The Navy this week declared the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mine Countermeasures Mission Package (MCM MP) achieved initial operational capability (IOC).
The MCM MP consists of an integrated set of unmanned systems and sensors based on an unmanned vessel and a helicopter to counter mines in littoral waters in order to replace the aging Avenger-class MCM ships and MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters.
IOC was declared by the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities (OPNAV N9) Vice Adm. Scott Conn on May 1.
Specifically, MCM MP consists of an MCM Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) with various towed payloads like the Raytheon Technologies [RTX] AN/AQS-20 Sonar Mine Detection Sets to hunt, neutralize and sweep against mine threats. The Navy noted the AN/AQS-20 also achieved IOC at the time.
The AN/AQS-20 includes an Electro-Optic Identification sensor, Wideband Forward-Looking Sonar, two multi-function Side Look Synthetic Aperture Sonars, and Digital Gap Fill Sonar to detect, classify and localize targets.
The AN/AQS-20 includes sensors within an underwater body towed by the MCM USV, like the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) that achieved IOC in July 2022 (Defense Daily, July 29, 2022).
The UISS performs acoustic and magnetic minesweeping while towed behind an MCM USV as part of the mission package.
The mission package also includes the Sikorsky [LMT] MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter equipped with the Northrop Grumman [NOC] AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System and Raytheon Technologies AN/ASQ-235 Airborne Mine Neutralization Systems.
“The declaration of the MCM MP and AQS-20 IOC is a significant accomplishment for the LCS Mission Modules program and the future of mine countermeasures,” Capt. Godfrey Weekes, program manager of the LCS mission modules program office (PMS 420), said in a statement.
“This milestone enables the Navy to field modern MCM systems to the fleet, replacing aging platforms and sensors. The new equipment utilizes cutting-edge unmanned and autonomous technologies and keeps our Sailors out of harm’s way,” he continued.
The new MCM MP will allow the Navy to counter mines without approaching them on manned vessels, as currently occurs with the Avenger-class ships.
This mission package was originally meant to be deployed on both Independence and Freedom-variant LCS, but the Navy now plans to only deploy them on Independence-class ships or another vessel of opportunity (VOO).
The Navy previously tested MCM MP capabilities in a VOO configuration in 2019 aboard the expeditionary sea base USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams (T-ESB-4) (Defense Daily, Sept. 12, 2019).
Rear Adm. Casey Moton, program executive officer, unmanned and small combatants (PEO USC) said that reaching IOC for the whole mission package only came after “rigorous testing and evaluation of each component of the package and then integrating the systems and the mission to ensure the fleet is receiving the best MCM capabilities possible.”
The Navy said part of that was initial operational testing and evaluation of the full mission package that included the AN/AQS-20 system during a fall 2022 event aboard the USS Cincinnati (LCS-20).
Moton also said this IOC is a step in the Navy moving towards a hybrid manned-unmanned fleet.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Marcus Annibale, director of Expeditionary Warfare (OPNAV N95) and resource sponsor for mine warfare, called fielding the MCM MP on Independence-variant LCSs “one of the top priorities for OPNAV N95 in order to deliver the capability to the warfighters forward in the fleet. Mine countermeasures are a critical enabler for the joint force and in safeguarding sea-lanes for the global commons.”
Annibale also said this capability makes LCS a kind of ‘mothership’ that allows greater standoff from the vessel to accomplish the counter-mine mission.