The IDF on Wednesday held a special ceremony welcoming the arrival of the INS Magen (Shield) Sa’ar 6 class missile ship at the port of Haifa, attended by the IDF Chief of Staff and President Reuven Rivlin.
The ship was handed over at Thyssenkrupp (TKMS) marine systems dockyards in Germany to the Israel Navy last week in a festive ceremony.
INS Magen is the first of four new Sa’ar-6 class missile boats that will guard the gas rigs and Israel’s territorial waters.
The arrival of the INS Magen is “an event that symbolizes a significant milestone in strengthening the resilience of the State of Israel’s economic resources. The ships will form a central pillar in the system protecting Israel’s economic territorial waters and energy resources at sea,” the IDF stated.
A team of Magen sailors returned home with the corvette after a long stay in Kiel, Germany.
IDF Chief of Staff, Major General Aviv Kochavi stated that the new ship is “one of the most advanced war machines in the world, which is a significant leap in the IDF’s ability to ensure our strength at sea and in the depths of the arenas.”
INS Oz (Courage), Atzmaut (Independence), and Nitzachon (Victory) will arrive in Israel in the coming years.
In May 2015, Israel signed an agreement to purchase four advanced battleships from Germany to secure its offshore gas fields.
All combat systems used on the ships will be produced and outfitted by Israeli companies at the insistence of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, which aims to ensure the flow of contracts to Israeli firms.