INS Keshet is an Israeli missile boat of the Shayetet 3 Flotilla, one of ten Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boats. She was launched in 1982 by Israel Shipyards at the Port of Haifa. She has been a part of Israeli Navy since November 1982.[1][2]
| History | |
|---|---|
 Israel | |
| Name | Keshet |
| Builder | Israel Shipyards Ltd. |
| Launched | October 1982 |
| Commissioned | November 1982 |
| Status | Active |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boat |
| Displacement | 488 tonnes (full load) |
| Length | 61.7 m (202.43 ft) |
| Beam | 7.6 m (24.93 ft) |
| Draft | 2.5 m (8.20 ft) |
| Propulsion | 4 MTU 16V 538 TB93 diesel engines, four shafts, total of 16,600 shp (12,400 kW) |
| Speed | 31 knots (57 km/h) |
| Range | 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km) at 17 knots (31 km/h) 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h) |
| Complement | 53 officers and crew |
| Armament |
|
Construction
editSa'ar 4.5-class missile boats are an enlarged version of the Sa'ar 4 class.[3] New ships were longer and consequently they take an augmented armament.[3]
INS Keshet was built at the Israel Shipyards in Port of Haifa. She was launched in October 1982.[1][2]
Dimensions and drive
editThe length of this unit is 61.7 metres (202 ft 5 in), the breadth is 7.6 metres (24 ft 11 in) and the draught is 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in).[4] She has a flush deck, short superstructure located in front of the midship and freeboard.[4] The full load displacement is 488 tonnes.[1][2]
The total power of engines is 16,000 horsepower (12,000 kW).[1][4] Keshet is proppeled by four MTU 16V538 TB93 Diesel engines. The flank speed of her is 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph);[1][4] the range is 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at a speed of about 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) and 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).[3][5]
Armament
editThe primary armament is two quadruple launchers of American Harpoon anti-ship missiles, both allocated behind the superstructure.[1][4] The missile is able to reach 130 km (81 mi), the speed is Mach 0.9 (1,100 km/h; 690 mph) and the weight of the warhead is 227 kg (500 lb).[1][2] Behind them, there are six single launchers of Israeli Gabriel Mark II missiles[1][4] with a 75 kg (165 lb) warhead and a range of about 36 km (22 mi).[1][2] In service, the Israeli Navy set two 8-fold anti-aircraft Barak 1 launchers with the range of a projectile of 10 km (6.2 mi), making the armament identical to one in INS Hetz.[1][2]
The secondary armament consists of single, dual-purpose gun OTO Melara 76 mm, allocated abaft in a gun turret. The weight of the projectile is 6 kg (13 lb), the range is 16 km (9.9 mi) and the rate of fire is 85 rounds per minute (RPM). The angle of elevation is 85°.[5][1] There are also two single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon with a range of 2 km (1.2 mi) and rate of fire of 900 RPM and one double (or quadruple) station for M2 Browning machine guns.[5][1] The bow is armed with close-in weapon system, Phalanx CIWS,[3][4] with the rate of fire 3,000 RPM, and the range 1,500 m (1,600 yd).[5][1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Saunders, Stephen (2004). Jane’s Fighting Ships 2004-2005. London: Jane’s Information Group Ltd. p. 355. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
- ^ a b c d e f Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane’s Fighting Ships 2009-2010. London: Jane’s Information Group Ltd. p. 385. ISBN 0-7106-2888-9.
- ^ a b c d Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen (1996). Conway’s All The World’s Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. p. 193. ISBN 1557501327.
- ^ a b c d e f g Faulkner, Keith (2004). Jane’s Okręty Wojenne Przewodnik Encyklopedyczny (in Polish). Poznań: Zysk i S-ka. p. 330. ISBN 83-7298-588-X.
- ^ a b c d Sharpe, Richard (1989). Jane’s Fighting Ships 1989-90. London: Jane’s Defence Data. p. 285. ISBN 0-7106-0886-1.