Future
In a radical revamp of its surface fleet modernization program, the Israel Navy has shelved long-held plans to purchase Lockheed Martin-produced Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) due to their ever-rising cost estimate, as well as exercising a fallback option involving corvettes built by Northrop Grumman. Instead, sources say, the Navy is pushing to establish a combat shipbuilding industry through customized, locally built versions of a German corvette design. Currently in an exploration phase, the concept calls for a stretched, approximately 2,200-ton version of the MEKO A-100 built by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), the Hamburg-based consortium building two Dolphin-class submarines for the Israel Navy. Countries that are building or now operating the 1,650-ton German-designed corvette include Malaysia and Poland. If carried out, the ships would likely be built locally by Israel Shipyards (which built the Sa'ar 4.5 class and earlier INS ships), with IAI acting as prime systems integrator.
The Israeli Navy also plans to buy four more Super Dvora and two Shaldag patrol boats, and has ordered two additional submarines, and is discussing with Germany the possibility of a third. The Navy is also building up an amphibious assault capability to deliver battalion-sized infantry forces and is in discussion with the Ground Forces Command to decide which battalions will be trained in landing operations.
The Navy is considering buying two corvettes which would be specifically designed for the navy's needs, and which would be outfitted with electronic warfare devices, radar, and weapons systems. They would be given an extended air defense capability, making them the world's first air defense corvettes. Israel planned to order each ship for $300 million from the German shipbuilding company Blohm + Voss. After the United Arab Emirates-owned Mar group announced that it would buy the majority of shares in the company, the Israeli defense establishment began to look into the potential outcomes of buying ships from an Arab-owned company. It was later reported that Israel is was leaning towards producing 2 modified versions of the Sa'ar 5-class corvette domestically.
In November 2012, it was reported that Israel is mulling a deal to purchase four frigates from South Korea, which would be built jointly by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Israel Shipyards.
Read more about this topic: Israeli Navy
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