TESTING NAVAL HELLFIRE: The USS Montgomery launches a naval Longbow Hellfire at a land-based target. The USS Montgomery is an Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Here’s a photo of the USS Independence. The Independence trimaran LCS variants have fewer problems than the monohull Freedom-variants but all told the LCS program has proved to be an engineering and budget fiasco — “little crappy ships” with engine problems, hull cracks and corrosion. Once upon a time the Navy was going to build 55 of them, then the order declined to 35. Now the Navy’s trying to decommission several LCSs and quit throwing good money after bad. However, Congressional appropriators want to keep some of those in the fleet. Note the USNI article (at the link) says Congress wants “a report on alternate uses of these vessels.” In part that explains the Longbow Hellfire test launch –the Navy is looking for missions for the LCSs its being forced to keep. It’s still up in the air how many will be in the fleet by the end of 2023. This StrategyPage update from January 2022 reviews the entire LCS program, with particular attention to the Freedom-variant’s serious flaws.