Israeli Navy

Overview

The Israeli Navy, officially known as the "Sea Branch" or "Naval Arm", is the naval force of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It performs most of the IDF's operations in the maritime arena and is responsible for ensuring the country's territorial integrity at sea.

History and Organization

The head of the Navy is a Commander, currently David Storm Salam. The Naval Command is located in Tel Aviv, while the Naval Academy is situated in Haifa. The Navy consists of several units, including:

* Aerial speedboat flotilla with 13 units (corvettes or speedboats)
* Submarine flotilla with five units (six planned for 2023, with three new ones under construction)
* Patrol boats
* Marine intelligence service
* Radar units
* Marine Sonderkommando (Schajetet 13) with base in Atlit
* Underwater operational unit (base in Haifa)
* Port security forces

Capabilities and Equipment

The Navy is equipped with advanced vessels, including rocket ships and submarines. It also possesses sophisticated security tools and numerous capabilities, such as helicopters of the Naval Commando. According to the 2014 National Security Research Institute, the Navy has approximately 9,500 regular soldiers and 10,000 reserve soldiers.

Mission

The Israeli Navy's mission is to ensure its superiority in the sea, freedom of action, and freedom of navigation in Israeli maritime space, both within and beyond national borders. It performs a wide range of activities, including:

* Ensuring territorial integrity at sea
* Providing the naval component of the IDF in operational areas
* Conducting maritime operations and patrols

Commando Units

In 2004, the Navy's commando units included approximately 300 fighters.

Note: The original sources were written in Hebrew (HE) and German (DE), but I have translated them into English for the purpose of this synthesis.