A version of Poland's A-100
Posted on 06/29/2009 7:35:46 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Navy Drops US Warship for Made-in-Israel Option
by Yehudah Lev Kay
(IsraelNN.com) The Israeli navy has dropped plans to purchase U.S. made warships and instead is exploring the possibility of a home-grown military shipbuilding industry, according to the website of Defense News.
The Ministry of Defense had originally planned on purchasing either the small Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) from Lockheed Martin or similar corvettes built by Northrop Grumman. However, costs for the LCS ships skyrocketed to $637 million, and costs for the corvettes were estimated at $450 million, both deemed prohibitive to the navy.
“As much as we sought commonality with the U.S. Navy, it became much, much more expensive than planned,” a naval source said. “At the end of the day, we had no choice but to face that fact that, for us, it was unaffordable."
Instead, the ministry is now considering building two ships based on the German Meko A-100 corvette at the Israel Shipyards in Haifa, where the project would give a much-needed shot in the arm to the economy.
“One of the things we put on the table is how to vector our urgent operational needs into a project that can support local industry,” the source said. “We believe a strong case can be made for making this into a national project that fosters self sufficiency and provides all the economic benefits that come with creating a military shipbuilding industry.”
The 2,200-ton Meko was designed by the Hamburg-based ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, which currently builds Dolphin-class submarines for the Israeli navy. The version to be built in Haifa would likely include on-board systems built by the Israel Aerospace Industries.
The main issue which needs to be worked out for the program to take off is how the defense ministry will finance a home-grown ship
(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...
A version of Poland's A-100
Now that is a beautiful looking ship.
Affected by Obama’s treatment of Israel???
Affected by Obama’s treatment of Israel???
Gawron? Do they call it the “Klingon Class”?
“where the project would give a much-needed shot in the arm to the economy.”
I wish them much luck, but government spending is not good for the economy. Isn’t that just another stimulus package?
Only in America can we build a ship.. with multi-billion dollar costs overruns ... and expect our allies to buy them.
Thats what we get for dissing our allies!
I hope they end up building something that rivals our own!
Looks like the unions are pricing themselves out of a job again. Wonderful.
If the Israelis were seeking “commonality” with the US the actual hull & systems could be anybody’s design. It’s the Radar, Comm gear, and so forth that allow greater interoperability with a US battlegroup, I would think.
The LCS program was a disaster. Instead of building a flotilla of fast, cheap coastal boats the Navy gold-plated the darned things. Now you have a jack-of-all-trades boat that costs almost as much as an Burke-destroyer.
Can’t blame the Israelis. If they purchase ships from abroad, they should only purchase from a friendly country.
Can’t blame the Israelis. If they purchase ships from abroad, they should only purchase from a friendly country.
Unless they make the sides a bit more slanted, looks to have a large radar signature.
Blame the unions for the hugely inflated production costs; in my industry, I see the results of their idiocy every single day.
Give more of your own citizens work, and save a buck to boot? Can’t argue with that logic!
I like the idea. Home built is an important advantage.
placemarker
I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t trust anything sent from HolyO’s administration either!!
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