The Israeli Navy

The Israeli Navy is neither famous nor large. Long overshadowed by its more glamorous counterparts in the Tank Corps and the Israel Air Force, the Sea Corps has nevertheless built up an impressive record for itself and managed to make good use of its indigenous weapon technology and ship design. The Sea Corps first won acclaim in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 when it sank eight Arab FFLs without a the loss of a single Israeli vessel; the crews of the Israeli Navy successfully destroying or otherwise evading over seventy Arab Soviet-supplied SS-N-2 Styx missiles. Although the size of the Egyptian Navy in 1988 was twice that of Israel's, observers felt that the tactical and technological superiority of the Sea Corps offset any Egyptian quantitative advantage.

Operating in two unconnected bodies of water, the Sea Corps is based in the Mediterranean Sea by way of ports at Ashdod and Haifa and in the Red Sea from the port of Eilat. Although Israel does not maintain a Marine Corps per se, it does make use of an elite group of underwater commandos (Flotilla 13) who have proven themselves to be highly successful in amphibious and sabotage operations.

Mission

The Israeli Sea Corps' main objective lies in defending the Israeli coastline. The heart of the fleet is the Sa'ar class of Fast Attack Craft, who with their exceptional offensive capability and high speed make excellent tools in the navy's overall scheme. The air wing of the navy is made up of maritime reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters used for search and rescue, generally with minimal armament.

One of three Israeli subs, the INSTanin

Engagements with terrorists and other low-intensity conflicts neglected the need for larger ships such as cruisers or destroyers. The Navy makes full use of its smaller missile craft and interdiction vessels to keep the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Seas clean. However, during the 1982 Peace for Galilee war with Lebanon the Israeli navy proved to be capable of missions beyond policing its waters and landed troops and armor on the beaches near Sidon using their small flotilla of amphibious craft with relative success; and during the 1996 Operation Grapes of Wrath Israeli missile craft shelled the coastal roads of Lebanon. Even still, this defensive role has not relegated the Israeli Navy to a coast guard mission. The Israeli Navy, while strategically defensive, is highly offensive tactically and conducts its mission dynamically and with a high degree of elan.

Modernization

With the added capabilities of the new Dolphin submarines and Eilat/Sa'ar V missile corvettes the Israeli Navy possesses the power to operate off of the coast of Libya or any other potential threat with a good deal of strength. In addition, the Israeli Air Force operates some of its AH-1 Cobra gunships to patrol the Israeli coastline in conjunction with Naval Sea Scan search aircraft and an extensive land-based radar network.

The Israeli Sea Corps has always been keen to modernize and one such program is in place today. New systems and techniques are being developed to meet the unsettling and quickly changing realities of modern naval warfare, from thrust vectored propulsion on the Super Dvora MkII patrol craft to the new Elisra ECM/ESM electronic warfare suite on the Sa'ar Vs. The well established Israeli high-tech industry has been well prepared to meet the needs of the ever-mightier fleet of fast attack craft and this mutual cooperation is ever so visible in the new look and equipment of the T'sva Hagana L'Yisrael HeylHa'Yam.

The Israeli Navy has begun incorporating the Israeli-designed Typhoon naval gun system into its operational scheme. The gun, manufactured by El-Op and Rafael, is targeted thermally and will employ either a 25mm cannon or a .50 cal-triple barrel Phalanx gun. It is intended to be used on patrol boats and operated by remote control, thus reducing the risk to the sailors manning it.