The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) has a long history of existence. The Navy is desperate not to waste any potential swinging hull in an era when every ship matters for a sea control fight.
I initially had hopes for the modular LCS. Alas, the expensive mediocrities that slid into the water disappointed all who had similar hope.
Can the Navy make the LCS a Less Crappy Ship?
Today, the Littoral Combat Ship is equipped with the Naval Strike Missile, a long-range precision strike weapon. Eventually, many will receive the Mk 70 Payload Delivery System with vertical launch system technology[.]
Last year I noted the Mk 70 (quoting a Naval News article):
Although the system has been primarily tested with the SM-6s, it is compatible with every missile currently integrated into the MK.41 VLS, including the 1,200-mile (1,600 km) range Tomahawk Land Attack Missile and its variants.
Here's hoping the LCS is good enough for sea control work. And don't forget other uses for the Mk 70 PDS.
UPDATE: Is there a use for the already retired LCS?
UPDATE: Finally:
The Independence-class LCS USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) achieved a first last month, becoming the first ship to complete mine warfare training milestones with unmanned surface vessels, an important step forward in the Mine Countermeasures (MCM) mission module, on schedule for its maiden deployment in 2025.
Sadly, there's so much gear in this "module" that the LCS is no longer modular, capable of swapping out the MCM for anything else:
The components of the LCS MCM mission module were not originally designed to be loaded into the 30,000 square feet of mission bay space and shortcomings have been encountered in balancing the space between 11 meter CUSVs, four or five 12-foot CONEX boxes, a lift system for the CUSVs, and an independent berthing box for the operators of the MCM suite.
Due to these space constraints, modularity of this platform is no longer offered or being pursued by the U.S. Navy to switch between mission modules, a sharp turn from the original planning of the LCS.
Hey, I'm just happy there's any use at all for the ship class.
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NOTE: I made the image with Bing.
