Israeli Navy declares newest battleship ‘ready for combat,’ advances warfare capabilities at sea

The Israeli Navy has officially declared its three new Sa’ar 6 Corvette-class vessels ‘ready for combat’ against Iran and its terrorist proxies in the event of warfare.

The German-manufactured battleship Saar 6, which has become the flagship of the Israeli Navy, weighs more than 2,000 tons and runs a length of 295 feet. In terms of electronics and firepower, it is by far the most powerful military vessel in the Israeli navy’s arsenal.

The Sa’ar 6 vessels have reportedly been operational in Israel since April. While the platform is German, much of the electronics are produced in Israel and adapted for the Jewish state’s unique security demands.

In recent days, the Israeli military organization, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, successfully tested a naval version of the Iron Dome missile defense system, according to an IDF announcement. The ship is also equipped with Israeli electronic warfare systems and domestic Barak 1 and Barak 8 missiles capable of shooting down planes, drones and helicopters up to 62 miles away.

Known as the “C-Dome,” the system is reportedly ready to be installed on Sa’ar 6 Magen Corvettes, the new flagship vessel of the Israeli Navy.

“The C-Dome system constitutes a significant leap forward in our defense capabilities, and ensures the Israeli defense establishment’s superiority and operational capabilities in the face of growing threats in the maritime arena,” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The Israeli Navy is the smallest branch of the Israel Defense Forces. While it has traditionally been underfunded compared to the powerful Israel Air Force, in the last decade, investment in naval operations has gradually increased due to the discovery of vast natural gas fields off the Israeli Mediterranean coast.

"The mission of defending Israel's Exclusive Economic Zone and strategic assets at sea is the primary mission of the Israeli Navy," said Israel's former Navy Commander Maj.-Gen. Eli Sharvit.

Worth billions of dollars, these Israeli naval assets are tempting targets for Iran and its terrorist proxies Hezbollah and Hamas. A key task for the new battleships will be to protect Israel’s natural gas assets against threats from Iran and its terrorist proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon. In addition, the Iranian regime has stepped up its attacks on Israeli commercial ships across the Middle East’s waterways.

"The security establishment is constantly working to improve the Iron Dome system, on land and at sea, to increase its effectiveness," said Moshe Patel, director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization.