[1] The first Sa'ar 72 was expected to become operational in 2015 but the process to begin construction was not approved until 2024.
[2][3] The design was first unveiled at the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX) Asia in Singapore in May 2013.
[4] On December 12, 2024, the Director General of the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), Maj. Gen.
Eyal Zamir, publicly announced a procurement agreement from Israel Shipyards for five Sa'ar 72 type boats, dubbed "Reshef" in Hebrew, with a total value of approximately $780M (NIS 2.8B).
[5] This comes following a legislative committee approval to fund procurement of these vessels, among other military equipment.