Israel said to test frogman submarine

[UPI]

LONDON, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Israel has begun sea trials for the first of
three German-built submarines that can launch frogman missions while
submerged, a British defense journal said Friday.
Jane's Fighting Ships said Israel was testing the first of the
Dolphin submarines, which was expected to be commissioned in mid-1997.
Delivery of the other two was scheduled for later in 1997, the
journal said. Each costs about $150 million.
The magazine's editor, Richard Sharpe, said Israel already had three
antiquated submarines that need replacing.
The delivered submarine was built by two companies Germany and are of
German and Israeli design, he told United Press International.
Sharpe said Germany paid for the project, although he could not
supply financing details.
``The Germans wanted the shipyard order, and they are prone to buy
things for the Israelis,'' said Shapre, who added that an earlier
proposal to pay for the project with U.S. money had been scuttled.
Using torpedo tubes, the subs can launch Swimmer Delivery Vehicles
carrying eight frogmen, which can reach shore undetected.
Also, the vessels have ``wet and dry'' pumping compartments below
their conning towers, from which up to eight frogmen can be launched at
once on missions closer to the sub, the journal said.
The submarines have ``considerable commando capability,'' as they
allow swimmers to reach the shore undetected, Sharpe said.
Jane's Fighting Ships is one of Jane's Information Group's
publications.