Germany to Supply Israel with Four Patrol Ships May 12, 2015Patrol corvettes. (AP/Kim Jae-hwan)(AP/Kim Jae-hwan)Germany to Supply Israel with Four Patrol ShipsIn a quest to secure its offshore gas rigs, Israel will purchase four corvette ships from a German company. By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel NewsDefense Ministry director-general Dan Harel (C) signs agreement. (Ariel Hermoni/MOD)Israel has signed an agreement to purchase four advanced battleships from Germany in order to secure its offshore gas fields, Israelâs Ministry of Defense (MOD) announced on Monday.The 430-million-euro purchase is part of Israelâs effort to secure the gas rigs in its economic waters â an offshore region that includes gas-drilling areas, extending beyond Israelâs territorial waters in the Mediterranean. The first ship will be turned over to Israeli hands in five years.A contract-signing ceremony was held in Tel Aviv, with MOD Director-General Dan Harel representing Israel. Ursula Von der Leyen, Germanyâs minister of defense, arrived in Israel for the event.Germany’s TKMS shipyard in Kiel will provide the Israeli navy with four advanced patrol corvettes, which will become part of the defense parameter.All combat systems used on the ships will be produced and outfitted by Israeli companies at the insistence of the MOD, which aims to ensure the flow of contracts to Israeli firms.Germany has agreed to finance a third of the cost of the deal at 115 million euros. TKMS, which is building the battleships, has promised to purchase Israeli products in return and invest in Israeli companies.âThe agreement signed today is a significant and dramatic step forward in the navyâs defense capabilities on Israelâs strategic gas-yielding sites,â Harel said after the signing.â The deal also serves as a boost to the economy. We are proud and happy with the results of the negotiations, which have ensured maximal achievements in the operational and economic spheres.âClose Israeli-German tiesCommending the ties between the two countries which were unthinkable 70 years ago, Minister of Defense Moshe Yaâalon said that the collaboration between Israel and Germany was strong, âbased on a shared vision of the threats facing the countries and the West.ââWe are proud to share with you our military experience and intelligence,â Yaâalon told his counterpart at a press conference.He underscored appreciation to Germany for its contribution to the security of Israelâs citizens. âThe ties between the two countries have aided the IDFâs building of its strength tremendously and have cemented its status as a modern army.âPresident Rivlin arrives in Germany. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)Relating to the patrol corvettes, he said they were among the most advanced in the world, and their purchase set Israelâs navy in the front line with the other leading maritime powers.He conveyed his personal thanks to Chancellor Angela Merkel, âa true friend of Israel.âIsraeli President Reuven Rivlin is in Germany for a three-day state trip marking 50 years of diplomatic relations.One of the byproducts of this relationship is close military collaboration. Germany recently approved the delivery of the fifth of six advanced submarines Germany had promised to Israel, which were likewise constructed by TKMS.Israel received the fourth submarine in September, another step in a seven-year joint submarine project between Israel and Germany. Dan HarelIsraeli navyRivlinUrsula Von der LeyenYaalon