Israel to Get First Submarine from British Na Val Base This Week

Israel’s first submarine, the Tanin, will be officially launched within a few days at a British naval base, and then start a 16-day journey to Israel, it was revealed here today. The submarine is one of two sold to Israel last year in a transaction which marked a key turning point in British-Israel relations.

The transfer of the submarine came against the background of reports by British naval experts that the navy of the United Arab Republic had been further strengthened in recent months. These sources said that the UAR navy now includes two ultra-modern Skory destroyers; two destroyers of the Zet class–also Soviet made; one destroyer of the Hunt class, one sloop, six mine-layers, three mine-sweepers, 40 torpedo boats, two submarine hunters, eight large ocean-going Soviet-made submarines, and one smaller submarine.

Most UAR ships are Soviet-made, and the key officers are still mainly Soviet or Polish nationals, the experts said. They estimated that 15 of the commissioned and non-commissioned officers on each UAR submarine are foreign nationals. They also stressed that the UAR navy has been increased in recent months at a rate out of proportion to other branches of the fighting forces. Most of the ships are of ocean-going capability, and not adapted for local campaigns.

The experts suggested that the class of naval vessels seemed to point toward a Soviet plan to use the UAR as part of a wider Soviet strategic plan for the Middle East, as well as in support of UAR President Nasser’s ambitions to control an empire from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.

The two Israel submarines–the second, the Rahav, being scheduled for delivery next year–will substantially redress the balance of power, according to the experts, who contend that even two submarines can have a considerable preventive influence, by exposing Arab shipping to speedy retaliatory action in case of UAR aggression.