"U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ships To Be Armed With ..." Topic

…Hellfire Missiles

"Should enemy helicopters, surveillance planes or armed drones be maneuvering to attack while circling above a U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship at seemingly unreachable ranges for the ship's deck-mounted guns, commanders might be challenged to identify the best, fastest and most effective method to counterattack.

Now, enter the LCS deck-fired Hellfire Missile, long in development and successfully tested for the ship, which can target and "take out" air threats at ranges up to several km above or parallel to the ocean surface.

The Hellfire, armed with a wide range of "energetics" or explosive materials, can hit otherwise tough-to-counter enemy air attacks…"

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Amicalement
Armand

Really?

They need some serious range and punch, so they can stay out of harm's way.

Hellfire's don't REALLY fit that bill.

They'd better have a fast rate of fire & carry hundreds of them…

A very expensive ship which has little combat capability and a propensity to suffer major engineering failures. The first four are already being decommissioned even though we continue to build more.

That would make them almost as capable as 1980s helos, so a step up for them.

Never understood the concept for the LCS. Why not deploy a more capable DDG 10 miles further out. Another overly expensive concept/new techno that went nowhere rapidly.

Hellfires were developed for air-to-ground and have been tested for ground-to-ground. I can't imagine why the Navy would try adapt them to surface-to-air when they have so many more capable systems specifically designed for SAM applications, like the Sea Sparrow or Stinger.

oh whoopi, such a lucky set of ship, soooo powerfully armed for their cost. should buy some brimstones as have got a lot longer range.

I can't imagine why the Navy would try adapt them to surface-to-air when they have so many more capable systems specifically designed for SAM applications, like the Sea Sparrow or Stinger.

Maybe because traditional SAM's have proven ineffective for shooting down drones. The article stated that a key consideration is that Hellfires can be guided by laser from friendly helos and drones. Plus, it can probably be used against other surface targets unlike dedicated anti-air missiles.

I'm curious how well drones are detected? If they get to a certain range will someone be able to target them to engage or will it be too late? I haven't been reading up on drones but aside from the "small plane" ones are the smaller drones dropping munitions or shooting some kind of rocket/missile? If bombs near/above a target I wonder if some "uber shotgun" with flechettes would be more effective.

If the LCSs were expendable like originally though about it wouldn't be so bad but typically they're everything to everyone so losses would be bad.

I'm curious how well drones are detected? If they get to a certain range will someone be able to target them to engage or will it be too late?

Drones are slow and can loiter, so traditional air defense systems designed to detect and engage traditional aircraft and missiles have struggled against them during recent wars in Nagorno-Karabakh and Syria. Even dedicated counter-drone systems like Pantsir, Buk and Repellent have shown to be ineffective. Maybe recent lessons will change that as military R&D is directed more towards this new threat.

Good point!.

Amicalement
Armand

Navy Unveils Surprise Plan For Littoral Combat Ships

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Armand