The Sa'ar 6-class corvettes are not the only symbol of the changing Israeli Navy but many
other things. These surface combatants have high combat capabilities inversely proportional
to their relatively small size and low displacement. They have an innovative design concept and
some unique features. As the Weapon Detective, we are investigating the Sa'ar 6-class, the
Israeli style of the corvette. Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel,
before we start and give us a thumbs up if you like our video. To be notified of our
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our channel. By looking at the Sa'ar 6-class corvettes,
we can see the new face of the Israeli Navy, the current phase in the evolution Israel's
security policy, and the shifting balance in the region. They also offer an innovative
approach for modern naval warfare concepts. Such a huge significance for such a small
surface combatant... The story of the Sa'ar-6 class dates back to the early 2000s.
In 2002, the Israeli Navy was seeking a new combat ship as the replacement of the Sa'ar
4-class missile boats. But, Israel's maritime security perception
had changed. Therefore, the Israeli Navy was experiencing difficulties in determining what
features the new ship would require. Also, the defence budget was shrinking, and the
Israeli government was not willing to spend money on an expensive new surface combatant.
In 2007, the Israel Defense Forces, shortly IDF, formulated a multi-year plan, which also
included the acquisition of new surface combatants. But, in this plan, the needs of the navy had
a low priority, and the IDF used its budget on the other urgent requirements.
Every cloud has a silver lining. By this delay, Israel gained time to determine its real maritime
security needs. Since the late 2000s, the nature of the region had changed.
The old adversaries had become new partners, while the relation with old friends had been
damaged. Besides, the discovery of gas reserves in
the Mediterranean had shifted the security perception for Israel.
In 2012, the surface combatant became a priority. Now, the Israeli Navy now knew what features
the new ship would require. In 2013, Israeli Shipyards offered its Sa'ar
72 design. But, the navy rejected the vessel and Israel decided to open an international
tender. However, in 2014, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu cancelled the international tender, started the negotiation with the German ThyssenKrupp
Marine Systems, shortly TKMS, as the sole source.
This decision sparked a lot of controversies. First of all, the German ship was heavier
and larger than the initial determined criteria. In 2017, the Israeli Police began an investigation
about Netanyahu for the allegation of bribes. His cousin and personal lawyer, David Shimron,
was representing TKMS in Israel. The case would continue until the accusations against
David Shimron and Eli Marom, the former Navy commander, was dropped in 2021.
Besides, in 2010, Abu Dhabi based Abu Dhabi MAR company acquired 80 per cent of the shipbuilding
part of TKMS. This was giving the Arab countries access
to the classified information of the most advanced surface combatant of Israel. Yet,
the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that TKMS is responsible for building the
only structural parts. The critical components, such as the control and command systems, sensors,
weapons and electronic warfare equipment, would be locally produced and integrated.
Nevertheless, Israel signed a contract with TKMS for the construction of four ships in
2015. The first Sa'ar 6-class corvette, INS Magen,
was laid down on February 7, 2018, launched on May 12, 2019, and commissioned on November
11, 2020. The second ship, INS Oz, was commissioned
on May 4, 2021. These two vessels are in active service.
The sea trials and fitting-out works of the third and fourth corvettes, INS Atzmaut and
INS Nitzachon, continue. All four Sa'ar 6-class corvette were built
in Germany. The weapon and electronic systems have been
fitted to the ships in Israel. More than 90 per cent of the Sa'ar 6s' combat systems are
developed by Israeli defence companies. Israel paid for only two-thirds of the cost. Germany
subsidized the rest. The design of the Sa'ar 6-class is based on
the German MEKO-A100-class corvette, also known as the Braunschweig-class. But, these
two surface combatants have many differences. First of all, Israeli ships have many design
changes to accommodate locally-developed sensors and missiles.
Their hangars are bigger and suitable for 10-ton class helicopters.
The hangars of the MEKO-A100-class can host only small unmanned aerial vehicles.
The design of the Sa’ar 6-class reduces the radar cross-section and infrared signatures.
These corvettes are designed for mainly asymmetric naval threats. But, despite their small size,
the Sa'ar 6-class has more combat capability than many modern frigates. It can perform
the area air defence, anti-submarine warfare and land-attack missions besides the anti-surface
warfare duties. The Sa'ar 6-class has a longer range and higher
endurance than any previous Israeli surface combatant.
The complement of the Sa'ar 6-class is 65-person. The corvette has a length of 89.12 metres,
a beam of 13.28 metres, and a draught of 3.4 metres. The displacement of the ship is 1,900
to 2,000 tons. The propulsion system of the Sa'ar 6-class consists of four 4,615-horsepower
MTU 16V 4000 M93L diesel engines, in CODAD configuration, which provides a maximum speed
of 26 knots. The corvette can sail up to 7,400 kilometres, in other words, 4,000 nautical
miles. The armament of the ship consists of one 76mm Super Rapido gun, two Typhoon remote-controlled
weapon stations, 16 anti-ship missiles, 32 Barak 8 surface to air missiles, 40 Tamir
missiles for the C-Dome close-in weapon missile system, and two 324mm triple torpedo tubes.
The Sa'ar 6-class has aviation facilities suitable to operate a 10-ton class helicopter.
