Roughead's Visit to Israel

Admiral Roughead made a visit to Israel this week. We let Navy NewsStand set the context.

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Adm. Gary Roughead is visiting Israel from June 21-24 at the invitation of Israel Navy Commander, Vice Adm. Eli Marum, to strengthen and further develop global maritime partnerships and increase maritime security.

CNO toured Haifa and Ashdod Naval Bases where he got underway on INS Lahav, an Eilat-class corvette; a Shaldag-class fast patrol craft; went aboard the Israeli Dolphin-class submarine, INS Tukuma; and met with Israel Navy and Ministry of Defense officials. Roughead said closer ties and cooperation are mutually beneficial to both navies.

The conventional wisdom is the Admiral is in Israel to discuss Iran. Probably a little bit, but there are no plans being made at this level. We tend to think any discussion of Iran is at the strategic level, and just as much discussion would be given to Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Jordon, and Saudi Arabia. Given the activity of the Isreali Navy, it would be difficult for Roughead to ignore those more relevant discussions rather than talk theory on Iran.

However one issue we are sure popped up in the meetings was the Lockheed Martin version of the Littoral Combat Ship, also knows as the LCS-I. Israel submitted an RFP in February, and given the Bush administration approach to come with money to the Middle East, Israel has the money to buy the LCS-I version of the vessel.

The Lockheed Martin LCS-I version of the Littoral Combat Ship is very important. While Lockheed Martin doesn't have a stellar reputation in shipbuilding, the LCS-I is getting interest abroad. India is looking at the LCS-I as well for its Project 17 stealth frigate. It is noteworthy India and Israel recently entered a cooperative development agreement for the Barak II, one might imagine the LCS-I will be capable of supporting both the Barak I and Barak II by design.

We haven't seen any indication when Israel might make a bid for the LCS-I, but one wonders how much the bad press the Littoral Combat Ship has had lately is part of the equation. We are hoping the Israeli's order the LCS-I soon, because we think if Israel orders it this year, by the time India is ready to select a ship for its Project 17 stealth frigate, if the LCS-I is already under construction it will have a better chance of being selected.