The Israeli Navy launched a Gabriel V anti-ship missile from the Sa’ar 6-class corvette INS Oz. On September 21, 2022, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) tweeted a video announcing the test launch.

At the end of August, the Israeli Navy successfully completed a comprehensive test of the Gabriel V anti-ship missile system. Israel’s new Sa’ar 6 corvette successfully completed its maiden anti-ship missile test.

The IDF said yesterday that the test shot went well. The IDF said that the test firing was also a chance to check out the INS Oz, the second Sa’ar 6-class corvette.

From what the video shows, the missile was fired at a simulated ship and hit its target. The officials didn’t talk about the details of the test fire, like where the shots were fired, how far away the target was, etc.

“The Gabriel V naval missile system will strengthen the operational and defensive capabilities of the Sea Arms (Israeli Navy) in the maritime domain, in various scenarios and in various tasks.”

Boaz Levy, director general of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), also remarked on the recent test: “IAI is happy about the successful test conducted with the Gabriel V missile onboard the upgraded Sa’ar 6 ships.

And the tight coordination with the Defense Ministry and the Navy. The Sa’ar 6’s combination of these capabilities represents a substantial advance in naval warfare to secure Israel’s critical assets.”

Tensions with Hezbollah

The naval exercise coincides with escalating tensions between Israel and the Hezbollah armed organization in Lebanon.

In July, Hezbollah issued a warning to Israel regarding its offshore oil and gas installations during US-mediated diplomatic negotiations to resolve their maritime conflict.

Lebanon maintains that around 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Karish gas field in the Mediterranean Sea is contested territory.

The Times of Israel reports that Israel maintains it lies within its internationally recognized economic waters.

About the Gabriel V anti-ship missile

Gabriel V anti-ship missile
Gabriel V anti-ship missile

The Gabriel V is a sophisticated, long-range, sea-launched missile system that can fly hundreds of kilometers in varying air and sea conditions. The effectiveness of the missile enables it to thwart and destroy numerous targets and threats.

Following the signing of a deal between the Finnish Ministry of Defense and IAI for the acquisition of the Gabriel V, the Finnish Navy (Merivoimat) disclosed some information about its upcoming anti-ship missile.

The official information published by the Finnish Navy in December 2019 offers the following technical specifications:

  • Range: more than 200km
  • Seeker: Active radar seeker with advanced anti-jamming features, all-weather capability, wide search range, and good discrimination resolution
  • Warhead: Penetrating Warhead
  • Engine: Jet Engine
  • Navigation: GPS / INS, multiple waypoints
  • Length: 5.5m
  • Weight: 1250kg
  • Subsonic speed
  • Manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, IAI