Israel takes delivery of advanced INS Drakon submarine from Germany

Israel has officially taken delivery of its newest and most advanced submarine, the INS Drakon, from the German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). The vessel, which was handed over this week at the TKMS facilities in Kiel, is the sixth and final unit of the Dolphin II class. While its delivery was originally scheduled for 2025, the submarine has now been transferred to the Israeli Navy as part of a long-standing strategic partnership between Berlin and Tel Aviv.

Estimated to cost approximately 550 million euros (634 million dollars), the INS Drakon is recognized as the largest submarine of its kind built in Germany since the Second World War. This delivery follows a broader 3-billion-euro agreement signed in 2022 between Israel and TKMS. In addition to the Drakon, this contract encompasses the construction of three future Dakar-class submarines, further bolstering Israel's strategic underwater operational capabilities. The German government remains a key partner in these naval procurement projects aimed at enhancing the Israeli fleet's technological dominance in the Middle East.