Israel Urged to Bolster Submarine Fleet Amid Turkey’s Naval Expansion
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Israeli security entities have advised the government to enhance its submarine fleet in response to what they term Turkey’s “increasing naval power.” This recommendation stems from observations of Turkey’s substantial advancements in its submarine capabilities, which are reportedly being bolstered with sophisticated German equipment, mirroring submarines produced for Israel.
Military correspondent Doron Kadosh for the Israeli army radio reported that Israel has been monitoring Turkey’s naval buildup in recent years. Turkey currently operates 14 submarines, with plans to increase this number to 18 in the coming years. In comparison, Israel possesses five submarines and expects its sixth to be delivered imminently. Security officials have presented an expert assessment to the political echelon suggesting Israel’s submarine fleet should grow to eight vessels concurrently in the future.
The cost of each submarine is estimated at approximately one billion Euros. Kadosh noted that an option to purchase a seventh submarine at the same price exists within a contract signed with Germany in the past decade, a choice yet to be exercised. Security agencies are recommending that this option be activated as a preliminary step, possibly before potential price increases, followed by the acquisition of an eighth submarine.
The quantity of submarines is a highly sensitive issue for Israel, especially following an official inquiry into the matter which concluded that a proper expert assessment regarding the navy’s needs had not been conducted. Kadosh explained that the security establishment’s position evolved from believing five submarines were sufficient, to six, a stance that saw internal disagreements. The current security reality, particularly after the events of October 7th and the perceived threat from Turkey’s growing naval strength, has prompted a significant shift in this position.
Officials within Israeli security agencies emphasized that a comprehensive and long-term procurement process is unlikely before the upcoming elections. However, Tel Aviv intends to pursue this strategic expansion in an organized manner with the political leadership that will be established post-election.
