Sa'ar 2-class missile boat

Sa'ar 2 class ("Shalechet") is a class of missile boats built in Cherbourg, France at the CMN Shipyards based on Israeli Navy modification of the German Navy's Jaguar class fast attack craft. Three of the ships class were converted from Sa'ar 1-class patrol boat in 1974.

Design and development
The Israeli naval command had reached the conclusion by the early 1960s that their old Second World War-era destroyers, frigates and corvettes were obsolete and new ships and vessels were needed. Yitzhak Shoshan, later to command the destroyer INS Eilat at the time of her sinking, surveyed the available torpedo boat designs and recommended the German Jaguar-class. The Israeli Navy asked Lürssen, the shipyard which built the Jaguar-class, to modify the wooden Jaguar-class design by switching to steel construction, adding 2.4 meters to the length, and revising the internal compartmentalization. Due to Arab League pressure on the German government, this plan was not continued and a new builder was sought. The Israeli Navy discovered that the Cherbourg-based Construction Mecanique de Normandie owned by Félix Amiot had experience building patrol boats in cooperation with Lürssen and would build the boats, based upon the German designs and plans. The engines were imported from Germany. The project received the codename "Falling Leaves" (שלכת).

History
Missile boats (Saar) Saar 2 have been designed and adapted to the Israeli Navy in the late 1960s. and 70. As well as prevent Saar 1class, were built on the basis of the German Jaguar class (or also the Schnellboot 55, TNC 42, Type 140/141) and in the French shipyards in Cherbourg at the end of the 1960s. 20. the century. It was a new, 2. generation, in its essence, however, was on the same boat as the Saar 1class, but with different equipment was composed of a missile. Class ships were built 3 Saar 2 and on the same level have been converted and 3 ships of class Saar 1. The main equipment of all ships have become anti-ship missiles Gabriel, domestic (Israeli) production. Complement is a 40 mm Bofors cannon and large calibre machine gun (s).

Description
The boats are long, slender buildings. Deck superstructure is short, with smooth walls, in the back of the stimulated by stěžen. On it are placed the antenna and also the sea, navigation and střelcký radar. The ship has 4 dieslové engines MTU, driving 4 shafts (each with its own screw). The ships are equipped with one open (bounce) the střeleckým unit for kánony 40 mm Bofors, calibre, with a length of just 70 calibre. The cannon is located on the bow in front of the superstructure (i.e. position). Behind him, but before the superstructure are located 2 fixed simple launch facilities for the PLDŘS Gabriel (at the side/on the sides). That's for all the boats class Saar 2 common. Ship INS Eilat, Haifa INS and INS Aco in positions of X and Y are triple Rotary launchers for PLDŘS Gabriel (a total of 2 device after 3 missiles). Boats INS Mivtach, INS Miznak, and INS Misgav (i.e. the original boats Saar 1class) was maintained 1 rear Cannon (in the position of the Y), and between him and the superstructure (X position) was located the revolving triple launchers for Gabriel PLDŘS. When upgrading to the end of the 1970s. years, however, it was the location of the weapons on the back board překlasifikováno and changed. For deck superstructure were 1-2 double launch dial PLDŘS RGM-84 Harpoon, and 2-4 Mk 32 torpedo launchers with torpedoes Mk 44 (later Mk. 46) and the smaller superstructure with a tractor with variable-depth sonar (VDS-Variable Depth Sonar) fully aft. The ships were překlasifikovány on the Saar 2 class, the boats armed with missiles

Boats in the class

 * INS Mivtach (Reliance)
 * INS Miznak (Jet branch)
 * INS Misgav (Stronghold)
 * INS Eilat (Eilat)
 * INS Haifa (Haifa)
 * INS Akko (Akko)