Israel is seeking to buy four Lockheed Martin [LMT] or General Dynamics [GD] Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for $1.9 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said yesterday.

Each ship will be equipped with two MK-41 Vertical Launch Systems, eight cells for each system; one Close-In-Weapon System CWIS), Block 1A, one Enhanced Harpoon Launching System with launchers; two MK-32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes; Communications and Sensors; Link 16; COMBATSS-21 with SPY-1F(V) and MK-99 Fire Control System; or Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS), DSCA said.

Raytheon [RTN] builds CWIS and SSDS.

The requested sale includes design and integration services, hardware and software, spare and repair parts, test and tool sets, personnel training and equipment, publications, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support.

In November 2007, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $2.3 million foreign military sales contract to continue concept and preliminary design work on the proposed Israeli Navy’s LCS- I (Defense Daily, Nov. 15, 2007).

Lockheed Martin received an initial contract from the Israeli Navy in February 2006 to perform the feasibility study for a multi-mission LCS variant. The study was completed in April 2007. In August, IDF awarded the follow-on combat systems study to Lockheed Martin (Defense Daily, Nov. 15, 2007).