The Israel Navy’s newest missile boat was named “Aliya” and launched at the Haifa shipyards last week. Mrs. Ophira Navon, wife of President Yitzhak Navon, performed the honors with the traditional bottle of champagne smashed across the bows as the sleek craft slid into Haifa Bay.
The Aliya is an enlarged and improved version of Israel’s Reshef-class missile boats incorporating advanced equipment, most of it made in Israel, which ranks her among the most sophisticated craft of her type in the world. An added feature is the helicopter landing pad and helicopter which she will carry for scouting and other purposes. The Aliya has a normal speed of 42 knots (48.2 mph), compared to the 35 knots of her predecessors.
President Navon, who was on hand for the ceremonies, praised the Haifa shipyards and expressed hope that it will soon be able to return to building merchant vessels for peaceful use.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
