View source for Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boat

{{Short description|Israeli missile boat}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2013}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| sclass = 2
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Israel Navy Strike Gaza from the Sea (14738072664).jpg
| Ship image size = 300px
| Ship caption = {{INS|Sufa|2003|6}} in operation [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict|Protective Edge]]
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = Sa'ar 4.5
| Builders = [[Israel Shipyards]] Ltd.
| Operators = *{{navy|Israel}}
*{{flagicon image|Flag of Greece.svg}}&nbsp;[[Hellenic Coast Guard]]
*{{navy|Mexico}}
| Class before = {{sclass2|Sa'ar 4|missile boat}}
| Class after = {{sclass2|Sa'ar 5|corvette}}
| Subclasses = *''Aliya'' (''Chochit'')
*''Hetz'' (''Nirit'')
| Cost = 
| Built range = 
| In service range = 
| In commission range = 
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 
| Total ships completed = *2 ''Aliya'' subclass
*8 ''Hetz'' subclass
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = *'''·''' ''Aliya'' subclass: {{INS|Aliya}}, {{INS|Geula}}
*'''·''' ''Hetz'' subclass: INS ''Romach'', INS ''Keshet'', INS ''Hetz'', [[INS Tarshish|INS ''Tarshish'']], [[INS Kidon|INS ''Kidon'']], INS ''Yaffo'', [[INS Herev|INS ''Herev'']], and [[INS Sufa (2003)|INS ''Sufa'']]
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Missile boat]]
| Ship displacement = * 498 [[tonne]]s (full load - ''Aliya'' subclass)
* 488 [[tonne]]s (full load - ''Hetz'' subclass)
* 430 [[tonne]]s (common standard)
| Ship length = {{convert|61.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|7.62|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship draught = 
| Ship draft = {{convert|2.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = *4 [[MTU Friedrichshafen|MTU]] 16V956 TB91 [[V16 engine|V16]] [[diesel engine]]s<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=INS-Hetz-Nirit-Saar-45 |title=INS Hetz |website=militaryfactory.com |access-date=21 August 2020}}{{reliable source|date=August 2020}}</ref>
* {{convert|4000|hp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}} each<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.s64bussard.de/index/boot/maschine.php?mid=13 |title=S64 Bussard |language=German |website=s64bussard.de |access-date=21 August 2020}}</ref>
| Ship speed = * {{convert|19|kn|lk=in}} (cruise speed)
* {{convert|33|kn}} (top speed - ''Aliya'')
* {{convert|34|kn}} (top speed - ''Hetz'')
| Ship range = * {{convert|4800|nmi|km|-2}} at {{convert|19|kn|}}
* {{convert|2200|nmi|km|-2}} at {{convert|30|kn|}}
| Ship complement = * 53 officers and crewmen
| Ship sensors = * [[Thales Group|Thales]] Neptune [[early warning radar|air & surface search radar]]
* [[Selenia (company)|Selenia]] Orion [[fire-control radar]] (''Aliya'')
* [[EL/M-2258 ALPHA]] multifunction radar (''Hetz'')
* [[Elta Systems|Elta]] EL/M-2221 [[fire-control radar]] (''Hetz'')
| Ship EW = * [[Elbit]] [[Chaff (radar countermeasure)|chaff rocket launchers]]
* [[Elisra]] NS-9003A/9005 [[Radar warning receiver|RWR]]
| Ship armament = * ''Aliya'' subclass:
* 4 [[Boeing Harpoon|Harpoon]] [[anti-ship missile]]s (in [[Israeli Sea Corps|ISC]])
* 4 [[Gabriel (missile)|Gabriel]] [[anti-ship missile]]s
* 2 [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s
* [[Phalanx CIWS]]
* 4 [[M2 Browning machine gun]]s
*''Hetz'' subclass:
* 8 Harpoon [[anti-ship missile]]s
* up to 6 Gabriel [[anti-ship missile]]s 
*'''or'''
* up to 32 [[Barak 1]] [[surface-to-air missile]]s
* [[Otobreda 76 mm]] / [[Typhoon Weapon System|Typhoon 25 mm]] [[naval gun]]
* 2 [[Oerlikon 20mm cannon]]
* [[Phalanx CIWS]]
* up to 8 [[M2 Browning]] machine guns
| Ship aircraft = [[Eurocopter Panther]] in ''Aliya'' subclass (in [[Israeli Sea Corps|ISC]]) or other [[helicopters]]
| Ship aircraft facilities = [[Helipad]] and helicopter hangar in ''Aliya'' subclass
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boats''' ({{langx|he|סער 4.5}}) is a class of [[Israeli Sea Corps]] [[missile boat]]s designed and built by [[Israel Shipyards]] Ltd. for [[Shayetet 3]] flotilla as an improved and stretched {{sclass2|Sa'ar 4|missile boat|1}}. There are two different subclasses that are both named Sa'ar 4.5. The first subclass was initially called ''Chochit'' ({{langx|he|חוחית}}), but renamed to ''Aliya'' ({{langx|he|עליה}}). Two ''Aliya''-subclass boats are in service with the [[Mexican Navy]]. The second subclass was initially called ''Nirit'' ({{langx|he|נירית}}) but renamed to ''Hetz'' ({{langx|he|חץ}}).

