Israeli Navy Gets New US-Build Landing Craft

The ship arrived at the Haifa Naval Base after a long journey from Pascagoula, Mississippi, and was ceremoniously escorted by Israeli navy ships.

Vice Admiral David Sa’ar Salama, the Chief of the Israeli Navy, emphasized the new vessel’s strategic importance amid ongoing conflicts involving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He stated that the sea arm received the vessel of strategic significance for the State of Israel at the same time as the intense fighting of the IDF fighters in the various sectors.

Salama also paid tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Swords of Iron War during the vessel’s ceremonial entry into Israeli territorial waters.

The INS Komemiyut, the second of its kind, succeeds the INS Nahshon, which was delivered in October last year.

Both vessels, weighing 2500 tons each and measuring approximately 95 meters (311 feet) long and 20 meters (65 feet) broad, were built in the United States and funded by American Military aid to Israel.

These ships are expected to be crucial in equipping the Israeli Navy for modern, multi-arena battlefields, boosting operational capabilities and improving inter-branch cooperation within the IDF.

Landing craft, such as the INS Komemiyut, are essential for transferring troops and supplies across the sea during amphibious operations. Historically, the Israeli Navy used similar warships until 1993, when they were considered unnecessary.

The resumed procurement started four years ago, indicating a strategic shift in Israel’s defense planning.

The Navy intends to declare the INS Nahshon operational in 2024, but no particular date has been scheduled for the INS Komemiyut.

Each vessel’s crew consists of dozens of combat sailors, with female soldiers and officers making up about a quarter of the team. A Navy lieutenant commander, the equivalent of a major in the Ground Forces, commands the ship.