The Dolphin class is a non-nuclear (SSK) type of submarine developed and constructed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG (HDW), Germany for the Israeli Navy. It is based on the export-only German 209 class submarines, but heavily modified and enlarged and is thus not seen as a member of the 209 family. The Dolphin boats are considered among the most sophisticated and capable conventional submarines in the world. For other uses, see Submarine (disambiguation). ... Howaldtswerke is a German shipyard founded 1838 in Kiel. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces... Type 209 is a diesel-electric attack submarine developed by Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG of Germany. ...

Israel signed a contract with ThyssenKrupp to purchase two additional submarines from its HDW subsidiary. The two new boats will be an upgraded version of the old Dolphins, and are going to feature an Air-independent propulsion system, similar to the one used on U214 submarines. On July 6, 2006, the Government of Germany decided to pay an advance to start the construction, about 170 million euros. The two submarines will cost, overall, around 1.3 billion euros, of which one-third will be paid by Germany.[1] The first one is scheduled to be completed in 2012. ThyssenKrupp AG (ISIN: DE0007500001) is a very large German industrial conglomerate, with about 188,000 employees. ... Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), is a term that encompasses technologies which allow a submarine to operate without the need to surface or use a snorkel to access atmospheric oxygen. ... The Type 214 is a diesel-electric submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW). ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (in German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is a federal representative democracy. ... The Greek name for the rainy, stormy southeast wind. ... The Greek name for the rainy, stormy southeast wind. ...

Boats

• Dolphin 5/1998
• Leviathan 1999
• Tekumah 1999

The first two (Dolphin + Leviathan) were donated by Germany, only the third (Tekumah) was purchased by Israel, although Germany still paid for half of the costs. During the first Gulf War, German firms were accused of helping Iraq with its chemical weapons program, which led to protests in both Germany and Israel. To calm Israeli concerns, compensate Israel for economic losses and keep German shipyards occupied, Helmut Kohl decided to donate the two submarines.[2] The Dolphins have replaced the aging Gal class submarines which had served in the Israeli navy since the late-1970's. For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born April 3, 1930) is a German conservative politician and statesman. ... The Gal Class submarine was built in Vickers shipyards at Barrow in Furness in England according to Israeli designs, based on a German 206A type submarine, for the Israeli Navy. ...

General characteristics

• Displacement: 1,640 tons surfaced, 1,900 tons submerged
• Diving depth: at least 200 m
• Dimensions: 57 x 6.8 x 6.2 meters (187 x 22.5 x 20.5 ft)
• Propulsion: Diesel-electric, 3 diesels, 1 shaft, 4,243 shp, 20 knots (37 km/h)
• Crew: 35 + 10 passengers
• Armament: 6 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (Sub-Harpoon Missile launch capable), 4 x 25.5 inch diameter torpedo tubes. Also able to deploy mines.

It is widely suspected that the four larger 25.5-inch (648 mm) torpedo tubes could be capable of launching nuclear-armed Popeye Turbo cruise missiles with a range of up to 1500 km [3], as well as launching underwater swimmer delivery vehicles [4]. A Harpoon missile on display at the USS Bowfin museum at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii The AGM-84 Harpoon is a US all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system. ... The AGM-142 Have Nap is a missile developed by the United States of America. ... Mark 8 mod 1 SDV The Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV) is a manned submersible used to deliver United States Navy SEALs and their equipment for special operations missions. ...

References

Disambiguation

USS Dolphin (SS-169) and USS Dolphin (AGSS-555) are unique submarines of the United States Navy. When there is only one-of-a-kind ship made for the US Navy, it is called a "type" ship rather than a "class" of ship, therefore when a person refers to the "Dolphin-class" they are probably referring to the German made submarines such as those sold to Israel. USS Dolphin (SF-10/SSC-3/SS-169), a unique submarine and one of the V-boats, was the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the aquatic mammal. ... USS Dolphin (AGSS-555) is the United States Navys only operational diesel-electric, deep-diving, research and development submarine. ... USN redirects here. ...

The Dutch navy also had a Dolfijn-class diesel-electric submarine, with a unique internal layout of three pressurized cylinders configured in a triangle.