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An illustration and infographic of the Reshef class corvette (Credit: Israeli Navy)
The Israeli Navy is looking to have the first of its new Reshef class corvettes in service at the start of 2027…Speaking at the CNE 2023 conference in Farnborough on 24 May, Commander Yonatan Kudish also revealed that the Reshef vessel will be assembled from hull modules built overseas by a US shipbuilder.
Eight ships are planned to replace eight Sa’ar 4.5 missile boats currently in service with the Israeli Navy. In addition to a 76mm gun, a pair of 30mm remote weapon stations, and anti-ship missiles (presumably Gabriel V), they are expected to have C-Dome missiles, the naval version of Iron Dome as well.
It appears the Israelis are rebranding their helicopter deck as a “multi-purpose mooring deck.” There does not seem to be a hangar.
Compared to the Sa’ar 4.5s they are replacing, they are more than twice the displacement, and 3 or 4 knots slower.
These will be marketed internationally as Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) as well as Missile Corvettes depending on how they are equipped, though they seem to be a little small for an OPV on most of the world’s oceans. A 1,000 ton displacement as shown in the graphic would suggest they are smaller than the Coast Guard’s 210 foot WMECs despite a greater length (about 250 feet), but that might not be their full load displacement.
The fact that they are slower than the vessels they replace seems to reflect the diminished value of a high maximum speed since long range missiles and aircraft have replaced other surface vessels as the primary threat. On the other hand, seakeeping, endurance, range, and high cruise speed are probably more important now. Even so the Sa’ar 4.5s had very good cruising range for such small ships (4,800 nautical miles (8,900 km) at 19 knots). Their replacements may not offer any improvement.
