The U.S. Navy’s littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Coronado (LCS 4) has completed survivability testing off the coast of California on January 28 in preparation for the ship's maiden deployment later this year.
During the test event, the crew handled realistic damage simulations, including fire, smoke, electrical failure, flooding, ruptured piping, and structural failure.
Image: U.S. Navy
The scenarios benefited the crew by offering realistic damage control training in preparation for Coronado's maiden deployment later this year.
"Initial indications are that Coronado's performance met, and in multiple cases exceeded, the survivability requirements for this small surface combatant," said Capt. Tom Anderson, littoral combat ship (LCS) program manager. "I commend the crew for their exceptional performance and dedication while conducting this important test."
The purpose of the TSST is to evaluate the ship's systems and procedures following a simulated conventional weapon hit. The primary areas that are evaluated include the ship's ability to contain and control damage, restore and continue mission capability, and care for personnel casualties. The test is also designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the survivability features inherent in a ship's design.
"The experience provided the crew, through realistic scenarios, an appreciation for what it would take to operate following battle damage on board an Independence-variant warship," said Cmdr. Troy A. Fendrick, commanding officer of Coronado. "It also provided Sailors, from the deckplate level, the opportunity to provide critical input to the LCS program office, which will result in the improvement of overall ship survivability."
The TSST, along with the Full Ship Shock Trial scheduled June 2016, is a component of the Live-Fire Test and Evaluation program.
Coronado is the second LCS of the Independence-variant built by Austal USA and is homeported in San Diego.
LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, with three types of mission packages including surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. The Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) is responsible for delivering and sustaining littoral mission capabilities to the fleet. Delivering high-quality warfighting assets while balancing affordability and capability is key to supporting the nation's maritime strategy.
Source: U.S. Navy