==History==
The original construction plan for Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boats included: 

Two helicopter-equipped boats (''Aliya'' subclass):
* INS ''Aliya'' 
* INS ''Geula'' 

Three ordinary missile boats (''Hetz'' subclass): 
* INS ''Romach'' (launched and commissioned in 1981), 
* INS ''Keshet'' (launched and commissioned in 1982) and 
* INS ''Nirit'' 

The keel of INS ''Nirit'' was laid in 1984 but the construction ceased due to lack of funds and it was finally launched in 1990 and commissioned in 1991 with some modern equipment, eventuality renamed to INS ''Hetz''. Consequently the older INS ''Romach'' and INS ''Keshet'' were upgraded to match INS ''Hetz''{{'}}s specifications. 

{{INS|Kidon}}, {{INS|Tarshish}}, and INS ''Yaffo''' commissioned in 1997, 1997, and 1998 respectively. Particularly INS ''Kidon'' and INS ''Yaffo'' were built comprising various older systems that were disassembled from Sa'ar 4-class boats with the same names, atop brand new Sa'ar 4.5-class hulls. INS ''Tarshish'' possibly also comprised some weapon systems dismounted from the Sa'ar 4-class missile boat with the same name, atop a new Sa'ar 4.5-class hull. 

Another two further-upgraded Sa'ar 4.5 ''Hetz''-subclass missile boats called {{INS|Herev}} and {{INS|Sufa|2003|6}} were commissioned in 2002 and 2003, raising the number of Sa'ar 4.5 ''Hetz''-subclass missile boats to eight.

==Subclasses==
===''Aliya'' subclass===
[[File:DafHelChochit.png|left|thumb|INS ''Aliya'' in 1985.]]
[[File:INSGeula2.jpg|left|thumb|INS ''Geula'' in 1982.]]
The first two Sa'ar 4.5 boats were ''Aliya'' subclass. Two boats of this version were built and launched in 1980, the first one being {{INS|Aliya}}, followed by {{INS|Geula}}. Additionally to the [[anti-ship missile]]s, these missile boats were equipped with aviation facilities that could accommodate two (one on a regular basis) [[Bell 206]], [[MD 500 Defender|MD 500]], or [[HH-65 Dolphin|HH-65]] helicopters. [[Eurocopter Panther]] was the last helicopter deployed on these boats in the Israeli Navy. The ''Aliya'' subclass are the smallest warships with a [[helipad]] and helicopter hangar.

