Years of Joint Work Become an Operational Reality: INS Drakon En Route from Germany to Israel

The send-off ceremony for Israel’s sixth submarine, INS Drakon, was held this week at the TKMS shipyard in Kiel, Germany. The ceremony was attended by VADM Eyal Harel, Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy; RADM Amir Chimney, Head of the Technology, Logistics and Material Command of the Israeli Navy; Deputy Director General and Head of the Defence Procurement Directorate at the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Zeev Landau; Israeli Ambassador to Germany, His Excellency Mr. Ron Prosor; VADM Jan Christian Kaack, Chief of the German Navy; representatives of the Israeli Navy and the Ministry of Defence who have been involved in the project; and representatives of the shipyard in Germany.

The ceremony marked the conclusion of the two countries’ joint planning and construction phase, as well as the beginning of the submarine’s voyage to Israel.

INS Drakon is the third and final submarine in the Dolphin-class AIP series purchased by the Ministry of Defence for the Israeli Navy. The submarine incorporates innovative and advanced technologies that place Israel at the forefront of global military technology and will enhance the Israeli Navy’s operational flexibility for years to come.

The Israeli flag was raised aboard the submarine, officially marking the beginning of its voyage to Israel.

The submarine’s departure was accompanied by a large-scale security operation led by the Ministry of Defence’s Security Department in cooperation with German security forces. Upon the arrival of Israel’s sixth submarine, a state ceremony will be held at the Haifa Naval Base.

Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy, VADM Eyal Harel: “Today, many years of thought, planning, development, construction, innovation, and work are becoming an operational reality. We stand here witnessing the moment when the future submarine of the Israeli Navy, the IDF, and the State of Israel begins its journey home. INS Drakon, together with the three Dakar-class submarines that will join the Israeli Navy, will form a major part of the future of the Submarine Flotilla, the Israeli Navy, and the IDF. They will bring more advanced capabilities, greater operational range, longer endurance on missions, and significant operational power. Trained fighters and commanders will serve aboard the submarine, operating covertly, in the dark and in silence, far from home. At times, they will operate under conditions in which only they will know what is happening around them,  and only they will bear the responsibility for making the right decision. That is precisely the spirit of Israel’s Submarine Flotilla.”

Deputy Director General and Head of the Defence Procurement Directorate at the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Zeev Landau: “Today, we are sending off the most advanced and complex weapons system in the IDF. This vessel is a masterpiece of German industry, developed in close cooperation with the Israeli Navy and under the contractual management of the Ministry of Defence. Relations between Israel and Germany have developed over the years into a strategic partnership between two allies and technological powers that complement one another — a partnership based on shared values and engineering and technological capabilities at sea, on land, and in the air. In accordance with the Ministry of Defence’s strategy, we are now entering a new chapter in cooperation between the two countries. We are holding extensive discussions on future projects aimed at strengthening mutual resilience and expanding cooperation into new areas of joint development and production.”

Israeli Ambassador to Germany, His Excellency Mr. Ron Prosor: “The delivery of the submarine is a testament to the depth of the strategic partnership between Jerusalem and Berlin. The two countries stand together, shoulder to shoulder, with the goal of finding shared solutions to unprecedented strategic challenges in order to ensure stability and security.”

TKMS CEO, Mr. Oliver Burkhard: “With the departure of INS Drakon, we are successfully completing a complex and challenging program that, over the years, has been characterized by trust, technological expertise, and shared responsibility. Israel is an important partner for us in the maritime arena. With the Dakar-class submarines, we are continuing our cooperation and demonstrating that TKMS not only develops complex naval programs but also brings them to successful and reliable completion.