Amid Iranian and Turkish Moves, Israel Accelerates Submarine Hunter Deal

Hebrew website Walla revealed that Israel is seeking a deal with the United States that would make it the first country in the Middle East to receive "P-8" aircraft, known as strategic maritime patrol and reconnaissance planes specialized in anti-submarine warfare, nicknamed "submarine hunters."

This coincides with Israel monitoring, according to Hebrew sources, growing Turkish naval movements in the Mediterranean Sea, along with continuous Iranian Navy activities amidst the ongoing conflict with the United States, as well as Houthi threats in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.

This comes just days after the arrival of the new submarine "Tanin" (Dragon) in Israel, where Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir commented during the reception ceremony that "the army is still closely watching what is happening in Iran and its proxies," adding that "the Iranian regime is exhausted and burdened but unable to change its intentions."

The Israeli military held a reception ceremony for the submarine "Tanin" at the Haifa base, following a journey that began from the shipyard in Kiel, Germany.

"Tanin" is the third and final submarine of the "Dolphin AIP" class, featuring advanced technology that expands the operational capabilities of the navy and its ability to work secretly on diverse missions.

The army confirmed that the addition of the new submarine to the navy constitutes an additional step in strengthening the IDF's capabilities in the undersea domain and in defending the State of Israel.

The Hebrew site reported obtaining information indicating that the commander of the Israeli Navy met, a few weeks ago, with a senior representative from the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing, where the two sides discussed the possibility of purchasing this model of aircraft.

The site clarified in a report that this step comes amid efforts by the Israeli Navy to expand the scope of its secret operations far beyond the country's borders, reaching new areas of interest where difficult threats emerge; as countries around the world are acquiring advanced submarines.

In this framework, Navy Commander Major General Eyal Haril met with a high-ranking executive at Boeing to discuss and review the latest developments and advanced weapons systems.

An official at the Israeli Ministry of Defense told the site, on the sidelines of the meeting, that Israel is seriously considering purchasing (P-8) aircraft, designed - among other tasks - for anti-submarine warfare operations.

Furthermore, based on preliminary understanding, the Navy Commander intends to include the requirement to obtain these aircraft within the naval strategic plan that will be presented to the General Staff at the end of this year, as part of planning for the next decade.

The "Poseidon" aircraft - or P-8 as it is known in operational context - is one of the most prominent reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft in the world, relying on the airframe of the "Boeing 737" in its design.

This aircraft forms the spearhead of anti-submarine warfare operations, thanks to its advanced technologies, acoustic sensors, torpedo-launching capabilities, artificial intelligence integration, and other advantages.

The aircraft flies at a speed of 850 km/h; alongside anti-submarine warfare tasks, it carries advanced missiles for engaging surface ships and land targets, supports aerial refueling during flights lasting up to 30 hours, and is equipped with a powerful radar for gathering intelligence, conducting search and rescue missions, and managing the battlefield via networks.

This aircraft has already entered service with the United States, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, South Korea, and Germany; due to being a reliable, flexible, high-capacity operational platform suitable for the modern naval theater.

According to the Hebrew report, if the United States approves the purchase deal, Israel will be the first in the Middle East region to receive this aircraft.

Analyses conducted by the National Security Council, the Ministry of Defense, and the Israeli Army - in the context of submarine purchases - reveal a sharp increase over the past five years in the size of naval fleets operating in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Mediterranean Sea.

This rise is attributed, partly, according to "Walla," to the deterioration of the regional security situation linked to the Houthis, Iran, and emerging hostile actors.

According to data, France possesses 10 submarines, the United Kingdom 11 submarines, Italy 8 submarines, Germany 6 submarines, Norway 6 submarines, Egypt 8 submarines, Turkey 14 submarines, Greece 9 submarines, while Israel possesses 6 submarines, with two additional submarines currently in the planning and construction phases.

According to the report, political and security officials have not yet concluded their professional deliberations regarding whether the submarine fleet will be expanded to reach 8 units, or whether older submarines will be retired immediately upon the entry into operation of new submarines, keeping the fleet size at 6 submarines.