Saudi deal for 4 Freedom LCS

WASHINGTON - Lockheed Martin Corp. has reached a $6 billion deal to sell Saudi Arabia four up-gunned Littoral Combat Ships as President Trump travels to the kingdom this weekend, according to unnamed sources familiar with the transaction. LM’s website indicates a modified Freedom Class version, built in Wisconsin, includes support equipment, electronic-warfare systems, over-the-horizon missiles, remotely fired 20mm guns, Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles, and a new torpedo defense system. The Trump administration is promising to improve relations with the Saudis after strained years under former President Obama. Saudi Arabia has pledged to buy billions of dollars of U.S. military equipment in the next decade, and invest about $40 billion in American firms. The official U.S. response to the Foreign Military Sales may come May 20 (Saturday morning) while the President is scheduled to arrive in Riyadh. The announcement will also likely include the sale for about 115 M1A2 General Dynamics’ tanks. A formal agreement is also expected for Lockheed to sell more Pac-3 Patriot missiles, 60 UH-60 helicopters and the THAAD anti-missile system, which intercepts incoming missiles at higher altitudes than the Patriot. The LCS deal would be the first international sale of that ship. Parts of the package may draw congressional criticism. A resolution to block the tank sale was introduced in September. (Source: Bloomberg 05/18/17) Gulf Coast Note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., the North American subsidiary of the Australian shipbuilder Austal, builds the Independence Class variant of LCS.