Israeli diplomat denies Egypt submarine deal straining ties with Germany

By Israeli diplomat denies Egypt submarine deal straining ties with Germany | Egypt Independent

A former Israeli ambassador to Germany cast doubt on speculation that Germany supplying Egypt with two submarines would considerably change German-Israeli relations, the German news agency DPA reported Monday. “More important is that Israel gets the German Dolphin submarines that can carry nuclear warheads,” former Ambassador Avi Primor said. “It is the only real defense we have against Iran.” On Sunday, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli government sources said the deal would affect the two countries’ relations. A German government spokesperson, Steffan Seibert denied that, stressing that Germany was dedicated to Israeli security. Major General Osama al-Guindy, commander of the Egyptian Navy, had told the state-run newspaper Al-Ahram newspaper on Friday that Egypt and Germany signed an agreement for two Model 209 Submarines, which Yedioth Ahronoth said raised Israeli fears of a declining military edge. “Egypt gets weapons from the United States, our greatest ally, and we do not say anything to that,” Primor added.

Russian Navy (BareyClass) Subs to Deployed in Russian North, Pacific Fleets

Borey Class Subs to be Deployed in Russian North, Pacific Fleets | Defense | RIA Novosti

Two Borey class strategic nuclear-powered submarines, the Yuri Dolgoruky and the Alexander Nevsky, will enter service with the Russian Navy, one with the North Fleet and the other with the Pacific Fleet, Anatoly Shlemov, head of defense contracts at the United Shipbuilding Corporation, said on Friday.

“The Alexander Nevsky will enter service with the Pacific Fleet, the main one, the Yuri Dolgoruky, with the North Fleet,” Shlemov said. The crews of the submarines will begin training exercises on the North Fleet and later the crew of the Alexander Nevsky will prepare to go by the Northern Sea Route for its further service in the Pacific Fleet. “Usually, this takes a year,” Shlemov said. The Borey class submarines are expected to constitute the core of the Russian strategic submarine fleet, replacing the aging Project 941 (NATO Typhoon class) and Project 667 class (Delta-3 and Delta-4) boats. Russia is planning to build eight Borey and Borey-A class subs by 2020. A Borey class strategic submarine is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13 meters (42 feet), a crew of 107, including 55 officers, a maximum depth of 450 meters (about 1,500 feet) and a submerged speed of about 29 knots. All the Borey class strategic submarines will carry the Bulava ballistic missiles, up to 16 ballistic missiles with multiple warheads.