In August 1984, INS ''Aliya'' and INS ''Geula'' were sent to destroy a terrorist facility in [[Nahr al-Bared]], northern Lebanon. Two [[MD 500 Defender]]s from INS ''Aliya'' and another two from INS ''Geula'' successfully hit the target. In July 1985, INS ''Aliya'' and INS ''Geula'' carried out a similar mission near Nahr al-Bared.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://iaf.org.il/535-19133-he/IAF.aspx |title=אתר חיל-האוויר |access-date=2010-08-20 |archive-date=2010-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101003081414/http://www.iaf.org.il/535-19133-he/IAF.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===''Hetz'' subclass===
[[File:Saar 5.jpg|left|thumb|INS ''Romach'' in front, {{INS|Sufa}} in back in 2008]]
Sa'ar 4.5 ''Hetz''-subclass missile boats lack the helicopter facilities of the ''Aliya'' subclass, but have more weapon systems fitted. They are largely based on the {{sclass2|Sa'ar 4|missile boat|1}} with improvements in electronic systems: [[Command and Control (Military)|command and control]], detection, classification and identification, [[fire control system]], [[radar]] ([[EL/M-2258]] [[active electronically scanned array]]), [[sonar]], [[electronic warfare]] and communications. The engines and propulsion systems were also upgraded. The boat itself is {{convert|4|m}} longer than the {{sclass2|Sa'ar 4|missile boat|1}}s to accommodate the new systems.

==Future replacement==
Beginning in the mid-2020s, the Israeli Navy plans to replace the Sa'ar 4.5 boats with the future ''Reshef''-class ships. These {{convert|76|m|ftin|adj=on}} long vessels will be based on Israel Shipyards' {{sclass2|Sa'ar 72|corvette|1}} design.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calcalist.co.il/local/articles/0,7340,L-3773180,00.html |title=הפקת לקחים מתיק 3000? ספינות הטילים החדשות של חיל הים ייבנו בישראל |website=calcalist.co.il |language=Hebrew |date=11 June 2019 |access-date=21 August 2020}}</ref> They will deploy advanced weaponry and defensive systems, including [[Iron Dome#C-Dome|C-Dome]].

==Users==
===Israel===
As of 2019, eight ''Hetz''-subclass boats are in service with the [[Israeli Navy]].

===Mexico===
In January 2004 both INS ''Aliya'' and INS ''Geula'' were sold to [[Mexico]] for service in the Mexican Navy. On August 23, 2004 the boats were relaunched in Mexico renamed {{ship|ARM|Huracán|A-301|6}} and {{ship|ARM|Tormenta|A-302|6}}. Press reports indicate that Israel removed the [[Harpoon missile]] systems prior to the sale, however, the [[Gabriel (missile)|Gabriel]] [[anti-ship missile]] systems were included in the package.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/aliya.htm |title=Aliya Sa'ar 4.5 |access-date=2008-09-28 |archive-date=2008-09-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917023702/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/aliya.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Greece===
The [[Hellenic Coast Guard]] bought three offshore patrol boats based on the Sa'ar 4.5 ''Nirit''-class design, but armed only with a 30&nbsp;mm gun. A crane is installed at the deck space normally reserved for missiles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Offshore Patrol Vessel|url=http://www.israel-shipyards.com/naval-001.asp|publisher=Israel Shipyards Ltd|access-date=19 June 2017}}</ref>

[[File:סער 4.5.JPG|thumb|{{INS|Kidon}} in 2012]]

==See also==
* [[List of ships of the Israeli Navy]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boat}}
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/aliya.htm Aliya on Global Security]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/hetz.htm Hetz on Global Security]
* [http://www.israel-shipyards.com/naval-003.asp Sa'ar 4.5 on Israel Shipyards website]
* [http://www.sibat.mod.gov.il/SibatMain/sibat/naval/saar45.htm Sa'ar on SIBAT website]

{{Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boat}}
{{Mexican Navy ships}}

[[Category:Missile boat classes]]
[[Category:Sa'ar 4.5-class missile boats| ]]
[[Category:Missile boats of Israel| ]]
[[Category:Missile boats of Mexico| ]]
[[Category:Patrol vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Patrol vessels of Greece| ]]