INS Lahav

INS Lahav is the name of two separate missile boats operated by the Israeli Navy.

• INS Lahav (Sa'ar 4-class): The first INS Lahav was a Sa'ar 4-class missile boat. These vessels were designed and built in Israel in the 1970s. As part of the Sa'ar 4 class, it was armed with anti-ship missiles, guns, and electronic warfare systems, primarily designed for coastal defense and patrol duties. It has since been decommissioned.

• INS Lahav (Sa'ar 6-class): The second and current INS Lahav is a Sa'ar 6-class corvette. These vessels are significantly larger and more advanced than the Sa'ar 4 class. Built in Germany by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and based on the German MEKO 100 design, the Sa'ar 6-class corvettes feature improved radar capabilities, air defense systems including the Barak 8 missile system, and electronic warfare suites. The INS Lahav, as a Sa'ar 6 class corvette, is intended to protect Israel's exclusive economic zone and strategic assets in the Mediterranean Sea, particularly natural gas platforms.