The Jerusalem Post noted.

Referring to the prowess of the new Dolphin-class craft, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said that, “Without a doubt, this power, operationally and strategically, is very important for Israel, the IDF and the navy.”

The INS Tanin is the most expensive weapon currently in IDF service, at a cost of over $513 million dollars, and is considered one of the most sophisticated submarines in the world.

“More than four decades passed since INS Dakar’s last voyage… Although the threats have changed, and today you have the most modern equipment, the most advanced technologies, and the most quality means, the mission remains the same mission that the INS Dakar personnel were sent on, and the responsibility is the same. To protect the Israeli coast, sea waters, and working with all of the IDF’s branches to achieve the relevant goals,” Gantz said.

In addition to the IDF’s top brass, three survivors of the Dakar were aboard: Abraham Szabo, Israel Rosen and Abraham Carmel.

The three, who were supposed to have boarded the submarine, at the last minute received orders to remain dockside and wait a few days before another ship was scheduled to arrive in Israel, according to Israel’s NRG News.

According to the Defense Industry Daily, the diesel-electric attack submarine will be outfitted with its Israeli systems after arrival at a specially-made, secretive dock in Haifa.

The sub is reportedly designed for a crew of 35 and can support 10 passengers. It is said to have a maximum speed of 20 knots, and a maximum range of 2,700 miles (4,500 km).

The craft can fire torpedoes and missiles, perform underwater surveillance, and launch combat swimmers out of wet and dry compartments.

According to Janes, the Dolphin-class subs are reportedly nuclear-armed, possibly with Israel’s Popeye Tubo cruise missile.

The official festive welcoming ceremony is set for Tuesday in Haifa.

The next craft in the fleet, the INS Rahav is scheduled to arrive in Israel during 2015, with a sixth projected to arrive in 2019.

Watch the ceremony HERE.

Take an inside look at the most formidable, and expensive weapon, in Israel’s arsenal HERE.

Hmmm.....Erdogan's BFF and 'Israel's staunchest Ally' Pres Obama is delivering State of the art Torpedoes to Turkey.


 The Mk-48 is a huge 533mm torpedo (19 feet long, 3,500+ pounds) with advanced homing, wire guidance capabilities, and devastating consequences when its 300kg warhead hits a target. It is designed to kill both fast, deep-diving nuclear submarines and high performance surface ships.

PHOTOS: PM Netanyahu at ceremony upon arrival of IDF's new INS Tanin Submarine today. pic.twitter.com/bRAkwtz1Lx

— Israel News Feed (@IsraelHatzolah) September 23, 2014

Israel's Doomsday Submarines Nearly Ready.

Israel's Doomsday Submarines Nearly Ready. HT: VillagersWithTorches ; RealCleardefence.

Right now, three Dolphin II-class submarines are under construction at Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyards in Kiel. Once the submarines complete their trials and head towards the Mediterranean, they will become the most powerful Israeli submarines ever.

More than 225 feet long, the diesel-electric Dolphin II class is part attack submarine, part nuclear strike ship and part commando taxi.

They’re also painted in an unusual combination of black, blue and green colors. That’s “meant to make the ship less visible, and thought to be especially effective in Mediterranean waters,” Defense News noted after recently publishing new photographs of the fat, oddly-shaped boats in dry dock and on sea trials.

In terms of weapons, the three boats of the Dolphin II class—the Tannin, Rahav and a third unnamed submarine—contain 10 torpedo tubes capable of launching fiber optic cable-guided DM-2A4 torpedoes. Germany has already handed over the Tannin, which is preparing for its journey to Israel.

Four of these tubes are larger 26-inch tubes—the size is rare for a Western-built submarine—capable of launching small commando teams or firing larger cruise missiles. The remaining six tubes measure at 21 inches.

Although not admitted by the Israeli government, the Dolphin II is widely believed to soon possess nuclear-tipped Popeye Turbo cruise missiles. The submarine’s armament includes non-nuclear anti-ship Harpoon and anti-helicopter Triton missiles.Hmmmm......Now you know why Erdo just received from his BFF Obama top of the line torpedos. Read the full story here.

"Run Silent - Run Deep" - IDF Sees Steep Rise in Submarine Operations.

"Run Silent - Run Deep" - IDF Sees Steep Rise in Submarine Operations.HT: Matzav.

The IDF’s submarine fleet has seen a sharp increase in the number and duration of its at-sea operations, with a special focus on Lebanon, according to a senior Israel Navy officer.

Some of the deployments lasted several weeks and took the submarines thousands of kilometers from Israel.
Israel has bought its top-of-the-line Dolphin submarines from Germany, with two new subs to be delivered in the second half of 2014, the INS Tanin and INS Rahav.

The new submarines have engines that don’t require surfacing to acquire new air supplies.

"Run Silent.....Run Deep" - Berlin Silent on Report of U-Boat Sale to Egypt

"Run Silent.....Run Deep" - Berlin Silent on Report of U-Boat Sale to Egypt.(Spiegel).The German government on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to Israel after media reports said relations between the two countries had been damaged by an unconfirmed deal to supply Egypt with two German-made submarines.
A German government spokesman declined to comment on an article which appeared in the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram last Friday and cited the commander-in-chief of the Egyptian navy, Osama al-Gindi, as saying: "We have agreed to a deal with Germany to procure two submarines of the latest 209 Class." On Monday, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said only: "There has been no change in the German government's position towards Israel, in the commitment the German government feels towards Israel's security." But he declined to comment on the supposed deal, saying the government maintained secrecy concerning matters dealt with by the Federal Security Council, a government committee that decides on sensitive weapons export deals. According to Jediot Achronot newspaper, Israel is worried that its navy may fall behind if Egypt gets modern German submarines. A German weapons sale to Egypt could be seen in Israel as running counter to Germany's commitment to protecting the state of Israel -- a cornerstone of German foreign policy due to the Holocaust. Germany has supplied Israel with three "Dolphin" class submarines and the total is expected to reach six by 2017. According to information obtained by SPIEGEL, Merkel made major concessions to Israel, taking over a third of the costs and giving Israel until 2015 to pay its share.Read the full story here.