Israel To Get 6th Dolphin Sub

Infolive.tv - Israel News - Germany will sell Israel a sixth Dolphin class submarine capable of launching nuclear missiles, German Defense Minister Tomas de Maiziere said.

De Maiziere discussed the deal at a meeting last week in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

The German defense minister said his country would subsidize the deal giving a total of $189.2 million.

The submarine is capable of launching nuclear armed ballistic missiles

Israel already has received three Dolphin class submarines from Germany and will get two more in 2012 and 2013.

The first two were given as a token of appreciation for Israel's restraint in the First Gulf War and also as a step to boost Israel's defense capabilities. The other three were funded by Germany at a third of their cost.

The new submarine, called the U212 , will be fitted with new German technology that combines the conventional diesel system with an air-independent propulsion system used for slow, silent cruising with a fuel cell equipped with oxygen and hydrogen storage.