The German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), has announced that the first of the four Sa’ar-6 Corvettes of the Israeli Navy, completed successfully its first trials in the Baltic Sea. 

Sa’ar-6 Corvettes were ordered by Israel in May 2015 as part of the Navy’s need for increased capabilities in defending its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the significant underwater gas fields.  

The cost of the 4 Sa’ar-6 amounts to 430 million euros, of which Germany subsidized 115, as it did with the submarine program «Dolphin».  The cost however does not include armaments and electronic equipment that will be installed in Israel.

Sa’ar-6 has a displacement of 1,900 tons and a length of 90 meters. The ship has a crew of 70,  can travel with a maximum speed of 26 knots and has 4000 nmi range. The ship can carry up to 32 Indo-Israeli Barak-8 surface to air missiles  with a maximum range of 70km,16 Israel Aerospace Industries (ΙΑΙ) Gabriel (most likely) anti-ship type missiles with maximum range of 200 km, ΙΑΙ/Elta AESA EL / M-2248 MF STAR radar and the IAI’s naval version of the Iron Dome, C-Dome point defence system.

The ship’s arsenal is complemented by one 76mm OTO Melara Super Rapid cannon made by the Italian manufacturer Leonardo, 2 Typhoon 25mm remote control weapon stations of the Israeli company Rafael and two 324mm MK54 light torpedo launchers made by the American company Raytheon.  Sa’ar-6 can accommodate one SH-60F Seahawk helicopter as well as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles  (UAVs) at the stern of the ship. Apart from these, the corvette will feature the Israeli’s Elbit Systems electronic warfare suite and the latest telecommunications and electro-optical equipment.

Photo: © Israel Defence Force (IDF)