An Israeli submarine has emerged as one of the world’s most elegant class of submarine, an astute class, or “astute submarine” built to compete with the likes of the German Me 262.
Ahead of its maiden voyage from Haifa to the northern port of Ashkelon, the Me 262 is a modern submarine designed to carry a range of weapons.
It is also an efficient submarine, making the ship far more versatile than its contemporaries.
Built in 1981, the vessel is currently on a 15-year tour of duty in the Middle East and North Africa, including participating in operations in Syria and Iraq.
The vessel is also in service in the Mediterranean, where it helped to save dozens of lives last year.
In this photo released by Israel’s Navy on April 21, 2016, a Me 262 battleship, the newest of the Israeli navy’s class, is seen in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, on May 23, 2015, after a naval drill in the northern Israeli port of Sderot.
The Me 262 class, first developed by Israel in 1978, was the first submarine to carry nuclear-tipped missiles.
It was designed to operate from bases in the Gulf of Aqaba, a strategic point in the Red Sea, where Israel has a naval base.
The Israeli military uses the class of submarines to carry out attacks on targets in the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the North African Sea, including those in the Strait of Hormuz.
The submarine, which is now in service for the first time, is an excellent example of what is possible with modern technology, said Avraham Kupfer, head of the Institute of Naval Studies.
The vessel was originally built to carry anti-submarine warfare weapons, but the IDF decided to upgrade it for a more modern purpose, he said.
The Israel Defense Forces also built two other ships in the class, the Lavi, a light-water craft designed to support long-range surface-to-air missiles, and the Erez, a vessel equipped with anti-ship missiles.
The Lavi is in service with the Israeli Navy, which also uses the vessels for training.
“The Lava and Erez are the first two ships that are equipped with missiles.
And the Lavez, a smaller vessel that can carry a few missiles, was built for training purposes.
They are the only ships in that class that are capable of delivering missiles,” Kupferman said.
In addition to the ships, the Israel Defense Force has also built a variety of other warships, including a corvette, a submarine and an amphibious assault ship, Kupffer said.
He added that the Israeli fleet includes three Type 209 light-weight corvettes, one Type 207 light-class submarine and two Type 207 heavy-class submarines.
The submarines are used to conduct reconnaissance and to conduct missions.
The shipyard at Ben Gurion Naval Base is located about 120 kilometers (80 miles) south of Tel Aviv, and is a military base for about 30 years.
The naval base was established in 1947 and is the largest naval base in the country, according to the IDF.
The navy uses the ships for training and for routine operations, including to conduct search-and-rescue missions and to operate anti-missile systems, Kupsfer said.
Israel is also developing a large naval fleet, with ships and submarines in service around the world.
In addition to a large number of ships in this class, there are also vessels in the Type 209, Type 206 and Type 207 classes.
Israel has a small fleet of surface ships, including two patrol ships and a helicopter carrier, and two patrol boats, one of which is a Type 211.
Israel also has a large fleet of amphibious ships, which are used for training, Kuppfer said, adding that Israel also has two patrol craft.
Kupferer said that the Lava, the first vessel in the Lavin class, will likely be decommissioned in 2023.