The Independence-class LCS USS Santa Barbara ( LCS 32) accomplished a very first last month, coming to be the initial ship to finish mine war training turning points with unmanned surface area vessels, a vital progression in the Mine Countermeasures (MCM) goal component, on time for its initial release in 2025.
Components of the MCM goal bundle accomplished First Functional Capacity (IOC) on March 31, 2023 after a substantial collection of credentials examinations aboard USS Cincinnati (LCS 20). The initial functional and total MCM goal bundlewas brought aboard USS Canberra (LCS 30) in April 2024 The initiative throughout 2024 ended with the credentials examinations of the goal bundle being done by the staff of Santa Barbara
” The USA has the opportunity, and I would certainly claim the difficulty, of being the initial ones out of eviction and placing it right into movie theater. I’m not claiming we obtained it right, I’m claiming we’re initially out of eviction.”
Captain Scott B. Hattaway, Supervisor, SMWDC Mine Countermeasures Technical Department
Santa Barbara is the 3rd Independence-class LCS to be fitted with the MCM goal component. USS Canberra (LCS 30) and USS Tulsa (LCS 16) were initial and 2nd specifically. No Freedom-class Coastal Battle Ships will certainly be fitted with the MCM bundle, leaving the whole united state MCM capacity within the united state Pacific Fleet.
The lethality turning points accomplished by the staff of Santa Barbara note a significant progression in the release of the MCM goal component, leading the way for its initial release to the Center East.
The initial Coastal Battle Ships outfitted with the MCM goal component will certainly release to the Center East in 2025 and 2026 Captain Hattaway informed at the Naval Leaders’ Mixed Naval Occasion 24 (CNE 24) meeting in the UK in May 2024. He included that the following 4 ships outfitted with the goal component will certainly be ahead released to the 7th Fleet Location of Obligation.
If implementations show effective, the united state Navy will certainly start the procedure of unloading heritage Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships and MH-53E Sea Dragon Airborne Mine Countermeasure Goal (AMCM) helicopters in 2025.
What composes the LCS MCM goal component?
At the core of the LCS mine war goal is the Independence-class LCS itself, which can give self-defense capacity to mine countermeasure possessions in the location. This consists of projectile protection supplied by the 11-cell Raytheon SeaRAM launcher and basic defenses versus surface area, air, and land targets with the BAE Equipments Mark 110 57mm weapon.
Begun for the MCM goal is a MH-60S Seahawk mine war helicopter outfitted with the AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) which stands out at finding moored mines in shallower water. The MH-60S likewise provides the AN/ASQ-235 Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS), using a much safer technique to counter-mine possible hazards contrasted to standard mechanical minesweeping with EOD scuba divers.
The unmanned section of the MCM goal component prevail Unmanned Surface Area Vessels (CUSVs) developed by Textron Systems, likewise called the Fleet-class of USVs. These CUSVs can lug the AN/AQS -20 C, a forward-look and side-scan finder efficient in finding sea mines, or the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) which includes acoustic and impact move capacity to the CUSVs released by LCS motherships.
The elements of the LCS MCM goal component were not initially created to be packed right into the 30,000 square feet of goal bay area and drawbacks have actually been experienced in stabilizing the area in between 11 meter CUSVs, 4 or 5 12-foot CONEX boxes, a lift system for the CUSVs, and an independent berthing box for the drivers of the MCM collection.
As a result of these area restrictions, modularity of this system is no more used or being sought by the united state Navy to change in between goal components, a dogleg from the initial preparation of the LCS.
Present restrictions of the LCS Mine Countermeasures goal bundle
According to Captain Scott B. Hattaway, Supervisor of the SMWDC Mine Countermeasures Technical Department, the 11 meter CUSV is presently restricted by type aspect, restricting the endurance of the system and the weight of the cable television for towed finder deepness. The existing type aspect of the CUSV is restricting the optimum efficiency that can be drawn out from the AN/AQS -20 C finder collection.
One more restricting aspect, according to Captain Hattaway, is the variety used by the CUSV. Line of vision in between the LCS mothership and the CUSV is needed. In hefty sea states, performance is restricted. Data transfer is strained by the quantity of details that requires to be shared backward and forward to the driver and the sensing unit collections. The united state Navy is working with techniques to prolong the series of released CUSVs, consisting of making use of Starshield, the united state armed force’s arm of the Starlink satellite net system.
” We’re considering having a UAV with a towed antenna, increasing the altitude to numerous feet airborne that will certainly permit us to raise the series of USVs, in addition to having Starlink as a back-up.”
Captain Scott B. Hattaway
The initial release to the Center East will certainly supplement ahead released Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships presently homeported in Bahrain. The release will certainly likewise enable the collection of real-world information and comments from seafarers to improve the goal bundle and make required style modifications in advance of a bigger rollout to the LCS fleet.
The message Update on the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship Mine Countermeasures Mission Package showed up initially on Naval News.
发布者：Carter Johnston，转转请注明出处：https://robotalks.cn/update-on-the-u-s-navys-littoral-combat-ship-mine-countermeasures-mission-package/
