The Israeli Navy

Abstract

On 13 April 1988 the Israeli cabinet approved the modernization program proposed by the general staff of the Israel Defense Force Navy (ID FN). 1 The proposed program included the acquisition of four 1300-ton missile corvettes of the new Saar 5 type and three 1200-ton Dolphin-class submarines. The estimated cost for this ten-year project was $1.5 billion. The government, however, limited procurement to three Saar 5s and two new submarines. 2 This rather controversial decision was reached after eight years of deliberations in the defense establishment. Although opponents of the program continued their efforts to prevent its realization, in February 1989 the Israeli Ministry of Defense finally signed a contract with the U.S. Ingalls Company for the building of the Saar 5s.