DISCONTINUED N350004 ISRAELI DOLPHIN CLASS SUBMARINE

Dolphin-class units are modern, classical (diesel-electric) fighter submarines, which are part of the Israeli Navy (hereinafter: MW). The first unit of this type entered service in 1999. In the case of the Dolphin I subtype, the ship is 57.3 m long, 6.8 m wide, and has an underwater displacement of 1,900 tons. The maximum underwater speed, in turn, is a minimum of 20 knots. The submersion depth is usually defined as a minimum of 350 m. The armament consists of 6 533 mm torpedo tubes and 4 400 mm tubes. Dolphin class vessels were and are manufactured for the needs of Israel in Germany, specifically at the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft shipyard in Kiel. Work on the Dolphin class began at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s in order to replace the Gaul class units in the line. Compared to their predecessors, Israel's new MW submarines have significantly more modern electronic equipment, better underwater speed and are able to carry a much larger range of weapons. Units of this class are divided into two sub-types. Chronologically, the first of them is Dolphin I, which can be treated with some simplification as a very far-reaching modernization of the export Type 209. The ships of this subclass entered service in the years 1999-2000, perhaps 1999-2001. The second subtype, on the other hand, is called Dolphin II. The first unit of this type entered the line probably in 2014. This sub-type has a completely new API type drive, which significantly increases the possibilities of underwater navigation and is quieter, and it can be assumed that it received more modern electronic equipment. Each of the 6 Dolphin class units is capable of carrying up to 16 torpedoes and Popeye Turbo missiles with a range of up to 1,500 kilometers. There are opinions that the above-mentioned missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.