Description
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Mission Package (MP) supports MCM operations through the employment of aviation assets and unmanned surface and underwater vehicles that are equipped with an array of sensors and systems to detect, localize, and neutralize surface, near surface, in-volume, moored, and bottom mines in the littorals. These systems are designed to be employed while the LCS remains outside the mine threat area. The MCM MP also provides the capability to sweep mines and detect beach zones and buried mines.

Features
Remote Minehunting (RMH) Module detects, classifies, and identifies bottom and moored mines utilizing the MCM Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) and AN/AQS-20 minehunting sonar. The MCM USV is a 38.5-foot unmanned craft with a modular payload bay that can be reconfigured in port for different missions. Following its mission, the data are processed on a post-mission analysis workstation to provide contacts for follow-on pursuit by the Airborne Mine Neutralization Module.

Near Surface Detection (NSD) Module detects and classifies moored mines in the near surface region with the MH-60S helicopter carrying the AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS).

Airborne Mine Neutralization (AMN) Module neutralizes moored, volume and bottom mines with the MH-60S helicopter carrying the AN/ASQ-235 Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS).

Unmanned Minesweeping (UMS) Module sweeps influence mines utilizing the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS), which combines the MCM USV and the sweep payload that carries a magnetic sweep cable and towed acoustic generator (modified Mk-104).

MCM Mission Package Application Software (MPAS), and Multi Vehicle Communications System (MVCS). MCM MPAS is an integrated software suite that carries the mission system-specific software, including the unmanned vehicle management system, the Mine Warfare and Environmental Decision Aids Library (MEDAL), the Minenet Tactical (MnT), and post-mission analysis tools. MVCS is an integrated communications system that enables concurrent communications for two MCM USVs.

Each MCM MP has six Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) support containers and one Ten-foot Equivalent Unit support container, which provide storage areas, required special tooling, and spare parts.

Background
The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. The LCS is capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence.

Mission Packages (MPs) were created for the LCS in response to an evolving threat environment. SUW Mission Packages are interchangeable between both LCS variants. The MCM MP is exclusively employed on the Independence-variant LCSs. Mission Packages can be described as follows:

• Mission Systems = Vehicles, Sensors, and Weapons
• Mission Module = Mission Systems + Support Equipment
• Mission Package = Mission Modules + Aircraft and Aviation Crew Detachments

The Mission Package Computing Environment (MPCE) is the hardware computing suite installed on each ship. Mission Package Application Software (MPAS) is the software that provides the common operating system and mission package services that run on the MPCE computer. MPAS is delivered today as SUW MPAS and MCM MPAS. The quantity of each MP type differs based on an analysis of projected operational needs. Currently, the Navy plans to procure 24 MCM MPs and all ten deployable SUW MPs have been delivered to the Fleet.

MCM aviation mission modules, AMN and NSD, have been deployed to the 4th and 7th Fleets since 2021. MCM MP completed Initial Operational Test and Evaluation of the Baseline MCM MP in August 2022. In March 2023, the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities declared IOC for the MCM MP and AN/AQS 20 Sonar. Today, the Program has embarked four MCM MPs which are supporting LCS deployments in the 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) and follow on MCM MPs will support 7th Fleet operations by the end of FY 2027.