yaniv%shum.huji.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU (ran el-Yaniv) (09/04/90)
From: ran el-Yaniv <yaniv%shum.huji.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> The submarines in question are attack subs designed to replace the three ageing subs now in the Israeli Navy. There was and continues to be a considerable difference of opinion on the question of these subs. The cost of the project (about US$590,000,000, with US$20,000,000 already paid) is high, and the IAF and the IA are grumbling. They say that the IN should be content with the new Saar 5 missile ships it is getting, and the US$570mil should be given to them. Worse, there is a problem with the financing - since most of the money is from the US, the US manufacturer demand that the work on the submarine subsystems be given to them. IN wants the subsystems to be made in Germany (mainly because the German systems are already designed, made and proven, while Raytheon is only promising to DESIGN the system for the subs). I am not positive what are the sub's capabilities, but would suspect that the subs are either: 1. A development of 209 class or 2. Custom designed for the IN. yaniv