US State Dept approves potential warship sale to Greece, Pentagon says

The US State Department has approved the potential sale of four Multi-Mission Surface Combatant ships for $6.9 billion to Greece alongside $2.5 billion worth of upgrades to Greece’s existing Meko Class ships, the Pentagon said on Friday.

The deal follows a September agreement where Greece said it would buy French frigates worth about 3 billion euros ($3.51 billion).

The proposed sale would include four Multi-Mission Surface Combatant Ships, similar to the 370-plus-foot-long Littoral Combat Ships used by the US Navy, and associated missiles, sonars, weapons, spares and technical support, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon said Lockheed Martin was the prime contractor for the ships.

The State Department also approved a potential sale of $2.5 billion worth of upgrades and modernization to four vessels in Greece’s existing fleet of Meko Class frigates, the Pentagon said. The potential package includes Phalanx missile upgrade kits to protect against cruise missiles, MK 49 Guided Missile Launcher Systems, new sonars and support.

Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed and BAE Systems are the prime contractors for that sale, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale on Friday.

Despite approval by the State Department, the notification does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded.

Greece contributes to NATO operations in Kosovo, supports NATO’s southern flank, as well as counterterrorism and counter-piracy maritime efforts in the Mediterranean. [Reuters]