Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Surface Warfare
In all mission configurations the LCS shall have core systems that provide the capability to conduct multi-sensor search, detection, classification, localization and tracking of surface contacts in its assigned area ofresponsibility. The LCS will also have the core capability to protect itself against small boat attacks, including the use of speed and maneuverability, and have the core capability to conduct warning and disabling fire. When equipped with the appropriate Mission Package, the LCS will have the capability to engage surface threats, particularly small fast boats, to minimize threats to friendly units. The Mission Package will enable LCS to:
- Conduct integrated surface surveillance using onboard and offboard sensors.
- Discriminate and identify friendly and neutral surface vessels from surface threats in high-density shipping environments.
- Conduct coordinated SUW mission planning, contribute to and receive the Common Tactical Picture, and initiate engagement of surface threats. Maintain and share situational awareness and tactical control in a coordinated SUW environment. When operating in company with other SUW assets, such as fixed-wing/rotarywing attack aircraft and maritime patrol aircraft, the LCS must be capable of planning and coordinating the SUW mission.
- Engage surface threats independently, as part of a LCS group, and in coordination with other friendly forces. This includes threats in the line-of-sight and over-thehorizon. In addition to hard kill capabilities, the LCS will use agility and speed, signature management and soft kill measures to disrupt the threat's detect-to-engage sequence and conduct offensive operations against surface threats.
- Deploy, control, and recover off-board systems, and process data from off-board systems.
- Employ, reconfigure, and support MH-60 series helicopters and smaller rotary wing aircraft for SUW operations.
- Conduct SUW Battle Damage Assessment after engagements against surface threats.
The Navy is moving forward with development of the Surface Warfare (SUW) Mission Package -- a self-contained set of remote sensors and precision attack weapons designed to combat small, fast boat terrorist threats to the fleet. The SUW package is one of three "plug and fight" packages being built for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), an advanced seaframe that uses modularity and open architecture concepts to provide the Navy with a fast, affordable, and rapidly reconfigurable ship tailored for operations in littoral waters.
When integrated into the LCS, the SUW package augments the ship's capability to conduct surface surveillance using off-board sensors, and to engage surface threats both in the line of sight and over the horizon. The other two packages under simultaneous development for the LCS are the mine countermeasures and antisubmarine warfare packages.
The Program Executive Officer Littoral and Mine Warfare's LCS Mission Modules Program Office manages the development and acquisition of LCS mission packages. The Navy's surface warfare package will enable the LCS to protect high-value naval assets and friendly surface vessels, both military and non-military, while conducting maritime security operations in high-density shipping environments.
The SUW mission package contains several sensor, weapon, and software components packaged in a modular fashion that easily and quickly swaps in and out of the LCS. These components include electro-optical/infrared sensors mounted on a vertical take off unmanned air vehicle to provide over-the-horizon detection; 30mm guns to kill close-in targets; four non-line-of-sight launching system (NLOS-LS) container launch units or "missile-in-a-box" systems, with each system containing 15 offensive missiles; and the MH-60R armed helicopter for surveillance and attack missions.
The SUW mission package has software that interfaces with the LCS command and control system to maintain and share situational awareness and tactical control in a coordinated SUW environment. The software supports SUW mission planning, receives and processes the common tactical picture, runs surveillance operations and, if required, initiates offensive actions against surface threats.
The prime contractor for NLOS-LS is Netfires LLC, a joint venture between Raytheon Missile Systems and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. The NLOS-LS is part of the U.S. Army's Future Combat System, managed by the Program Executive Officer Missiles and Space. The first two SUW mission packages assembled for developmental and operational testing use the Mark 46 30mm gun made by General Dynamics Amphibious Systems. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren division is the technical direction agent for the SUW mission package, with NSWC Port Hueneme division providing integrated logistics and testing support.
The Navy accepted delivery of one partially capable SUW mission package in July 2008. This package included two engineering development models for the 30 mm gun, but did not include the Non-Line-of- Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS) launcher or missiles. Integration of the gun with LCS 1 was completed in January 2009. The gun module design appears stable with 100 percent of its drawings released to manufacturing. According to program officials, NLOS-LS was tested in August 2009, but was unable to fire due to a malfunctioning sensor and battery connector. The program expected delivery of the second SUW mission package in March 2010. It will include the 30 mm gun module and the NLOS-LS launcher, but no missiles.
After completing a review of its precision fires portfolio, in late April 2010 the Army recommended the Defense Department cancel the Non-Line of Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS) program. After poor test results the Army had to decide whether to pay for additional tests and fixes and accept schedule delays, or cancel the program. The NLOS-LS Precision Attack Missile failed to hit its target four out of six times during a flight-limited user test at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., between January 26 and February 5, 2010. The Army determined that fixing the system's problems would delay the program more than a year and keep it from being included in the first brigade set of Increment 1 equipment of the Brigade Combat Team-Modernization program.
Because NLOS-LS is an acquisition category 1 program, the Pentagon's acquisition chief would have the final say. Originally part of the Army's Future Combat Systems program, NLOS-LS was also intended for the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship. On 15 May 2010 the Army formally canceled the Non-Line of Sight-Launch System, a billion-dollar missile program under development by Tucson, Arizona-based Raytheon Missile Systems and Lockheed Martin. The Navy was still evaluating its options for the system, which it had been considering for use aboard the LCS coastal combat vessels.
