• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Lebanese Navy - Modernization

During the summer 2006 war, Israeli attacks had destroyed Lebanon's coastal radar system. Germany took on reconstruction of this network, furnishing equipment of U.S. technology with Siemens software. The radar system will meet international standards, and be able to communicate information to a central operations room. The new radar system should be up and running by late June 2007. Lebanon's mountainous terrain presents special challenges for coastal radar.

The year 2007 witnessed the establishment of a modern radar network along the Lebanese coast. The network was donated from the Federal Republic of Germany. Accordingly, the number of radar stations increased and started covering all the Lebanese territorial waters. The year 2011 saw the establishment of the alarm and surveillance battalion which is stationed in Beirut naval base. All radar stations spread along the Lebanese coast are affiliated to this battalion.

By 2007, Lebanese coastal patrol boats could not even leave their ports during the winter because the Mediterranean swells would swamp these short-length vessels. In response, the Germans sent two 35-meter used coastal boats, the Bremen II and the Bremen IX. They had a top speed of about 27 knots. The Lebanese crews for these boats were trained in Germany, with the boats operational in May 2007. The United Arab Emirates had given the Lebanese ten small fast boats for coastal patrol.

Lebanon formmallhy toook delivery of its largest patrol boat, the 43 meters coastal security craft Trablous, in December 2012. On 15 January 2011 Maritime Security Strategies, LLC, Tampa, Fla., was awarded a $29,020,000 firm-fixed price contract to construct a 42-meter coastal security craft and provide associated equipment, material, training and technical services. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to the Government of Lebanon. Work was performed in Tampa, Fla., and was completed by January 2012. Contract funds did not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-11-C-2241). Work on the project had commenced as early sa 2009, with hull construction well underday by May 2011. The contractor team included RiverHawk Fast Sear Frames [RHFSF] of Tampa, naval architects Donald L Bound, and propulsion System provider MTU.

On February 19, 2015, the Saudi Press Agency quoted a Saudi official that Saudi Arabia had halted a $3 billion program to supply Lebanon with its military needs. The Saudi Press Agency announced that the Kingdom has suspended the aid intended for the Lebanese army to purchase French weapons, worth three billion US dollars, due to the "Lebanese opposition" to the Kingdom in its crisis with Iran. The source said, "The Kingdom has stopped its aid to arm the Lebanese army and the Lebanese internal security force, due to the Lebanese stances that are inconsistent with the brotherly relations between the two countries."

The source said, "The Kingdom stood by Lebanon in all the difficult stages it went through and supported it without differentiating between its sects and groups," and "the last of that was what it announced of its support for the Lebanese army and the internal security forces, in order to achieve what achieves the security and stability of brotherly Lebanon and preserves its sovereignty." .

The Lebanese Navy did not have any operational naval vessels capable of maneuvering in difficult weather conditions, in addition to the difficulties of accomplishing search and rescue missions, maritime safety, protection of the marine environment, maritime law enforcement and control of illegal immigration to Europe . Also, the Lebanese government intends to provide protection for future natural gas facilities, law enforcement and state authority in Lebanese territorial waters. Therefore, Lebanon relies on US military aid, which would arm it with multi-tasking naval vessels equipped with wide-ranging capabilities.

As of June 2021 the Lebanese Navy expected to receive seven offshore patrol vessels, including four from France and three Otago-class vessels that are part of US military aid. “Currently, there is coordination with French shipbuilders to supply Lebanon with four OPV frigates, of 65- and 75-[meters] length each,” Navy Commander Senior Capt. Haissam Dannaoui, told Defense News. “In regard to the specifications and cost of these vessels, we are still negotiating them, and we hope to reach an agreement soon,” Dannaoui responded 03 June 2021 to Defense News questions. In May 2021 the U.S. Department of Defense notified Lebanon of the planned transfer of three Protector-class patrol boats to the Lebanese Navy, which, upon delivery in 2022, will enhance the Lebanese Navy’s ability to counter external and regional threats, and protect freedom of navigation and commerce in the maritime domain.