Israel's fourth Dolphin-class submarine will soon set sail for Israel from Germany, where it was constructed. The advanced submarine, named the INS Tanin, will arrive in Israel by the end of the year. The INS Tanin was originally supposed to sail to Israel in 2013, but its journey was delayed. After arriving in Israel, the submarine will undergo operational preparations and have Israeli systems installed onboard. This process will take several months, after which the submarine will become operational. A fifth Dolphin-class submarine, the INS Rahav, is expected to arrive in Israel next year. And in February 2013, then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak signed an agreement with Germany for the construction and delivery of a sixth Dolphin-class submarine. A name has yet to be chosen for this submarine and it is not expected to arrive in Israel until around 2019. The cost of each of the three new submarines is around half a billion dollars.
Dolphin submarines are considered to be versatile multipurpose vessels able to carry out a wide variety of missions. Israel's submarine fleet serves as the "long arm" of the navy, and, according to foreign reports, provides Israel with a second-strike capability in the event of a nuclear conflict. The fleet is involved in intensive operational activities on a continual basis, conducted under a heavy veil of secrecy.
