The Israeli Navy has dropped plans to buy the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS).

It says it will instead consider Germany’s Blohm + Voss MEKO A-100 corvette family, which has a high amount of Israeli technology on board.

Israel undertook a detailed critical inspection with Lockheed Martin on the suitability of the LCS before making its decision.

The rising costs of the LCS forced the navy to look at other options, according to defence website janes.com.

The LCS platform, combined with Israeli combat systems, could cost more than $600m a vessel, according to the Israeli Navy’s evaluation.