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Saar 4.5 class missile boat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saar 4.5 is an Israeli Navy missile boat, an improved and stretched “Saar 4” (Chochit or Nirit) class boat. Two ships were built, the first one being INS Aliya launched in 1980, followed by INS Geula.
Saar 4.5 incorporated many improvements over the Saar 4 in electronic systems: command and control, detection, classification and identification, fire control system, radar, sonar, electronic warfare and communications. The engines and propulsion systems were also upgraded. The ship itself is 4 meters longer than the Saar 4, to accommodate a hangar and landing deck for Aerospatiale Dolphin (H-665 Dauphin) helicopters, however, not all ships of this class were actually fitted for helicopter usage.
In terms of firepower to displacement ratio, the Israeli upgraded “Saar 4.5" missile boat is the most potent combat vessel in the world - carrying into combat up to 14 attack systems.
The Israeli Navy eventually decommissioned both INS Aliya and INS Geula and sold them to Mexico in January 2004. Press reports indicates that the Israelis removed the Harpoon missile systems prior to the sale, however, the Gabriel anti-ship missile systems were included in the package.
| General Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Full Load Displacement: | 488 ton |
| Length: | 58 m |
| Beam: | 7.62 m |
| Speed: | 32 knots (61 km/h) |
| Complement: | 53 officers and crew |
| Armament: | 8 Harpoon SSN missiles, 4 Gabriel SSN missiles, Barak launcher, torpedo launcher, ASW depth charge launcher, 76 mm Oto Melara gun or 20 mm Phalanx CIWS Mk.15, 2 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, 2 .50" M2 Browning machine guns |
- Engines: 4 Maybach engines, 12,000 hp
- Speed: Max. 33 knots, Cruising 19 knots
- Operational Ranges: At 19 kts 4800 n.m., At 30 Kts 2200 n.m
- Radars:
- Surface/ air search radar - Neptune/ S.P.S
- Fire control radar - Orion
- Communication:
On July 31, 2006, while enforcing a blockade off Sour, Hezbollah claimed that they destroyed a Saar 4.5 naval ship. However, the IDF responded that this claim was false and that no ships were destroyed.
This came 17 days after the INS Hanit was attacked by Hezbollah, using an Iranian version of the PRC C-701 or C-802 missile. During this previous incident, the IDF claimed that the ship's anti-missile countermeasures were not turned on.