Shayetet 15


The Patrol Fleet, officially designated Shayetet 15, serves as the naval patrol fleet of the Israeli Navy. Headquartered at the Israeli Naval Headquarters in Tel Aviv, the fleet operates three squadrons: Squadron 914 at Haifa Naval Base, Squadron 915 at Eilat Naval Base, and Squadron 916 at Ashdod Naval Base.

Fleet

Personnel and training

Patrol ships are crewed by approximately 12 soldiers each. Command of a vessel is held by a captain, who holds the rank of lieutenant or captain. To qualify for this role, the captain must have previously served as a deputy platoon officer in the BHD 600 and completed training as the vessel's deputy commander. Captains typically serve in this role for 18 months before promotion.
Crew members are selected during pre-enlistment and serve as regular-service soldiers in the Israeli Navy. After completing second gunner training at the BHD 600, personnel are assigned to either sailor and mechanic specialization courses. Upon finishing their training, recruits undergo a "final stay" phase aboard ships, where they must pass basic certification tests to become full crew members.
Mechanics receive additional qualifications as ship's watchmen, firefighters, and enginemen, while sailors assume roles such as watchmen, navigators, gunners, and specialists in lighting, seamanship, and magist operations. Soldiers may also pursue advanced theoretical exams to qualify as non-commissioned commanders, enabling them to mentor junior crew and oversee ship operations.
During their service, select personnel may be offered enrollment in a combat medics course conducted at the naval hospital. Graduates return to their vessels as certified ship's medics, responsible for onboard medical care.

Torpedo fleet

The Torpedo Fleet, officially designated Shayetet 5, was the naval patrol and torpedo boat fleet of the Israeli Navy from 1948 to 1970. It operated Torpedo boats of various classes and was organized into four squadrons, including Squadron 788 for patrolling the Sea of Galilee. In 1970, the fleet was reorganized as Shayetet 15, with its squadrons absorbed into the new structure.

History

Establishment (1948–1952)

During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the Israeli Navy acquired a World War II-era German torpedo boat captured by the United States, purchasing it for $9,000. The vessel sank en route to Israel near Malta. In 1949, an unarmed torpedo boat joined the "Small Flotilla," a unit including British-surplus patrol vessels and landing craft. By 1950, 12 additional torpedo boats were acquired: eight WWII-era vessels from the United Kingdom and four modern French boats. The unit was formally renamed Shayetet 5 in 1952.

Operations and Expansion (1953–1967)

In 1956, three Italian-built torpedo boats were stationed at Eilat Naval Base, followed by three French vessels at Haifa Naval Base in 1957.
Shelling of Kinneret (1955)
Syrian forces harassed Israeli fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, prompting Shayetet 5 to bombard Syrian positions. The engagement resulted in Syrian casualties, one Israeli soldier wounded, and a damaged 57 mm cannon replaced post-action.
Operation Resourcefulness (1956)
After the Suez Crisis, two Israeli torpedo boats disguised as Italian vessels covertly evacuated hundreds of Jews from Port Said, with French ships rescuing an additional 170.
Engagement at Sanafir (1957)
A Shayetet 5 vessel patrolling near Sanafir Island was mistaken for an attacker by Saudi forces, triggering an exchange of fire. The Israeli boat struck a Saudi coastal battery, inflicting casualties.
Beirut reconnaissance mission (1958)
On July 9–10, 1958 the Shayetet 13 personnel were dispatched to carry out a reconnaissance mission in Beirut but their extraction proved to be a difficult task for which the torpedoes had to be mobilized.

Reorganisation

In 1958, it was organised into four squadrons Squadron 718 in the Sea of Galilee, Squadron 912 at Eilat Naval Base, Squadron 913 at Ashdod Naval Base and Squadron 914 at Haifa Naval Base.

Voyages to Cyprus and Greece

The torpedoes made voyages to maintain a presence in the shipping lanes in the Eastern Mediterranean. The torpedoes sailed every summer to visit destinations in the Mediterranean. In order to maintain and practice long-range activity. The main destinations were Cyprus and Crete.

