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The Boats of Cherbourg: The Navy That Stole Its Own Boats and Revolutionized Naval Warfare
On Christmas eve 1969, five small boats slipped out of Cherbourg harbor after midnight into the teeth of a Force Nine gale that sent large freighters scurrying for cover. The boats, ordered by Israel from a local shipyard, had been embargoed for more than a year by French President Charles de Gaulle. In a brazen caper, the Israelis were now running off with them. As the boats raced for home and Paris fumed, the world media chortled at Israel’s hutspa. But the story was far bigger than they knew.
Eight years before, the commander of the Israeli navy had assembled senior officers for a brainstorming session. The navy faced downgrading to a coast guard unless it could reconstitute itself as a fighting force on a starvation budget. What to do? A desperate proposal emerged from the two-day meeting.
Israel’s fledgling military industries had developed a crude missile which was rejected by both the army and air force. The navy would now try adapting it. If placed on small patrol boats, the missiles, with their large warheads, could give these cheap vessels the punch of a heavy cruiser.
Over the next decade, engineers working virtually round-the-clock developed the first missile boats in the West. Of a dozen boat platforms ordered in Cherbourg seven sailed before the embargo. The five that escaped completed the flotilla. But the Soviets had meanwhile also developed missile boats which they distributed to their Arab allies. Their powerful and accurate missiles had twice the range of Israel’s. To secure Israel’s sea lanes, the navy devised electronic countermeasures that would hopefully divert the enemy missiles.
On the first night of the Yom Kippur War, an Israeli squadron engaged three Syrian missile boats in the first ever missile-to-missile battle at sea. The Syrian boats fired first but all three were sunk. Two nights later, three Egyptian missile boats were sunk. The electronic umbrella had worked and no Israeli boat was hit. A new naval age had dawned.
Eight years before, the commander of the Israeli navy had assembled senior officers for a brainstorming session. The navy faced downgrading to a coast guard unless it could reconstitute itself as a fighting force on a starvation budget. What to do? A desperate proposal emerged from the two-day meeting.
Israel’s fledgling military industries had developed a crude missile which was rejected by both the army and air force. The navy would now try adapting it. If placed on small patrol boats, the missiles, with their large warheads, could give these cheap vessels the punch of a heavy cruiser.
Over the next decade, engineers working virtually round-the-clock developed the first missile boats in the West. Of a dozen boat platforms ordered in Cherbourg seven sailed before the embargo. The five that escaped completed the flotilla. But the Soviets had meanwhile also developed missile boats which they distributed to their Arab allies. Their powerful and accurate missiles had twice the range of Israel’s. To secure Israel’s sea lanes, the navy devised electronic countermeasures that would hopefully divert the enemy missiles.
On the first night of the Yom Kippur War, an Israeli squadron engaged three Syrian missile boats in the first ever missile-to-missile battle at sea. The Syrian boats fired first but all three were sunk. Two nights later, three Egyptian missile boats were sunk. The electronic umbrella had worked and no Israeli boat was hit. A new naval age had dawned.
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1988
32 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Abraham Rabinovich
12 books21 followersAbraham Rabinovich is a journalist born and raised in New York City. A graduate of Brooklyn College and a US Army veteran, he worked as a reporter for Newsday and arrived in Israel on the eve of the Six Day War. After completing his first book, The Battle for Jerusalem, he joined the Jerusalem Post as a reporter and feature writer. His freelance articles have been published in The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune and The New Republic, among other publications. He is the author of six books, including The Yom Kippur War, The Boats of Cherbourg and Jerusalem on Earth. He lives in Jerusalem and has two daughters and five grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 17, 2020
Great book about the development, acquisition and deployment of the early Sa'ar missile boats of the Israeli Navy. It is a story of ingenuity, daring and perseverance against the odds, all qualities than makes the Israeli nation one of the most unique in the world and how all this shaped modern naval warfare and Israel as an economic power in the Middle East. Highly recommended.
October 1, 2014
The book has three intertwined stories:
The design of the Gabriel Missile and the Israeli missile boats in the 1960s, the quasi-legal abduction of the boats from Cherbourg in 1969, and the combat experience of the Israeli Navy in the Yom Kippur war. All the stories are interesting, and they fit together reasonably well. Rabinovich is a journalist, not a historian, and the narrative has a journalistic feel to it, although the sourcing and research was comprehensive.
I hadn't realized the Israelis were the first to deploy missile boats. I also hadn't realized that getting those boats required sneaking out of France illegally, causing a medium-large international incident.
The design of the Gabriel Missile and the Israeli missile boats in the 1960s, the quasi-legal abduction of the boats from Cherbourg in 1969, and the combat experience of the Israeli Navy in the Yom Kippur war. All the stories are interesting, and they fit together reasonably well. Rabinovich is a journalist, not a historian, and the narrative has a journalistic feel to it, although the sourcing and research was comprehensive.
I hadn't realized the Israelis were the first to deploy missile boats. I also hadn't realized that getting those boats required sneaking out of France illegally, causing a medium-large international incident.
