NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.–The Navy is now likely to employ the Army’s Longbow Hellfire missile for the Littoral Combat Ship’s surface warfare mission module after determining it provides greater capability than the previously planned Griffin missile, a senior officer said Wednesday.
Rear. Adm. John Ailes, the program manager for the LCS mission modules, said at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space exposition the Navy can acquire the Longbows from the Army’s stock of about 10,000 with “no cost risk at all.”
The Longbow system can be vertically launched, fire multiple missiles at different targets, and is guided with an onboard seeker and radar tracking rather than having to use a laser to mark the target, as is the case with Griffin, Ailes said.
“You can shoot lots of them (Longbows) at the same time rather than having to do that thing where you keep the laser on it,” Ailes said.
Ailes said the Army demonstrated the Longbow for the Navy last year and it was clearly the best choice going forward. During the demonstration, the Longbow took out three boats–two in close range, Ailes said. A final decision was still pending, Ailes said, but it was his “strong recommendation” to choose the Longbow over the Griffin.
“We’re headed that way,” Ailes said, adding the Navy would begin ship board testing of the Longbow next year.
The Navy began experimenting with the Griffin about three years ago for the LCS surface module and was working to overcome some challenges with the system. The missile is being deployed to counter the threat posed by small, fast-attack boats.
At about five miles, the Longbow offers the same range as the Griffin. However, the Navy wants to eventually have a much better range for the LCS surface warfare module. Ailes said a competition for a follow-on missile could be held in 2019 or sooner to get a missile with greater range.
“I’d like to be able to reach farther,” Ailes said.
The LCS program originally envisioned fielding the Non Line of Sights (NLOS) system that was being developed by the Army, but those plans fell through when the program was canceled in 2010, prompting the Navy to pursue the Griffin.
Lockheed Martin [LMT] is the manufacturer of the Longbow Hellfire, while Raytheon [RTN] produces the Griffin.