USN launches NSM, sinks own boat

[bayonetbrant]

https://taskandpurpose.com/giffords-naval-strike-missile-ford

OK, OK, they intentionally shot at, and sank a decommissioned u.s. boat as a part of a naval exercise in the Pacific

But it was clearly a warning to China that we've got our own ship killer missiles, and ours actually work

[mirth]

They're arming LCS's now?!

[trailrunner]

At my last job, this missile was one of my programs, and I had set a requirement that they perform a live-fire test against a decommissioned ship.  I'm glad to see that they actually did it.  I won't say anything more about this, except for my usual warning to be skeptical of anything you read in the press.

I'm not sure if Mirth's question is real.  NSM is supposed to go on FFG(X) and has been installed on one LCS so far.  It's supposed to be installed on more LCS, but the program was always vague about how many and when.  LCS also have Hellfire, which was tested against small craft this time last year.  I was supposed to go out on LCS last October for a week, but the ship I was supposed to go on broke.

[bayonetbrant]

LCS also have Hellfire, which was tested against small craft this time last year.

The article does mention that they shot Hellfires at the USS Ford, too.

[mirth]

I'm not sure if Mirth's question is real.

I get that a lot.

I was supposed to go out on LCS last October for a week, but the ship I was supposed to go on broke.

So it was a genuine LCS experience then.

[trailrunner]

I was supposed to go out on LCS last October for a week, but the ship I was supposed to go on broke.

So it was a genuine LCS experience then.

Yeah, I wasn't surprised at all when that happened.  Fortunately government airfares are fully refundable.

[BanzaiCat]

Apropos of little, my mom works for a travel agency that does all the government's travel. But she works with the State Department mainly, I believe.

Back to the story, it's interesting that it says the missile "blew the hell" out of the target, but the video only shows the missile launching - no video of impact. Interesting. Is that because (a) it didn't work as planned and the press piece is puff, or (b) purposefully not shown so as to not put out there what exactly it does? Maybe a little column a and column b?

[bob48]

Interesting thought. After all, you dont want potential bad guys to know too much.

[bayonetbrant]

Is that because (a) it didn't work as planned and the press piece is puff, or (b) purposefully not shown so as to not put out there what exactly it does? Maybe a little column a and column b?

Mostly column B, but also because there aren't a lot of camera dudes that want to be downrange in an impact area.  "Shit happens" all the time.

[trailrunner]

The warhead on the NSM is not that large, especially compared to a target the size of a ship.  Putting high speed cameras on the target isn’t hard and is absolutely required on a test like this.