Israeli Navy Decommissions Veteran Missile Boat INS Keshet After 44 Years
INS Keshet, the Israeli Navy's veteran missile boat, has been decommissioned after 44 years of service. The IDF is weighing whether to scuttle the vessel or display it at the Haifa naval museum.
The Israeli Navy has decommissioned INS Keshet, its longest-serving combat missile boat, after 44 years of active service. Known as the "Princess of the Flotilla" and the "Submarine Hunter," the vessel completed its final operational deployment on Wednesday, entering its home port in Haifa as fellow naval vessels rendered a farewell salute.
Built at Israel Shipyards in the early 1980s based on operational lessons learned during the Yom Kippur War, the vessel initially served as a Reshef-class missile boat, later upgraded to the Saar 4.5 Nirit configuration following the First Lebanon War. Launched in May 1982, INS Keshet participated in naval strikes and blockades targeting Beirut and northern Lebanon, alongside numerous classified special operations.
Despite being the oldest combat ship in the fleet, INS Keshet maintained the highest operational activity and combat hours among all navy vessels over the past three years. Throughout its 44-year history, the 56-member crew operated a formidable weapon suite, including Harpoon and Gabriel anti-ship missiles, Barak air-defense systems, and a 76mm Oto Melara naval gun.
Future Options and Replacement
Following its retirement, the IDF is currently weighing two options for the historic vessel: sinking it to create an artificial marine reef or preserving it as an exhibit at the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum in Haifa. Meanwhile, a direct replacement for INS Keshet is expected within the next year to 18 months, as the military prepares to commission five new Reshef-class missile boats currently under construction at Israel Shipyards.
