US Said to Approve $11 Billion Saudi Buy of Littoral Ships
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Pentagon is notifying Congress of a planned sale to Saudi Arabia of as many as four Littoral Combat Ships for $11.25 billion, according to a US official.
The State Department has approved the sale under the Foreign Military Sales program, according to the official, who asked not to be identified in advance of an announcement. The approval allows the Saudis to negotiate contracts for the ships unless Congress passes legislation to block the deal, Bloomberg Reported on Monday.
The ships are part of a planned modernization, replacing older US-built vessels in the Royal Saudi Navy’s Eastern Fleet. The sale also begins to deliver on President Barack Obama’s pledge to improve the military capabilities of the US’s Arab allies. Saudi Arabia and other nations in the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council sought such reassurances before acquiescing to the nuclear deal with Iran on its nuclear program.
Aid Limited
US military aid to the Persian Gulf nations is limited by legislation requiring that the US maintain Israel’s qualitative military superiority over its Mideast neighbors, blocking the sale of cutting-edge weapons such as the F-35 fighter jet. But the ships sold to the Saudis will be the first major export of a new, US-built surface naval vessel in years, the US official said.
The Littoral Combat Ship, designed for operations in shallow coastal waters, is made in two versions by Lockheed Martin Corp. and Austal Ltd. The Saudis have indicated they’re interested in the Lockheed ship, according to previous reports, including by Defense News.
Ability Questioned
While the Navy has championed the new littoral ship as an agile and adaptable vessel, the Pentagon’s director of testing has questioned its ability to survive a potential enemy attack. Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has challenged the reliability of new underwater drones for the ship that are intended to hunt down mines from a safe distance.
Congress has 30 days to disapprove of the sale before it takes effect. It could be years, however, before a contract is actually signed.
The US is offering a version of the Littoral Combat Ship called the “Multi-Mission Surface Combatant” customized to Saudi requirements. The planned sale includes potential purchases of engineering, logistical and training support for Saudi naval personnel; radar and sonar systems; munitions and fire-control systems.
