Israel Navy's submarine fleet: an intimate but demanding unit

Haaretz ^ | 27.09.10 | Anshel Pfeffer

[sukhoi-30mki]

Israel Navy's submarine fleet: an intimate but demanding unit

The navy's submarine fleet is due to triple in size in the coming years. A glance into the intense lifestyle of soldiers in this most secretive unit.

The Israel Navy's submarine fleet is one of the Israel Defense Forces' most intimate units. The atmosphere in the unit derives not only from the nature of its missions, which require several dozen men to remain together underwater in an iron tube for many long days, but also because very few soldiers serve in the unit.

In the coming decade, the fleet is to undergo a revolution. It will start when two upgraded versions of the Dolphin submarine join the ranks in the coming two years. But the most significant change will be the expansion of the fleet's manpower from the three existing teams to ten teams by the year 2018. This will allow the fleet to carry out many more long-range missions.

Naval soldiers working in a submarine combat information center simulator. The project cost some NIS 30 million.

Photo by: Alon Ron

In the past few years, as the hidden battle intensified against arms shipments from Iran to Hezbollah and Hamas, the navy has taken over from the air force the role of the IDF's long arm. "From our perspective, the professional achievement of an underwater commando is to be part of the first crew to go into a new arena and study it in depth," says one officer, with a smile.

The IDF rarely publishes details about the submarines' operations, but according to foreign publications, in addition to collecting intelligence and conventional sea warfare, the three Dolphins are equipped with both torpedoes and the ability to

[hosepipe]

Any doubt that these subs are nuclear capable should be dismissed..

[Rebelbase]

Female operator in the background.

[AU72]

Israel’s strategic submarines are the deterrent against a first strike, try to take out Israel in blow and you will be incinerated.

[Rebelbase]

Or else the dude looks like a lady.

[starlifter]

Impossible. We all know that no naval vessel can be safely or effectively operated with females in the crew.

[VOA]

“
Israel Navy’s submarine fleet: an intimate but demanding unit
“

I’m a flyover country yokel...
but I get the general impression that the branches of the Israeli military
are pretty demanding (of performance and professionalism).

[bt579]

The Navy yard at Bremerton is full of mothballed US Subs. We should sell them to Israel.

[em2vn]

Those who sail submarines are sailors not soldiers.

[pabianice]

This small sub service may be the reason Iran has not attacked Israel. Rumor has it that their cruise missiles have 220kT nuclear warheads and can vaporize any aggressor country within the Mediterranian area.

[maine yankee]

Not just sailors-—’boat’ sailors.

[wbill]

but I get the general impression that the branches of the Israeli military are pretty demanding

Being completely surrounded by millions of people who would just as soon wipe you off the face of the earth, tends to breed that kind of discipline, I'd think. :-)

I used to work near a Hebrew Academy. The place was an armed camp - ostentatious police presence, heavy security, huge fence, massive berms and barricades (all nicely landscaped and not overly noticeable, but very much in evidence if you were to give more than a quick look). I'd go walking, occasionally, along the sidewalk that bordered the grounds. More often than not, someone made it a point to wander out and say "hello" to me. Courteous? Professional? yup. But then again, I wasn't a threat.

[tanknetter]

The Navy yard at Bremerton is full of mothballed US Subs. We should sell them to Israel.

Not mothballed, but decommissioned and stricken nuclear-powered subs that have reached the end of their core lifes. Some of them - the recent arrivals where the reactors haven't been cut out yet - could be refueled (although the recent ones are ALSO the older batch Los Angeles/688 Class boats that have already been refueled once and are being put away tired and wet) ... but the cost of doing so would be prohibitive. Especially for Israel where smaller, conventionally-powered coastal subs are a better fit for the environment they operate and the operations they engage in.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[Ramius]

I haven’t seen a lot of sub CIC’s, but that one looks pretty sweet.

[dennisw]

incoming freepmail

[Halgr]

May God save and keep Israel strong.

[Navy Man 2003]

The nuclear missile capability of these submarines was featured in the book “Depth of Revenge”. I found out about it this review of nuclear war novels. http://www.slate.com/id/2217899/

[Colorado Cowgirl]

Naval soldiers working in a submarine combat information center “simulator”. Maybe she is a simulator instructor, not a full time crew member, or then again maybe she is a full time submariner serving off the coast of Iran, ready to blow the mullahs to Hell and back. You go girl!

[M Kehoe]

I smell a song here...

If only I had a boomer, and the launch codes, could I make someone dance?
If only I had a boomer, could I offer a country their one last chance?
If only I had a boomer, and the launch codes, could I make the Persians dance?
If only I had a boomer, would Chavez take such an aggressive stance?
If only I had a boomer, and the launch codes, would the Saudis be in a trance?
If only I had a boomer, would Mecca being glass get a second glance?

Sorry, that was bad...

5.56mm