The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $150 million sale of the guided-missile frigate to Bahrain, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Wednesday.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on October 22, 2019.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement that Bahrain looks to receive the guided-missile frigate, ex Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49), spares, support, training, publications, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
“The proposed sale will refurbish and support the grant transfer of the Oliver Hazard Perry Class ship, ex Robert G. Bradley (FFG 49), which was authorized for transfer under Public Law 115-232, Section 1020,” said DSCA. “Bahrain already operates another Oliver Hazard Perry Class ship. Bahrain will have no difficulty absorbing these defense articles and services into its armed forces.”
The Oliver Hazard Perry class is a class of guided missile frigates named after the U.S. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the naval Battle of Lake Erie. Also known as the Perry or FFG-7 (commonly “fig seven”) class, the warships were designed in the United States in the mid-1970s as general-purpose escort vessels.
Intended to protect amphibious landing forces, supply and replenishment groups, and merchant convoys from aircraft and submarines, they were also later part of battleship-centred surface action groups and aircraft carrier battle groups/strike groups.
Fifty-five ships were built in the United States: 51 for the United States Navy and four for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). In addition, eight were built in Taiwan, six in Spain, and two in Australia for their navies. Former U.S. Navy warships of this class have been sold or donated to the navies of Bahrain, Egypt, Poland, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Turkey.