MCM mission package trials pave way for developmental testing

Initial shipboard testing of the US Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mine Countermeasures Mission Package (MCM MP) has been completed on board USS Independence (LCS 2), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) said on 16 December.

Equipment mission modules and systems were brought into the aft mission bay, installed, tested and then returned to storage to prove the validity of the MP concept; this involves the swapping of role-specific equipment into and out of a ship as required for assigned taskings.

The shipboard tests included the reconfiguration of an embarked MH-60S Seahawk helicopter for the mine warfare role through the addition of airborne MCM systems, built-in testing and tow-cable maintenance. "Combat system connectivity and launch and recovery antenna communication link performance, in and out of the mission bay, were also demonstrated," NAVSEA said.