The US Navy’s second Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS), Coronado (LCS 4), has successfully fired its weapon system Mk110 57mm gun for the first time, as part of sea frame developmental testing.
During the exercise, the Mk110 57mm gun successfully hit a high-speed manoeuvring surface target.
The test was mainly for measuring the accuracy of the vessel’s core weapon system against a fast attack craft.
It also forms part of a series of post-delivery test and trial events resulting in a complete Technical Evaluation and Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation of the surface warfare mission package and sea frame next year.
Coronado commanding officer commander Peter Kim said: "The Independence variant has the ability to enter and win the fight.
"Our CSSQT performance demonstrates the ship can enter a contested area at high-speed, defend herself against missile and surface threats, and execute missions with the embarked mission package plus an enormous array of force options that can be rapidly employed by a fleet commander on short notice."
Commissioned this April, Coronado completed final contract trials in June, which involved assessment of the ship and its major systems.
The LCS class comprises the Freedom and Independence variants, with the Freedom variant team led by Lockheed Martin for the odd-numbered hulls, while General Dynamics, Bath Iron Works and Austal responsible for the construction of the Independence variant.
Construction on 12 vessels, procured under the innovative block-buy acquisition strategy, is currently underway.
The modular, reconfigurable vessels are mainly designed to thwart threats in coastal waters where increasingly capable submarines, mines and swarming small craft operate.
Image: USS Coronado during its sea trials. Photo: courtesy of US Navy.
