Israel Receives Most Advanced Submarine in Navy’s History

INS Drakon strengthens Israel’s ability to conduct long-range, covert operations amid growing regional threats

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel has officially received the INS Drakon from Germany, adding the largest, most advanced and most expensive submarine ever constructed for the Israeli Navy to the country’s strategic arsenal.

Built by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, the INS Drakon is the sixth submarine in Israel’s fleet and the final vessel in its Dolphin II program. The submarine reportedly cost approximately €550 million—about $634 million—and was delivered after years of development and extensive customization.

Measuring more than 70 meters long and weighing over 2,000 tons, the Drakon is believed to be the largest submarine operating in the Middle East. Its expanded hull provides room for a larger crew, longer deployments and additional intelligence, surveillance and weapons systems.

The Israel Defense Forces has disclosed few details concerning the vessel’s precise capabilities. However, the Defense Ministry previously said the submarine contains “groundbreaking technologies” designed to expand Israel’s operational reach across multiple theaters.

The submarine uses air-independent propulsion technology, allowing it to remain submerged for extended periods while operating quietly and reducing the likelihood of detection by enemy sonar.

Military analysts believe the Drakon may also contain expanded missile-launch capabilities, although Israeli officials have not confirmed reports concerning the types of weapons it can carry. Its size and distinctive sail have fueled speculation that the vessel could accommodate new long-range missile systems.

A Hidden Arm of Israeli Deterrence

Israel’s submarine fleet represents one of the Jewish state’s most closely guarded strategic assets. Submarines can quietly gather intelligence, track enemy activity and position themselves far beyond Israel’s borders without revealing their location.

That ability has taken on growing importance as Israel confronts Iran and its regional proxies, whose ballistic missiles, drones and terrorist networks threaten the country from several directions.

During the submarine’s naming ceremony in Germany, then-Israeli Navy commander Vice Adm. David Saar Salama described the Drakon as a “cornerstone” of Israel’s security that would operate “in distant and hidden realms for extended periods.”

“With the addition of INS Drakon to the depths of our operations, our extended arm grows significantly in length and strength,” Salama said.

The name Drakon—Hebrew for “dragon”—was chosen both as a symbol of strength and as a tribute to the INS Dakar, which disappeared in the Mediterranean in 1968 with all 69 crew members aboard.

Israel and Germany Expand Defense Partnership

The submarine’s delivery also underscores the depth of the strategic relationship between Israel and Germany.

Berlin has supported Israel’s submarine program for decades, including subsidizing portions of the vessels’ construction. Germany and Israel have also reached a roughly €3 billion agreement for three next-generation Dakar-class submarines, with deliveries expected to begin around 2031.

Those vessels are expected to gradually replace Israel’s oldest submarines while further expanding its intelligence-gathering and long-range strike capabilities.

For a small nation surrounded by persistent threats, the sea provides Israel with something its narrow borders cannot—strategic depth. The INS Drakon gives Jerusalem another powerful, largely unseen means of warning its enemies that an attack on Israel may be answered from a place they cannot locate or neutralize.

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