Austal's LCS 4 completes IOT&E

The Gulf Coast-built Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) has demonstrated it can defend itself against anti-ship missiles in a recently completed initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) event, the Navy said. The Independence-class LCS scored a “mission kill” against an unmanned aerial vehicle target using a Raytheon SeaRAM anti-ship missile defense system test offshore of Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif. While at sea, LCS 4 also received 12 satisfactory tracking events. The tests demonstrate “the core anti-air warfare capabilities of the ship against an anti-ship cruise missile,” according to the Navy. SeaRAM combines the Close-in Weapon System radars and fire control system with the Rolling Airframe Missile to provide a capable, reduced-manning defense against anti-ship cruise missiles and aircraft, the Navy statement explained. (Source: US Naval Institute News 06/14/16) Austal USA shipbuilding of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence Class (even-number hulls) of LCS.