LCS shows off SeaRAM skills

A US Navy littoral combat ship (LCS) has fired a Rolling Airframe Missile from a SeaRAM anti-ship defence system for the first time, Raytheon has announced.

The firing took place from Independence variant LCS USS Coronado (LCS 4) in mid-August during a live-fire exercise at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division sea range off the coast of California.  

According to Raytheon – manufacturer of both the missile and the launcher - during the test, the SeaRAM detected, tracked and engaged an inbound threat target, and fired a RAM Block 1A that successfully intercepted the target.

Rick Nelson, vice president of Naval Area and Mission Defense product line at Raytheon Missile Systems, said: ‘This test success marks a major milestone toward full operation and employment of the SeaRAM system on US Navy ships.

‘SeaRAM demonstrated that it is a vital weapon for defending navies against anti-ship cruise missiles, and provides warfighters with a capability found nowhere else.’

The exercise also was designed to provide information to reduce risk in future combat and certification exercises for the LCS.