Eilat (Sa’ar 5)

The Sa'ar 5-class corvette is a multi-purpose warship designed for the Israeli Navy, featuring stealth technology and advanced combat systems. It is capable of anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air warfare operations.

Developed in the late 1980s to provide the Israeli Navy with blue-water capabilities and helicopter integration, the INS Eilat was constructed in the United States by Ingalls Shipbuilding using U.S. foreign military financing. Commissioned in May 1994, the vessel became the lead ship of her class, representing a significant leap in Israeli naval power projection. Throughout her career, Eilat has participated in numerous security operations, including enforcing the blockade of Lebanon during the 2006 conflict and intercepting illicit arms shipments in the Red Sea. Today, the ship remains in active service, having received extensive upgrades to her radar and air defense suites to protect Israel's offshore energy infrastructure.