The submarine INS Dragon has left Germany bound for Israel after years of waiting. The new submarine, built at TKMS shipyards in Kiel, will make its way to its home port in Israel and join the Navy’s submarine flotilla. Upon arrival, it will become the sixth submarine in Israel’s underwater fleet.
3+Just yesterday, a special ceremony was held in Germany led by the Navy commander, heralding a dramatic expansion of the naval arm: for the first time in the country’s history, the IDF will operate six submarines simultaneously. This is the most advanced war machine arriving in the IDF, a strategic asset equipped with the latest technology, designed to ensure Israel’s security and the superiority of its forces even in the most distant arenas.
The Dragon’s expected arrival also caps an unusually long process. The submarine was ordered back in 2011 as part of the Navy’s continued force buildup and was built in Germany according to Israeli specifications. In August 2023, it was already spotted outside the construction hall in Kiel, and in November 2024, an official ceremony was held at the shipyard where it received its name. The Defense Ministry defined it then as a “strategic combat asset” and announced that it is equipped with unique systems and technologies designed to expand the IDF’s capabilities in various arenas.
3+The Dragon is the third and final Dolphin AIP-class submarine built for the Navy, and it is also the largest of the six Dolphin-series submarines built for Israel. The AIP system allows the submarine to remain underwater for extended periods without needing to surface to run diesel engines and charge batteries—a significant advantage in covert, long-range missions.
Many details regarding the Dragon’s operational capabilities remain classified. However, the Navy and Defense Ministry have made clear this is a vessel designed to expand Israel’s operational range. At the naming ceremony, Navy Commander Rear Admiral David Saar Salama said the submarine would operate “at distances and depths for extended periods,” and defined it as a significant force multiplier for the Navy, the IDF, and the State of Israel.
3+One of the submarine’s prominent external features is an enlarged and extended structure on its upper section, different from its predecessors. Professional publications abroad have raised assessments over the years regarding systems that could be integrated in this area, but Israel has not disclosed its purpose. Ambiguity is also maintained regarding the precise weapons systems installed on the submarine.
Just yesterday, it was reported in Kiel that the Israeli Navy officially commissioned the Dragon in a ceremony held at the TKMS shipyard under heavy security. According to the local report, this is the largest submarine from the Dolphin family that Germany has supplied to Israel, and its cost reaches about 700 million euros, with Germany financing about a third of the amount.
The submarine’s name was also chosen for its historical connection to the flotilla. According to the Defense Ministry, “Dragon”—a mythological sea creature symbolizing power and strength—contains in Hebrew the letters D, K, and R, which form the name “Dakar,” thus commemorating the legacy of INS Dakar and its crew members.
3+The Dragon’s arrival comes at a time when the submarine flotilla is undergoing a broader expansion process. In November 2024, parallel to the ceremony held for the Dragon, construction also began in Germany on the first submarine of the future “Dakar” series. Israel has ordered three next-generation submarines, which are eventually intended to replace the three oldest submarines from the Dolphin series. Their delivery is expected to begin in the early part of the next decade.
Now, after completing the stages in Germany, the Dragon is making its way to Israel. Upon arrival, it is expected to be received at the Navy base in Haifa and join a fleet considered one of the most strategic and secretive assets of the IDF.