July 9, 2021
Read it for work. Interesting how a small nation could revolutionise naval warfare.
October 18, 2016
so, I dunno, I am conflicted as to how many stars to give it. It is certainly not great literature, it was not balanced or academically serious, at least to the extent that I am able to judge such things, But... it was quite entertaining, and as far as I can tell, reasonably well-researched, if only from one perspective. As a historical dramatization? Yes, it's a solid four stars, bordering on five.
And really, who am I to criticize a thing for being written from a particular perspective? we all see the world from our own eyes, and contextualize it with our own experiences, and that is normal and natural. I think, though, that I've been reading too many of these sorts of books, and specifically from this point of view, and that sort of made me enjoy it less than I would have... but that's not this book's fault.
And really, who am I to criticize a thing for being written from a particular perspective? we all see the world from our own eyes, and contextualize it with our own experiences, and that is normal and natural. I think, though, that I've been reading too many of these sorts of books, and specifically from this point of view, and that sort of made me enjoy it less than I would have... but that's not this book's fault.
January 13, 2021
I hope our military is engaging in covert R&D like Israel did. The stakes to the US are just as high as they were — and are to Israel. Survival of our nation and way of life.
July 9, 2019
Great Story, marvellous work
Always fascinated by story war story and Israel. This book let me know how a small nation use irregular thinking and effort to overcome difficulties.
Always fascinated by story war story and Israel. This book let me know how a small nation use irregular thinking and effort to overcome difficulties.
September 9, 2022
An exciting story of an important part of the history of Israeli navy
August 9, 2023
A surprising and gripping story that in many ways is a repeat of Israel's beginnings that echos from the illicit formation of Israel's air force and army.
Despite Israel's place on the eastern Mediterranean seaboard, and the coast's history of naval warfare, Israel's navy had been an afterthought from the nation's beginning. Needing a way to float an effective navy that could survive on a sea that boasted enemies far larger and more capable, Israel looked to technology and bold tactics to even its odds.
With the Boats of Cherbourg, the small country did just that and far more.
This book should become a staple of naval literature by showing what innovation, boldness, and daring leadership can accomplish against seemingly overwhelming odds.
Despite Israel's place on the eastern Mediterranean seaboard, and the coast's history of naval warfare, Israel's navy had been an afterthought from the nation's beginning. Needing a way to float an effective navy that could survive on a sea that boasted enemies far larger and more capable, Israel looked to technology and bold tactics to even its odds.
With the Boats of Cherbourg, the small country did just that and far more.
This book should become a staple of naval literature by showing what innovation, boldness, and daring leadership can accomplish against seemingly overwhelming odds.
November 29, 2014
Very interesting story about the creation of the
modern Israeli navy. It touches on the development of Israel's tech/defense sector with the creation of the Gabriel missile and early warning systems, a thrilling escape from France with 5 missile boats (not everyday that a country has to "steal" boats that it owns), and ultimately how it this came together in the Yom Kippur war. I've read books on the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War, but can't recall ever hearing about the navy - it's a story worth reading about.
modern Israeli navy. It touches on the development of Israel's tech/defense sector with the creation of the Gabriel missile and early warning systems, a thrilling escape from France with 5 missile boats (not everyday that a country has to "steal" boats that it owns), and ultimately how it this came together in the Yom Kippur war. I've read books on the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War, but can't recall ever hearing about the navy - it's a story worth reading about.
April 10, 2016
The Israeli Saar class missile boat was not the first missile boat, of course. USSR's Komar class boat was and it started a new era. However, Komar was only a missile carrier. It was still far away from being a weapon system. What Israel Navy did was to create an integrated weapon platform that were well planned, constructed, and operated and went beyond just being a missile wagon. In that sense, Saar did start a revolution.
September 15, 2016
Excellent account
This is a well-written account of a fascinating series of events which have had a profound effect on modern warfare. One of the things which emerges is that creative individuals who can think out of the box can have a decisive effect where less creative people fail. The book reads like a spy novel but it is solid history.
This is a well-written account of a fascinating series of events which have had a profound effect on modern warfare. One of the things which emerges is that creative individuals who can think out of the box can have a decisive effect where less creative people fail. The book reads like a spy novel but it is solid history.
February 10, 2010
An amazing story of a revolution in modern seapower: the development and use of modern missile boats by the Israelis. The missile boats are the descendants of the patrol torpedo (PT) boats and gunboats of the Second World War.
March 30, 2015
The book is non-fiction written in the traditions of the best spy-novels. If you love excellent political thriller, interested in the modern history of navy warfare – you will enjoy it tremendously.
July 29, 2016
Outstanding. Not only is the topic very interesting, but the author structured the book to make it interesting, and he also writes in a very engaging manner. Highly recommended, now one of my favorite military books of all time.
October 26, 2010
Current history buffs should enjoy as would military & political fans.
March 18, 2014
Very well written. I met one of the Israeli officers who was on one of the boats. Chaim Shaked. The book is very accurate.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews