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Littoral Combat Ship Can Now Rapidly Shoot Down Aerial Drones With Hellfire Missiles

Written by

Oleksandr Kaiukov

in

Introduction

In response to concerns about Houthi drone threats to American warships operating in and around the Red Sea, the U.S. Navy has carried out a crash program to enable Freedom class littoral combat ships (LCS) armed with radar-guided AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles to fire those weapons against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), or drones. This new counter-drone capability from the Freedom class LCSs first emerged at the Surface Navy Association’s main annual symposium earlier this week. The Navy responded to TWZ’s queries for more information sent on Jan. 15 by directing us to a press release put out the following day.

Rapid Development of Counter-Drone Capabilities

The USS Indianapolis is the first Freedom class LCS to get this counter-drone upgrade, which it received in the course of operations in the Middle East last fall. Indianapolis was deployed between March and November 2024, during which time it also operated in the Atlantic Ocean and around Europe. Indianapolis is also the first LCS from either the Freedom or Independence classes to receive a Combat Action Ribbon, which we will come back to later on.

In Fall 2024, the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship Mission Modules program office upgraded both the software and hardware of the Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) to enhance the ship’s defense posture while on deployment, according to a Navy release. This rapid deployment of C-UAS capability underscores the flexibility of SSMM in addressing a range of threats, including surface, land, and aerial challenges.

Versatility of the SSMM

The main element of the SSMMs are launchers that can be loaded with up to 24 AGM-114Ls at a time. Unlike many other Hellfire variants, the Longbow Hellfire features millimeter wave radar rather than laser guidance. On LCSs, the ship’s radar cues the missiles to their targets and the seekers on the missile lock on and destroy their assigned targets autonomously.

The SSMM reached initial operational capability on Freedom class LCSs in 2019. The same year, the Navy began testing the module on Independence class LCSs. The main purpose of the SSMM initially was to give Freedom or Independence-class LCSs additional capacity to counter swarms of small boats, crewed and uncrewed, according to a Navy release, something that remains a real threat.

Leveraging the SSMM now as a rapid pathway to giving LCSs added counter-drone capabilities makes good sense. Beyond offering an additional layer of self-defense against uncrewed aerial threats for the ships themselves, this could allow them to provide a short-range protective umbrella for other friendly vessels nearby. It’s unclear what the AGM-114L’s range is when launched from the surface rather than the air. The Longbow Hellfire’s maximum reach in the air-launched mode is reportedly between five and five and a half miles (8,000 and 9,000 meters).

Historical Context and Future Implications

The idea, broadly, of employing AGM-114s, especially the radar-guided Longbow variant, against aerial threats is also not new. Israeli AH-64 attack helicopters have used Hellfires to down drones, and the U.S. Army is increasingly training to do the same with its Apaches. Other U.S. military helicopters might be able to employ Hellfires in the air-to-air role, as well. The Army has also explored employing AGM-114Ls as surface-to-air interceptors in the past.

At the same time, just adding the counter-drone functionality to the SSMM last year underscores how the Navy and the rest of the U.S. military are still very much playing catch-up in responding to uncrewed aerial threats. The dangers posed by drones, including lower-end kamikaze types, are not new, as TWZ regularly notes. The scale and scope of these capabilities and the underlying technologies are ever-growing and are steadily proliferating even among non-state actors like the Houthis, as well as the armed forces of nation states large and small.

Operational Use and Challenges

How many more SSMM-equipped Freedom class LCSs now are in line to get the new counter-drone upgrades is unclear, as is when or if that capability might filter down to Independence class types. The Navy currently has 10 Freedom class LCSs in service, with another one now in the process of being fitted out. There are 16 more Independence class LCSs on the service’s rolls and another one of those ships on the way. The Navy has been pushing to get more operational use out of its LCSs, which currently represent a significant portion of its overall surface warship fleets, in recent years.

This includes the first-ever deployment of a Freedom class type to the Middle East in 2022 and plans to begin forward-deploying other ships in the class to Bahrain later this year. Independence class types regularly sail in the Pacific. As earlier noted, USS Indianapolis has now become the first LCS to receive a Combat Action Ribbon, which was awarded following a Houthi attack aimed at the ship, as well as Arleigh Burke class destroyers USS Stockdale and USS Spruance, last September. Still, there is notably no indication here that USS Indianapolis fired any of its own weapons in anger in this particular engagement, which also prominently highlights the lack of more robust air defense capabilities on the LCSs.

Whether the ship employed any of its weapons against hostile targets in the course of the rest of its deployment is unknown. All of this also now comes amid major delays and other issues with the Navy’s Constellation class frigate program. The service has been working to acquire the new frigates in no small part to provide a more capable small surface combatant than the long-underperforming LCSs. In the meantime, the Navy continues to try to squeeze more operational value of its LCS, including now through the addition of counter-drone capability to the SSMM.

Conclusion

The recent upgrades to the Littoral Combat Ship’s Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) represent a significant enhancement in the ship’s defensive capabilities. By integrating radar-guided AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles, the U.S. Navy has equipped the Freedom class LCS with a potent counter-drone weapon. This development not only addresses immediate threats posed by Houthi drones but also underscores the Navy’s commitment to adapting its technologies to meet evolving challenges in the maritime environment. As the operational landscape continues to shift, the LCS’s new capabilities will play a crucial role in maintaining the U.S. Navy’s dominance and ensuring the safety of its vessels and personnel.

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