Key Points and Summary: The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), once criticized for being thinly armored and under-armed, has demonstrated its niche value in specific maritime operations.
-Originally designed for shallow-water missions like counter-mine warfare, small-boat defense, and coastal surveillance, the LCS has adapted to modern demands with enhanced over-the-horizon missiles, drone capabilities, and new lethality upgrades.
-Recent successes include a deployment in the Middle East, where the USS Indianapolis supported regional stability and ensured the free flow of commerce.
-While overshadowed by the more robust Constellation-class Frigates, ongoing updates highlight the LCS’s role in specialized, lower-tier missions within the Navy’s broader strategy.
Littoral Combat Ships: A Misunderstood Asset in Modern Naval Warfare
The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship may indeed be one of the most criticized vessels of all time as it has been derided in the last decade, modified to a large extent, and essentially “replaced” to a certain degree by more heavily armed Constellation-class Frigates.
How so?
The Navy first intended to build a 52-ship fleet of LCS vessels more than 10 years ago. Yet, widespread criticism about its inability to survive open, blue-water near-peer maritime warfare led former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to reduce the size of the Navy’s LCS fleet massively.
The principal concern, among many things, was that the Concepts of Operation were first established during years of ongoing counterinsurgency and counterterrorism, where there was a clear need for a ship like the LCS.
Littoral Combat Ship. Image: U.S. Navy Infographic.
The contention was that the ship was too thinly skinned and poorly armed to operate in any significant maritime warfare environment. Like, say, in a war with Russia or China.
However, in an environment not contested by great power Navies, the LCS can conduct coastal surveillance, small-boat defense, and even some land attacks.
At one point years ago, the US Navy experimented successfully with the LCS’ ability to track and destroy swarming small boats using deck-mounted guns.
Useless Littoral Combat Ship?
Therefore, is the ship useless?
Clearly not, as its combat performance has, to a certain degree, aligned with the service’s initial vision for the ship.
As a shallow-water counter-mine, surface warfare submarine hunting coastal vessel, the LCS has been able to conduct combat missions in areas inaccessible to deeper draft ships.
Also, as part of its added value, the LCS can add significant value to maritime combat operations without itself attacking or being fired upon.
LCS Middle-East Deployment
This dynamic was recently identified in an interesting US Navy essay about the homecoming of the USS Indianapolis, a Freedom-class variant of the LCS recently deployed in the Middle East.
The service essay explained how the LCS proved critical in stopping Houthi attacks by performing combat-critical diplomatic, logistical, communications, and navigational functions.
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KEY WEST, Fla. (March 31, 2010) The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) is pier side during a port visit to Key West, Fla. Independence is enroute to Norfolk, Va., for commencement of initial testing and evaluation of the aluminum vessel before transiting to its homeport in San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Zachary Harrell/Released)
“As the workhorse of the Arabian Gulf, Indy executed the lower tier missions necessary to maintaining good diplomatic relations in the Middle East which allowed Standard Missile shooters to reposition to deal with bad actors in the Red Sea. I think it’s pretty special that we were able to provide the 5th Fleet commander with more tools and options to aid in the free flow of commerce through a contested waterway,” Cmdr. Matthew Arndt, USS Indianapolis’ Commanding Officer, said in the Navy essay.
LCS Advocates Defend Ship
Proponents of the LCS have long maintained that the ship’s 40-knot speed is survivability-enhancing and that its interchangeable “mission packages” of various integrated suites add substantial mission-specific value.
For many years, weapons and technologies have been adapted and upgraded to strengthen their anti-submarine, surface-warfare, and countermine mission capacities.
Specifically, more recent LCS ships are armed with longer-range over-the-horizon missiles, an increased ability to operate drones, and reinforced weapons systems.
PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 6, 2020) The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) transits the eastern Pacific Ocean, Oct. 6, 2020. Gabrielle Giffords is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force South’s mission, which includes counter illicit drug trafficking in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
This recent deployment, wherein the LCS demonstrated operational value, may impact the overall equation regarding Navy plans for the fleet.
“This deployment clearly marks a significant chapter in the ship’s history and serves as proof the LCS class is capable of fulfilling operational and strategic goals across all theaters of operations. This validated the littoral combat ship concept both operationally and through administrative successes,” Cmdr. William Green, USS Indianapolis’ Executive Officer, said in a Navy essay.
This current assessment of the LCS was recently validated by US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, who explained that the ship is now receiving a new generation of lethality upgrades, including weapons and new missile launchers capable of launching primary warship weapons such as the SM-6.
About the Author:
Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