The EL/M-2248 MF-STAR multifunction active electronically scanned array radar of the
Sa'ar 6-class is made up of four S-band active arrays, of which each is positioned in one
direction. It can detect a fighter size aircraft flying at high altitudes in the range of between
300 to 450 kilometres. Its range for a sea-skimming missile is over 25 kilometres.
Currently, the Sa'ar 6-class is equipped with 16 Block II RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
Its maximum speed is Mach 0.85, and it can reach a range of 124 kilometres. This variant
has a 222-kilogram warhead and a guidance system consisting of inertial navigation,
active radar and GPS. So, the Block II Harpoons are also effective in littoral waters, and
they have limited land-attack capability. Soon, the newly developed Gabriel V will replace
or supplement the RGM-84s. This missile has an advanced active multi-spectral seeker designed
for cluttered littoral environments. Its range is more than 200 kilometres. Thanks to its
GPS and inertial navigation systems, the Gabriel V can perform land-attack missions.
The Barak 8 air defence missile is effective against air threats, including aircraft, helicopters,
and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as anti-ship, ballistic, and cruise missiles. Its effective
range is between 0.5 to 100 kilometres, while its maximum effective altitude is about 16,000
metres. The maximum speed of the missile is Mach 2.
The C-Dome is the naval variant of the famous Iron Dome system developed for the counter
rocket, artillery, and mortar, shortly C-RAM, role. The missile of the system, the Tamir,
has an effective range of between 4 and 70 kilometres. It is effective against mortar
and artillery shells, artillery rockets, as well as missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The C-Dome gives the Sa'ar 6-class a matchless C-RAM capability.
Currently, there are no 76mm guns on the Sa'ar 6-class.
The projected Super Rapido has a safe rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute. The gun,
which has an effective range of 20,000 meters against surface targets, is also very effective
against air targets. The Typhoon remote-controlled weapon station
is designed against asymmetric surface threats, and it can be fitted with a 25mm gun and/or
the Spike ER missiles. The gun has a -20 to +45 degrees depression/elevation angle. So,
its effectiveness against air targets is limited. There are 200 ready-to-fire rounds on the
turret. Its rate of fire is 500 rounds per minute. The maximum effective range of the
25mm gun is about 3,000 metres. The Spike ER missile has a range of 8,000
metres. Thanks to its fibre optic data bus, the missile can change its course and target
during the flight. The corvette has a helipad and hangar, which
are suitable for a 10-ton class helicopter. Israel will use its Sa'ar 6s with the MH-60s.
Besides, depending on the operational requirement, the corvette can carry a UH-60 utility or
an AH-64 attack helicopter. What do these features of the Sa'ar 6-class
tell us? To better understand these ships, we should look at the changing nature of the
region. Since the 1978 Camp David Accords, Israel
has been relieved of the pressure of its biggest enemy, Egypt. By the new millennium, these
two countries have even become partners in many areas.
Syria had not been a real threat alone. After the dissolution of the USSR and the current
civil war, it has become less significant. So, the operational areas of the Israeli Navy
have shifted towards the blue waters. While the old enemies became new partners
or insignificant, an old friend turned into a problem. Turkey was the most beneficial
country in the region for the security of Israel. Also, for Ankara, a pro-Western Israel
was an important counterbalance to its pro-Soviet Arab neighbours. So, these two countries had
a long honeymoon period. However, by the late 2000s, the relations
between Israel and Turkey have constantly deteriorated.
Also, today, these two countries are experiencing disputes over the exclusive economic zone.
Let's be realistic. A Turkish-Israeli war is unlikely. This is beyond the wildest dreams
for both countries. Besides, for the Western world, neither Israel nor Turkey is a dispensable
country in the region. The USA and its European allies will stop such an apocalyptic scenario,
which have the potential the change the all world order, by all means. The Western world
never allows even a small skirmish. So, the real reason for the change in the
Israeli Navy is not Turkey. The only unchanged things in the region are
Hamas and Hezbollah. They are still hostile. These two organizations have the capability
of performing attacks on the Israeli offshore natural gas platforms and maritime shipments
by using small vessels, unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned submarines.
The fast and cheap small vessels are like the naval variants of the Toyotas. They can
be fitted with heavy machine guns, light auto-cannons, artillery rocket launchers, and anti-tank
missiles. With the hit-and-run tactics, these boats can cause serious damage to Israeli
maritime interests. Also, Hamas and Hezbollah use unmanned aerial
vehicles as the kamikazes, which give them over horizon attack capability.
Besides, Hamas has small unmanned submarines designed to explode under or near Israeli
naval vessels or oil and gas drilling rigs. So, the Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, which have
a good C-RAM and anti-submarine warfare capability, are the best answer against these types of
threats. The other Israeli surface combatants do not
have the C-RAM capability. Also, the small vessels of the Israeli Navy
cannot perform long patrols and fight against submarines.
The Sa'ar 6-class fulfils these important gaps.
Different from Israel, many countries are developing and building lightly armed offshore
patrol vessels. These ships do not have enough combat capability against naval Toyota warfare
or swarm drone attacks. The Sa'ar 6-class is the only surface combatant,
which has adequate C-RAM capability against such asymmetric threats. These corvettes are
also very capable platforms for conventional naval threats. So, the Sa'ar 6-class is not
only the symbol of the changing Israeli Navy or the nature of the region but also changing
naval warfare doctrines. Thanks for watching our video. And please
don't forget to subscribe to our channel and give us a thumbs up if you liked our video.
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