The Super Dvora Mk3 fast patrol boat. Photo: Borris Schuster/Wikimedia Commons.

The Israeli Navy is about receive of three state-of-the-art vessels to bolster its capabilities, Defense News reported Wednesday.

A naval officer confirmed that Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will deliver the new Super Dvora Mk3 fast patrol crafts, one of the most advanced on the market.

“The first will be delivered in the coming few weeks, and the other two will follow by the end of the year,” the officer said.

Purchased from IAI in September 2013, the first vessel is undergoing acceptance trials at the naval base in Ashdod, the report said. Upon approval, the Super Dvora Mk3 will replace the outdated Dubar-class craft, which was recently decommissioned after 40 years of service.

The Super Dvora Mk3 will be used for daily patrols, counter-terrorism missions along Israel’s coastline, law enforcement, naval intelligence, boarding suspicious vessels and securing economic zones. The boats come equipped with advanced weapons and sensors.

“This is a major improvement in our fast patrol and interdiction capabilities…and we intend to buy more,” the officer told Defense News.

According to IAI, “The boats include an advanced propulsion system to allow sharp and quick maneuvering, as well as unique speed, tailored to confront various modern threats, and are equipped with a variety of combat, detection, defense and attack capabilities. The Super Dvoras incorporate these features in their relatively small dimensions, while maintaining operational flexibility, the crew’s safety and survivability of the vessel.”

In a previous interview, Israeli Rear Adm. Yossi Ashkenazi, head of the Navy’s Material Command, told Defense News that funds have already been earmarked to upgrade the Navy’s ships and purchase additional craft.

“Only in Israel can you find a top-rate shipyard in the center of the desert,” he said.

The Super Dvora Mk3 is not exclusively used by the Israeli Navy. In April 2015, IAI announced it secured a contract with an African military customer for four of the vessels.