Six-Day War (1967)

Operation Lady
During Operation Lady in Port Said, the two torpedoes accompanying the attack force attacked two Osa type Egyptian vessels that were moving near the port. The commander of the force Benjamin Talm received a report from the T-207 torpedo that it was "low on fuel" and ordered the torpedoes not to pursue. The Egyptians also didn't attack the torpedoes.
USS Liberty incident
Three vessels of the fleet were involved in the attack on USS Liberty. When the torpedo boats arrived, Commander Oren could see that the ship could not be the destroyer that had supposedly shelled Arish or any ship capable of speed. According to Michael Limor, an Israeli naval reservist serving on one of the torpedo boats, they attempted to contact the ship by heliograph and radio, but received no response. Oren consulted an Israeli identification guide to Arab fleets and concluded the ship was the Egyptian supply ship El Quseir, based on observing its deckline, midship bridge and smokestack. The captain of boat T-203 reached the same conclusion independently. The boats moved into battle formation, but did not attack.
As the torpedo boats rapidly approached, McGonagle ordered a sailor to proceed to machine gun Mount 51 and open fire. However, he then noticed that the boats appeared to be flying an Israeli flag, and "realized that there was a possibility of the aircraft having been Israeli and the attack had been conducted in error". McGonagle ordered the man at gun mount 51 to hold fire, but a short burst was fired at the torpedo boats before the man understood the order.
McGonagle observed that machine gun Mount 53 began firing at the center torpedo boat at about the same time gun mount 51 fired, and that its fire was "extremely effective and blanketed the area and the center torpedo boat". Machine gun mount 53 was located on the starboard amidships side, behind the pilot house. McGonagle could not see or "get to mount 53 from the starboard wing of the bridge". So, he "sent Mr. Lucas around the port side of the bridge, around to the skylights, to see if he could tell Quintero, whom believed to be the gunner on Machine gun 53, to hold fire". Lucas "reported back in a few minutes in effect that he saw no one at mount 53". Lucas, who had left the command bridge during the air attack and returned to assist McGonagle, believed that the sound of gunfire was likely from ammunition cooking off, due to a nearby fire. Previously, Lucas had granted a request from Quintero to fire at the torpedo boats, before heat from a nearby fire chased him from gun mount 53. McGonagle later testified, at the Court of Inquiry, that this was likely the "extremely effective" firing event he had observed.
After coming under fire, the torpedo boats returned fire with their cannons, killing Liberty helmsman. The torpedo boats then launched five torpedoes at the Liberty. At 12:35Z one torpedo hit Liberty on the starboard side forward of the superstructure, creating a wide hole in what had been a cargo hold converted to the ship's research spaces and killing 25 servicemen, almost all of them from the intelligence section, and wounding dozens.
The torpedo boats then closed in and strafed the ship's hull with their cannons and machine guns.
Assault on Sharm el-Sheikh
The assault on Sharm el-Sheikh was to be carried out by paratroopers but as it was not clear whether the Egyptian artillery position in the area which was weak was manned or not. So torpedoes had to accompany the assault. When the torpedoes reached there it became evident that the positions were deserted. So the personnel of the torpedoes themselves took control and hoisted the Israeli flag. So the Paratrooper assault was cancelled and forces were transported via helicopters. Furthermore, two Egyptian commando vessels were spotted by the torpedoes after capturing Sharm el-Sheikh, the vessels were unarmed but carried 33 commandos who were taken captive.

War of Attrition (1967–1970)

Battle of Rumani Coast
During the Battle of Rumani Coast, an Israeli ship along with two torpedoes attacked Egyptian P 6-class torpedo boats. The initial run scored no hits but the Egyptian MTBs dispersed. The separation enabled Eilat to close one Egyptian torpedo and the two Israeli torpedoes to close the other. Twenty minutes later, both P 6s were ablaze and exploded leaving no survivors.
Sinking of INS Eilat
On October 21, 1967, the destroyer INS Eilat was sunk near Port Said by Egyptian submarines. The torpedoes were dispatched from Ashdod Naval Base to rescue the victims. The first ship to arrive was the T-206 under the command of Rafi Apel. Her presence was essential for the coordination of the evacuation helicopters and the collection of the dead bodies.
Capture of a militant vessel
On November 3, 1969, the T-203 torpedo under the command of Lt. David Nitzan was on patrol in off the coast of Rosh HaNkira. During the night, a small, dark target was discovered penetrating the border from north to south. The torpedo began a chase and opened fire at the target that was trying to escape. Finally the target stopped. It was a boat carrying four Fatah militants and explosives. The Fatah militants were arrested.

Disestablishment (1970)

Shayetet 5 was disbanded in 1970 and replaced by Shayetet 15. Squadron 788 was decommissioned after Israel secured full control of the coastline following the Golan Heights occupation.