US Delivers Second New Landing Craft to Israeli Navy

The Israeli Navy has received its second new US-built landing craft, the INS Komemiyut, which moored at the Haifa Naval Base on Sunday after a long voyage from the United States. This follows the arrival of the first landing craft, INS Nahshon, in early October last year.

As the INS Komemiyut approached Israel’s territorial waters, it was escorted by a flotilla of Navy ships, with one vessel symbolically leaving the formation to honor fallen soldiers. Weighing 2,500 tons each and measuring approximately 95 meters (311 feet) in length and 20 meters (65 feet) in width, these vessels are set to play a crucial role in adapting the Israeli Navy to modern and multi-arena warfare.

The landing craft were procured using US military aid funds. Vice Adm. David Sa’ar Salama, the chief of the Navy, highlighted the significance of this acquisition, stating, “Today, at the same time as IDF soldiers are engaged in intense fighting in the various arenas, the Navy received a vessel of strategic significance for the State of Israel. During these historic moments, we salute our brothers in arms who fell during their mission to maintain the security of the State of Israel.”

He added, “Sailors of the INS Komemiyut, today you have completed a voyage of thousands of miles. The end of the voyage is the beginning of the journey for you. Your future actions will strengthen the cooperation between the IDF branches, expand the range of military operations, and maintain the security of the State of Israel.”

The Navy expects to declare the INS Nahshon operational during 2024, while no timeline has been provided for the INS Komemiyut. Each landing craft team comprises dozens of combat sailors, with a significant number being female soldiers and officers. The ships are commanded by Navy officers holding the rank of lieutenant commander, equivalent to a major in the Ground Forces.

Landing crafts are primarily used to transport troops and equipment across the sea and deploy them onshore during amphibious assaults. The Israeli Navy had previously used such vessels from its inception in 1948 until 1993, when the aging crafts were decommissioned, and newer models were deemed unnecessary at the time.

The recent procurement of these landing crafts began about four years ago, marking a renewed focus on enhancing Israel's naval capabilities and ensuring readiness for modern military challenges.

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