Dolphin-class Submarine

The Dolphin-class (Hebrew: הצוללות מסדרת דולפין) is a diesel-electric submarine constructed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW) in Kiel, Germany, for the Israeli Sea Corps. The first boats of the class were based on the export-only German Type 209-class submarines, but modified and enlarged. The Dolphin 1-subclass is slightly larger than the German Navy Type 212 in length and displacement. The three newer air-independent propulsion (AIP) equipped boats are similar to the Type 212 vessels in underwater endurance, but are 39 feet (11.89 meters) longer, nearly 500 tonnes heavier in submerged displacement and have a larger crew than either the Type 212 or the Type 214.

The Dolphin 2-subclass are the largest submarines to have been built in Germany since World War II. The Dolphin-class boats are the most expensive single vehicles in the Israel Defense Forces. The Dolphin-class replaced the aging Gal-class submarines, which had served in the Israeli navy since the late 1970s. Each Dolphin-class submarine is capable of carrying a combined total of up to sixteen torpedoes and Popeye Turbo submarine-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs). The cruise missiles have a range of at least 930 miles (1,496.7 kilometers) and are widely believed to be equipped with a 200 kiloton nuclear warhead containing up to 6 kilograms (13 lb) of plutonium. The latter, if true, would provide Israel with an offshore nuclear second strike capability.

Dolphin I-subclass

 * INS Dolphin
 * INS Leviathan
 * INS Tekumah

Dolphin II-subclass

 * INS Tanin
 * INS Rahiv
 * INS Drakon