First steel cut for lead ship of new Israeli Navy corvette class

Israel Shipyards has cut the first steel to be used in the construction of the lead Reshef-class corvette slated for the Israeli Navy.

The corvettes will replace the Israeli Navy's 1990s-built Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boats.

The newer ships will be equipped with indigenously produced combat systems and will be used to assist in protecting Israel's exclusive economic zone as well as offshore oil and gas facilities within Israel's territorial waters.

Israel Shipyards will build and deliver five corvettes to the navy over a period of six years. The Israeli Ministry of Defence said the lead corvette is scheduled to be handed over in approximately three and a half years.

Options are also available for the construction of additional corvettes.

Each Reshef-class corvette will have an LOA of 76 metres, a beam of 10.88 metres, a draught of 3.12 metres, a displacement of 1,000 tonnes, and a speed of 30 knots.

Armament will consist of a 76mm naval gun, a 30mm cannon on a Typhoon remote weapon station, and anti-ship missiles. The electronics suite will include a phased array air search and tracking radar.