The U.S. Navy rapidly added new C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aerial System) capabilities to the Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships in the form of Longbow Hellfire missiles.
The U.S. Navy has introduced a novel C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aerial System) capability to at least two of its Freedom-class LCS (Littoral Combat Ships), with USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS-21) receiving the upgrade in November 2024 and USS Indianapolis (LCS-17) fielding it while forward deployed with the 5th Fleet in Bahrain between March and November 2024. USS Indianapolis was the first to receive the upgrade, with official photos mentioning the work was done in September.
The upgrade involves the Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM), a 24-rounds vertical launcher system already fielded on LCS vessels, modifying the software and the hardware to allow the employment of the AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missile as a C-UAS system, increasing the ability of the Freedom-class to engage enemy drones. The SSMM was originally intended to carry Longbow Hellfire missiles as a short-range defense against surface threats, in particular swarm attacks from smaller boats, with the LCS complementing it with longer-range missiles like Harpoon and the newer Norwegian-made Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the Hellfire missile, has also displayed another of its missiles, the AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), on an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer model, apparently again in a C-UAS role. It is unclear if the weapon will be integrated on naval vessels in a similar capability.
The SSMM Counter UAS upgrade
The new C-UAS capabilities come amid an increased worldwide drone threat, with the U.S. Navy (and other allied navies) having to face drone and missile attacks from the Houthis, Yemen’s Iranian proxy militia. The new C-UAS system has already been deployed operationally, but Longbow Hellfires downed no drones so far, as they were intercepted by other assets before reaching the inner layer of defense around USS Indianapolis, according to Capt. Matthew Lehmann, program manager of the LCS Mission Modules (PMS 420) program office.
“Recent events in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AoR) underscore the importance of equipping our warships with up-to-date C-UAS systems to keep emerging threats at bay,” said Capt. Lehmann. “By leveraging the adaptability of proven technologies in partnership with the Integrated Warfare Systems 80 program office, we were able to deliver on a critical need to the Fleet. This accomplishment showcases the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Littoral Combat Ship Mission Module Program.”
The Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) is one of the four modules which are part of the Surface Warfare (SUW) Mission Package (MP) installed on the LCS vessels. The baseline SUW MP includes the Gun Mission Module (GMM) with two MK 46 30 mm guns and one MK 110 57 mm gun, the SSMM with 24 AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles, the Aviation Module with an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and one MQ-8B Fire Scout autonomous helicopter, and the Maritime Security Module (MSM) with two 11m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs).
The SUW MP is designed to provide fleet protection from small boats and other asymmetrical threats, operational security in interdiction missions against terrorist suspects and high seas pirates, and defense against shore attacks while operating in the littorals. Further extending these capabilities, the SSMM has since demonstrated its ability to counter a variety of threats other than small boats, with a land attack demonstration in 2022 and now C-UAS.
“This rapid integration of C-UAS capabilities enhances our ability to project power and maintain freedom of maneuver in contested environments,” said Rear. Adm. Kevin Smith, Program Executive Officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants. “By equipping LCS with advanced, flexible systems like the SSMM, we are not only addressing immediate threats but also strengthening the Navy’s overall strategy for operational agility, deterrence and sustained dominance in littoral regions.”
The Hellfire-based C-UAS defense is also expected to be fielded on more LCS hulls, but it’s not clear at the moment which ships have been slated to receive it. Another upgrade being tested is the Mk.70 Payload Delivery System, a containerized four cell Mk.41 vertical launch system which has already been spotted on the flight decks of the Freedom-class USS Nantucket (LCS-27) and the Independence-class LCS USS Savannah (LCS 28).
The AGM-114 Hellfire
The Hellfire missile that is the fulcrum of the new LCS C-UAS system started life in 1974 as an air-launched anti-tank missile, entering service in 1984 at the height of the Cold War. Earlier versions were only laser-guided and designed to be employed prevalently by helicopters like the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
The upgraded Hellfire II variant entered U.S. service in 1996 and, since then, has been widely used on many platforms, but achieved fame particularly as the weapon of choice for drones like the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper during the years of the War on Terror. American drones and Hellfire missiles were famously involved in the strike that stopped the fleeing convoy of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, in the strike in Baghdad that targeted the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and in the elimination of al Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
The Hellfire II also has a radar-guided variant, the Longbow Hellfire, equipped with a millimeter-wave active radar, making it a fire-and-forget weapon with even a lock-on after launch capability. This variant is now also used in the C-UAS role. The Longbow radar is famously mounted on the top of the rotor of the newer Apache versions, allowing the helicopter to engage enemy targets while behind cover and only exposing the radar on top.
A peculiar Hellfire version is the R-9X variant, sporting a kinetic warhead with six pop-out blades that replace explosives and reduce collateral damage. The R-9X Hellfire, popularly known as “Ninja Missile” and “Flying Ginsu”, was the type used to target Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan.
The AGM-114 Hellfire, which weighs 104 pounds (47 kg, with 20 pounds or 9kg being the warhead) and has a range of between 7 and 11 km, has already been used in an anti-aircraft role. The first air-to-air operational use was on May 24, 2001, when an Israeli Apache engaged a Cessna 152 intruding from Lebanon. Israel in February 2018 again successfully engaged an aerial target, this time an Iranian-made drone, that entered its airspace from Syria.
Land-based anti-air use is being conducted with the Stryker IM-SHORAD (Initial Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense) “Sergeant Stout”, whose weapons package has been developed by Italian-based Leonardo. Longbow Hellfires have also been tested by the U.S. Army in the 15-tube Multi-Mission Launcher installed on a Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) truck for use in both the anti-surface and anti-air roles.
