A recent compatibility test was conducted by the US Navy, trialing the Patriot PAC-3 MSE anti-aircraft and missile defense system onboard the USS Montgomery, the LCS-8 of the Independence class.
The Lockheed Martin-manufactured M903 launcher of the Patriot PAC-3 MSE system was placed on the broad flight deck of the USS Montgomery.
The tests were carried out to verify the possibility of increasing the LCS’s anti-aircraft and missile defense capabilities when needed.
Compatibility tests of the Mk 70 System
These tests come after the ones already conducted on the USS Nantucket, the LCS 27 of the Freedom class, where an Mk 70 system, the containerized version of the VLS Mk 41 capable of launching Standard SM-3, SM-6, and BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, was hoisted onto the flight deck.
The compatibility tests of the PAC-3 MSE arise from the US Navy’s need to increase the firepower of the LCS deployed in Asia, in anticipation of possible large-scale naval aerial clashes.
This approach is not novel; for example, the Egyptian Navy uses AN/TWQ-1 Avenger systems on board LHD Sadat and Nasser (French-built Mistrals initially for Russia but not delivered) from their flight deck to ensure close range anti-aircraft defense.
Similarly, during the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, the Russian Navy has deployed Pantsir S1 systems from the army on corvettes to enhance anti-aircraft defense, in a C-UAS function.
Patriot PAC-3 MSE for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
For its part, the US Navy, collaborating with Lockheed Martin, has successfully tested and integrated the Patriot PAC-3 MSE with the AEGIS combat system and the VLS Mk 41 onboard the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, planning to move to production and pre-operational deployment of the missile starting from next year.
The US Navy’s adoption of the PAC-3 MSE arises as the system has proven to be highly reliable, is in large-scale production for the US Army, allies, and FMS customers with acceptable costs, and integrates with the high-cost SM-3 and SM-6 as an anti-missile weapon.
The US Navy’s decision aligns with the US Army’s strategy to purchase SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles for use in the Pacific, but also in Northern Europe, for coastal defense tasks with the Mid-Range Capability Launcher systems, dubbed Typhon.
Source and photo credit: Lockheed Martin
