The arrival of the new INS Drakon submarine in Israel over the weekend sparked a wave of excitement and pride throughout the Israeli Navy and its submarine flotilla.
The addition of the sixth submarine to Israel’s fleet marks a significant operational milestone, expected to substantially expand and strengthen the Navy’s strategic and operational capabilities.
In a special interview with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News, Staff Sgt. A., a weapons specialist aboard the INS Rahav submarine, described the mood among the servicemen in Israel.
He said the crews are particularly excited to reunite with friends from their class who were part of the first crew of the INS Drakon.
“We’re extremely excited. I have quite a few friends from my class who are part of the crew, and for a long time we’ve been hearing from them about the process they’ve been going through ahead of their arrival in Israel and how they’ve been building the crew. From the stories they share, you can understand what an extraordinary experience it has been. Not everyone gets the opportunity to be part of the first crew of a new submarine.
“Beyond the personal excitement, we know that the addition of the sixth submarine will strengthen the submarine flotilla and enhance its operational capabilities. But in the end, after all the process and preparations, the most exciting thing is simply seeing our friends come home."
A. described the demanding nature of serving aboard a submarine.
“Serving in the submarine flotilla is challenging, and what characterizes it most is the uncertainty. You can be sitting around the table on Friday night with a glass of wine in your hand, and within an hour you may have to prepare the submarine to head out to sea, without knowing how long you’ll be gone or when you’ll return. Even at sea, that feeling remains: you don’t know what the next day will bring or how long the deployment will last."
According to A., “The service is characterized by operating in arenas that you can only imagine, carrying out missions that truly require silence, and by an absolute sense of shared destiny. No matter how the mission changes, everyone goes through it together-through the hardships and the joy, the successes and the failures. Everyone is in the same boat, literally.
“It’s grueling and demanding service, but also incredible and deeply rewarding. You come out of it with friends for life and with experiences that only you share and understand. Above all, you have the feeling that you are a warrior operating at the very edge of the IDF’s capabilities, contributing to the security of the country even when no one outside knows what you have done," Staff Sgt. A. concluded.