Complex testing of the “Gabriel V” was carried out over the month of August revealed the Israeli military.
By Erin Viner
The INS “Oz,” the second of four Sa’ar-6 class corvettes, was also tested for its ability to deal with various threats using new and advanced military equipment, including the “Gabriel V” anti-ship missile, said a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The “Gabriel V” is an advanced long-range anti-ship missile system, capable of traveling hundreds of kilometers in varying maritime or aerial conditions. It will be deployed by the Israeli Navy for the elimination of a wide range of targets and threats in defense of the nation’s strategic assets.
The step marks an additional milestone in the ongoing effort to operationally develop the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, while ensuring maritime superiority as an integral factor in the preservation of Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) in the region.
The Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) at the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMoD) and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) participated in the month-long tests in close cooperation with the Israeli Navy.
“The operational development of the ‘Gabriel V’ anti-ship missile system constitutes a technological breakthrough in the field of maritime defense,” said the IDF, adding that, “The system is a product of extensive, professional and precise work of Israeli Navy soldiers and engineers in cooperation with the DDR&D and IAI.”
Deputy Commander in Chief of the Israeli Navy, Rear Admiral Guy Goldfarb commented that the Gabriel V will further strengthen “operational and defensive capabilities in the maritime arena and in a wide array of additional arenas and objectives” as the navy “continues to develop and evolve” in response to “increasing operational and regional changes.”
RAdm Goldfarb also underscored that the “Israeli Navy believes in preserving freedom of navigation and defending the maritime arena, the Exclusive Economic Zone and the strategic assets of the State of Israel. The strategic depth and maritime superiority provided by the Israeli Navy to the State of Israel derives from technological innovation and developing and training soldiers who work to achieve operational successes.”
IAI President and CEO Boaz Levy said his firm “is proud of the success of the test,” describing the combined capabilities of the Gabriel V and Sa’ar 6-class corvette “a significant milestone in the field of maritime combat, which contributes to the defense of the strategic assets of the State of Israel.”
The “technologically and operationally ground-breaking system will enable the Israeli Navy to continue maintaining naval superiority,” underscored the DDR&D’s “Meteor” Department, while pledging to “dedicate all technological assets developed in the State of Israel for the sake of providing a response to operational needs.”