The Israeli military on Wednesday held a special ceremony to welcome its second advanced "patrol corvette" warship from Germany.
The INS Oz [translates as "courage" from Hebrew] Sa’ar 6 class missile ship arrived at the port of Haifa late in the evening and was greeted by Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Commander of the Navy Maj.-Gen. Eli Sharvit, among other officials.
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The INS Oz and INS Magen docked at the port of Haifa
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The ship was handed over at Thyssenkrupp (TKMS) marine systems dockyards in Germany to the Israel Navy about two weeks ago.
INS Oz is the second of four new Sa’ar-6 class missile boats that are set to guard the gas rigs and Israel’s territorial waters. The first patrol corvette, INS Magen [translates as "shield" from Hebrew], arrived in Israel in December 2020.
Officials said Saar-6-class is designed to offer better attack capabilities compared to its predecessor Sa'ar 5.
The INS Oz arriving in Israel
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The ship’s arrival is "a significant milestone in strengthening the resilience of the State of Israel, including in the economic field," an IDF statement said.
"The ships will serve as a key element in Israel’s defense of its territorial waters and it energy resources at sea."
All combat systems used on the ships will be produced and outfitted by Israeli companies at the request of the Defense Ministry, which aims to ensure the flow of contracts to Israeli firms.
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Defense Minister Benny Gantz (C) and Commander of the Navy Maj.-Gen. Eli Sharvit (L) during the welcoming ceremony for the INS Oz at the port of Haifa
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
In May 2015, Israel signed an agreement to purchase four advanced battleships from Germany to secure its offshore gas fields.
INS Atzmaut (Independence) and Nitzachon (Victory) will arrive in Israel in the coming years.