Quote:
Originally Posted by Skybird
The Dolphins are extremly quiet, so one could even ask what decent ASW procedures there are against them - the Dolphins are Israel's name for the German type 212 class (214 for export versions), and regarding quietness and general stealth that class is at the very top of the international competition, not to mention the long leg it has for staying submersed. Also, although a conventionally armed Dolphin is a local anti-shipping derrent that in the limited space of the Red Sea finds somewhat ideal hunting grounds, the Israelis probably have already finished to adapt the torpedo tubes for launching nuclear armed cruise missiles, which makes the Dolphins also regional, strategic deterrants.
Two more Dolphins have been willed by Germany to be delivered to the Israeli navy. And this time, different to the first two boats, the Israelis even will need to pay for them.  In case of a shooting war at sea between Israel and Syria or Iran, hostile navies will totally hate to have to deal with these boats.  |
Actually the Dolphins are more closely related to the Type 209 class. They predate the 212 by a number of years. They have a down side in that their endurance is only 30 days. The two new Dolphins the Israeli Navy is receiving might have had their endurance increased since they are equipped with AIP (guessing Fuel Cells)