The Israeli navy announced on Tuesday the name of its six nuclear submarines, dubbed “the Dragon”, in a ceremony in Germany with the naval vessel expected to be delivered to Israel later in 2025.
Israeli nuclear submarines have the capability to be armed with nuclear weapons as well as to perform clandestine spying missions all over the world.
According to foreign sources, Israel has 80-200 nuclear weapons, including the ability to fire from submarines, which makes it nearly impossible to knock out all of Israel’s reported nuclear weapons in a first strike on its territory.
This virtually guarantees that Israel could counter-strike using nuclear weapons in the event that any adversary attempted a devastating blow against Israel.
Moreover, the IDF said that it marked the start of Germany building the next submarine, the Dakar, which is due to be delivered sometime in the next decade.
A cornerstone in ensuring the security of the State of Israel
Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy, Maj.-Gen. David Saar Salama said, “The INS Dragon will serve as a cornerstone in ensuring the security of the State of Israel. Seen and unseen, it will dwell in distant and hidden realms for extended periods. This submarine is an additional force multiplier for the capabilities and strength of the Israeli Navy, the IDF, and the State of Israel—facing complex challenges at the most strategic and crucial level for Israel."
"At this time, significant transformations are taking place in the submarine flotilla. Operational methods are improving, the range of operational capabilities is being enhanced and expanded, and integration with security bodies is accelerating. All of these place the submarine flotilla at the forefront of the campaign for Israel's security as the extended arm of the IDF. With the addition of INS Dragon to the depths of our operations, our extended arm grows significantly in length and strength," he concluded.