INS Magen at Kiel in November 2020 | |
History | |
---|---|
Israel | |
Name |
|
Namesake | Magen |
Ordered | May 2015 |
Builder | |
Laid down | 7 February 2018 |
Launched | 12 May 2019 |
Acquired | 2 December 2020 |
Commissioned | 11 November 2020 |
Status | Active |
Badge | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Sa'ar 6-class corvette |
Displacement | 1,900 long tons (1,900 t) at full load [1] |
Length | 90 m (295 ft 3 in) |
Range | 4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) [2] |
Sensors and processing systems | EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA radar |
Armament |
|
INS Magen (English: Shield) is a Sa'ar 6-class corvette of the Israeli Navy's Shayetet 3 fleet. She is the first ship of her class to be commissioned.
The Sa'ar 6-class corvettes' design will be loosely based on the German Braunschweig-class corvette, but with engineering changes to accommodate Israeli-built sensors and missiles such as the Barak 8 [3] and the naval Iron Dome system. Elbit Systems has been awarded the contract to design and build the electronic warfare (EW) suites for the ships.[ citation needed ]
The Sa'ar 6-class vessels have a displacement of almost 1,900 tons at full load and is 90 m (295 ft 3 in) long. They are armed with an Oto Melara 76 mm main gun, two Typhoon Weapon Stations, 32 vertical launch cells for Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, 40 cells for the C-Dome point defense system, 16 anti-ship missiles Gabriel V. [4] [5] the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA radar, and two 324 mm (12.8 in) torpedo launchers. They have hangar space and a platform able to accommodate a medium class SH-60-type helicopter. [6]
She was laid down on 7 February 2018 and launched on 12 May 2019 at German Naval Yards and ThyssenKrupp in Kiel. She was handed over to Israeli Navy on 2 December and commissioned on 11 November 2020. [7] [8] In Haifa in September 2022, the vessel's 76/62 rapid-fire main gun was ceremonially accepted for her and her sister ship Oz. [9]
In February 2022, the INS Magen took part in an exercise in the Mediterranean. Among other things, missile defense and unmanned vehicles were tested. During the exercise, training was given to repel missiles from Iran. [10]
It was also deployed in the red sea following Houthi attacks on Israeli and non-Israeli ships during the Red Sea crisis [11] [12]
On 8th April 2024 the C-Dome battery of the Sa'ar 6-class corvette INS Magen scored the first operational interception of the system when it shot down a UAV drone near Eilat. [13]
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloop-of-war.
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The Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boats is a class of Israeli Sea Corps missile boats designed and built by Israel Shipyards Ltd. for Shayetet 3 flotilla as an improved and stretched Sa'ar 4-class missile boat. There are two different subclasses that are both named Sa'ar 4.5. The first subclass was initially called Chochit, but renamed to Aliya. Two Aliya-subclass boats are in service with the Mexican Navy. The second subclass was initially called Nirit but renamed to Hetz.
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The OTO Melara 76 mm gun, marketed as the OTO 76/62 Gun Mount, is a naval autocannon built and designed by the Italian defence company OTO Melara. It is based on the OTO Melara 76/62C and evolved toward 76/62 SR and 76/62 Strales.
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INS Nitzachon is a Sa'ar 6-class corvette of the Israeli Navy's Shayetet 3 Flotilla. She is the fourth ship of her class.
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