Sa'ar 4-class missile boat

The Saar 4 or Reshef class missile boats were built at the Israel shipyards and based on Israeli Navy designs grounded in accumulated experience derived in the operation of "Cherbourg" (Saar 3) class.

Saar 4 ships first battle engagements were made in the October 1973 Yom Kippur War. During this war, two Saar 4 ships engaged in missile battles with Egyptian and Syrian ships and coastal targets.

Variants

The Warrior class strike craft (ex Minister class) in service with the South African Navy are modified Saar IV (Reshef class) fast attack craft. [cite web|title=Warrior class strike craft|url=http://www.victorlogistics.co.za/navy_strike.htm|date=May 26, 2005] In 1974, a contract was signed with Israeli Defence Industries for the construction of three of the modified Reshef class vessels at the Haifa facility of Israeli Shipyards. A further three were built immediately after at the Sandock Austral shipyard in Durban, South Africa, with three more being built at the same facility several years later.cite web|url=http://academic.sun.ac.za/mil/scientia_militaria/Internet%20Vol%2032(2)/05%20Potgieter.pdf|title=The Secret South African Project Team: Building Strike Craft in Israel, 1975-79|date=November 26, 2004|accessdate=2008-02-15|publisher=University of Stellenbosch|author=Cdr Thean Potgieter|format=PDF] The imposition of the international embargo on the sale of arms to South Africa on 4 November 1977 forced the project to be carried out under a cloak of high security. The South African variants were fitted with Gabriel missiles, otherwise known as 'Scorpion' missiles, and had two Oto Melara guns instead of a single one with a Phalanx CIWS.

In 2000, two of the Israeli boats were sold to the Sri Lankan Navy, forming the Nandimithra Class. It is not certain if these ships retain the Harpoon missile capability, however these ships retained their Gabriel missile capability. [http://www.sipri.org/contents/armstrad/REG_EXP_ISR_95-05.pdf/download]

ee also

*Saar 4.5 class missile boat
*Saar 5 class missile boat
*Israeli Sea Corps
*Tunis Raid

External links

* [http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/naval/saar4/Saar4.html Israeli Weapons]

References