Photo Credit: jimmyweee, Malaysian OPV Pahang, IMDEX2007
DefenseNews is reporting that Germany will be building four Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Israeli Navy. Israel has seen a need for OPVs to protect its growing offshore energy industry.
Israel had previously considered the Lockheed “international” LCS design, but it was deemed too expensive. The design selected is a version of the MEKO A100. Two versions of this design are already in service, The Kedah class (pictured above) with the Malaysian Navy and the K-130 class corvettes of the German Navy.
It will be interesting to see how these ships turn out. They will be similar in size, perhaps a bit smaller than the Offshore Patrol Cutters.
From what the Germans are looking to sell and what ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is proposing to sell to Israel is the Blohm+Voss Class MEKO® A100 Corvette. It is advertized as a compact frigate and a smaller sister to the Blohm+Voss Class MEKO® A200 Frigate. it is basically a Light frigate. I would not be shocked if Israel decides to go with German Navy F-125 Frigate design or the MEKO A200 that they are currently building for Algeria. https://www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com/en/blohmvoss-class-meko(R)-a100-corvette.html
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