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Israel’s Might Extends to Air, Sea and Land

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 IDF soldier uses an advanced Navy simulator.
IDF soldier uses an advanced Navy simulator.
Each year, Israel makes strides in a range of domains—from business to medicine to academic scholarship. Yet one area in which Jerusalem has grown rapidly as of late is in its military capacity. More specifically, Israel has made a series of technological acquisitions in 2013 that have greatly improved its ability to deal with the military challenges this century is sure to bring.

In early May, the Jewish Voice reported on Israel’s acquisition of its fifth advanced Dolphin-class submarine, the INS Rahav. The submarine—considered one of them most advanced in the world—was unveiled at an official ceremony in the German port city of Kiel in late April. At the time of the transaction, the Israeli Defense Ministry revealed the unprecedented nature of the submarine purchase: It was the most expensive item the IDF has acquired in its history. And the submarines do indeed boast of some impressive capacities: Each is equipped with ten torpedo tubes capable of launching missiles that carry nuclear warheads and can perform a range of other naval missions.

A ceremony celebrating Israel’s receipt of the INS Tannin—its fourth Dolphin-class submarine—was held in Germany in 2012, and reflects the rate at which Israel has amplified its military potential.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has commented on the significance of these submarine acquisitions.

“These submarines are a strong, strategic tool for the IDF,” he said. “The State of Israel is ready to act anytime, anywhere—on land, sea and air—in order to ensure the security of Israel’s citizens.”

And Israel shows no signs of relenting in its acquisition of these military tools. In February 2013, then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak signed an agreement with Germany for the construction of a sixth Dolphin-class submarine.

Yet only a month prior to its announcement of its acquisition of another submarine this year—in April—Israel announced that it had added another Iron Dome battery to its arsenal of anti-missile defense systems. A fifth unit, one deployed for emergency use in central Israel during the IDF’s counterterror Operation Pillar of Defense this past November, had just become fully operational, the Jewish Voice reported at the time. These systems, designed by Rafael, detect and identify rockets and artillery shells as they are launched and gauge their trajectories. If a rocket is detected, the system launches an interceptor missile which, guided by a radar seeker, acquires the target with a special warhead that detonates the threat over a neutral area.

Moreover, at around the same time of this announcement, the U.S. Defense Department stated its intent to sell the Boeing-made KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling planes to Israel, the Jewish Voice reported, citing the New York Times. Such technology has been viewed as potentially essential to any proposed Israeli military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The refueling planes allow Israeli aircraft to stay in the air for longer periods of time—which is a necessity for any proposed long-range mission, such as a pre-emptive strike on Iran. As part of the deal with the U.S., Israel could also acquire anti-radiation missiles—which can target an enemy’s air defense radar signals and destroy those sites—and the tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey, which can take off like a helicopter but fly like an airplane, the New York Times reported at that time.

And Israel’s list of technological acquisitions in the first few months of this year extends even further: In late February, Israel Hayom reported that Israel successfully tested the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile system—the first flight test for the system’s interceptor missile. A joint project of Israel’s Defense Ministry and the U.S. Defense Department, Arrow 3 is considered to be one of the most innovative and revolutionary anti-missile systems in the world. Arrow 3 is further considered to be the central component of the multilayered aerial defense network Israel is generally working on, which includes the aforementioned Iron Dome, “David’s Sling,” and “Arrow 2” systems.

Intended to bolster Israel’s ability to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, Arrow 3 is so advanced that it is capable of intercepting missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere—in space.

Thus, considering its acquisition of the Arrow 3, Iron Dome, submarines, and aerial refueling planes in the first few months of 2013, it is clear that Israel is increasingly strengthening its military capacities.

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