PARIS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - France's Thales SA said on Tuesday it had won a 1.5 billion-euro ($1.78 billion) contract to build combat systems for four advanced MKS 180 frigates to be built for Germany under the control of Dutch shipbuilder Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding.

It is the third biggest contract in the defence electronics company's history, outpaced only by historic deals related to the French Rafale fighter and France's FREMM multi-mission frigate, Thales Chief Executive Patrice Caine told Reuters. ($1 = 0.8429 euros) (Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Jonathan Oatis)