Germany delivers Israels biggest-ever submarine

Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has delivered to the Israel Navy the IMS Drakon submarine – the most expensive submarine ever received by Israel, German website ‘Marine Forum’ reports. The delivery had originally been scheduled for 2025 but was delayed.

IMS Drakon is the sixth submarine procured by Israel from TKMS for its 7th fleet and the biggest built in Germany since the Second World War. Its cost is estimated at €550 million ($634 million).

For submarines, Israel is completely dependent on Germany in general and TKMS in particular, and this dependence is expected to continue in the coming decade. Above water, however, a certain move towards independence has occurred. In December 2024, the Ministry of Defense signed, for the first time in more than two decades, an agreement with Israel Shipyards to purchase five advanced Reshef-type assault ships, worth about $840 million. These ships are intended to replace the Nirit ships, which are expected to be retired after 40 years of operations.

Three more on the way

In 2018, the Israel Navy decided to halt development of the advanced TKMS submarine, which was almost complete, and make strategic changes and improvements, including replacing components. The major alterations took time and costs rose. The design and planning phase of each submarine lasted three years, while construction lasted seven years. Among other things, unlike Israel’s first three submarines, the IMS Tanin, IMS Rahav, and IMS Drakon have an AIP system, which allows batteries to be charged underwater, thus allowing for a longer dive time.

According to international media reports, the IMS Drakon is over 70 meters long. The submarine’s size allows it to carry a larger crew as well as a wider range of equipment and weapons. Its weight exceeds 2,000 tons, making it the largest and most powerful submarine in the Middle East. According to a report by “Der Spiegel,” the IMS Tanin and IMS Rahav submarines can stay underwater for up to 18 days and reach a speed of 25 knots, which is about 46.3 kilometers per hour.

Looking ahead, three more Dakar-class submarines are expected to arrive in Israel starting in 2031, at a rate of one every 18 months, replacing the Dolphin, Leviathan and Tekuma submarines, which entered service in 1999 and 2000. Israel signed the contract with TKMS in 2022, at an estimated cost of €3 billion. The German government is expected to finance about 20% of the cost of the deal.

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The submarine industry is expected to be a major anchor in the German- Israeli defense relationship in the coming decades. In terms of Israeli sales, the Arrow 3 deal has placed Germany as Israel’s second biggest defense exports customer between 2021 and 2025, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). German procurements accounted for 21% of Israeli defense exports. India was in first place, with 29%, and in third place was the US with 7.8%.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on August 5, 2026.

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