Can a New Missile Redeem the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship?

Warrior Video Above: USS Zumwalt Commander Capt. Carlson Describes Riding the Stealthy Ship in Stormy Seas

By David Axe,The National Interest

The U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship USS Gabrielle Giffordsfired an anti-ship missile at a target vessel during an Oct. 1, 2019 exercise off the coast of Guam.

The missile-shot signals an important, if greatly delayed, expansion of the LCS’s weapons capability. The two-variant class for years has come under fire for being lightly-built and under-armed for major warfare.

Gabrielle Giffords, a triple-hull Independence-variant of the LCS, launched a Naval Strike Missile at the ex-USS Ford, a decommissioned frigate, as part of a joint sink exercise, or SINKEX, that also involved the Republic of Singapore Navy.

The Naval Strike Missile is a new addition to the LCS. The 13-feet-long, sea-skimming missile weighs 900 pounds and can strike targets as far as 100 miles away, making it by far the LCS’s most powerful weapon.

An LCS can be fitted with two quad launchers for the Norwegian-designed missile. Giffords is the first of the 3,000-ton-displacement ships to carry the weapon, although it could become standard on the class.