Israel to buy 3 submarines from Germany

Israel will soon be signing a deal to buy three additional advanced Dolphin-class submarines from Germany, the local Maariv newspaper reported today.

The new submarines are said to be more advanced than the six other Dolphin-class submarines currently possessed by the Israeli naval forces.

According to the newspaper, Israel is due to sign a memorandum of understanding in this regard next month.

The purchase of the sixth submarine was an option that was part of the 2012 deal signed between the two countries, with Germany paying for about a third of the cost of each sub — $180 million out of half a billion dollars.

As the new Dolphin class submarine arrives in 2018, an older model will be decommissioned.

Earlier this year, Israel received deliveries of its previous order of submarines which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.