LCS Lightweight Tow system testing moves ahead

The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules programme has completed the at-sea testing of the AN/SLQ-61 Lightweight Tow (LWT) Torpedo Defense Mission Module (TDMM).

The LWT is a modular, digitally controlled soft kill countermeasure decoy system that uses an underwater acoustic projector deployed from the ship's stern on a tow cable to defend ships against wake-homing, acoustic homing and wire-guided torpedoes.

The LWT system is lighter in weight than the current AN/SLQ-25 Nixie system and has a different tow profile which makes it better for small combatant vessels operating in littoral environments.

The test was the final at-sea test on a commercial vessel. The programme is incorporating lessons learned from this event as it prepares for TDMM integration and formal developmental and operational tests aboard an LCS.

The torpedo defence capability that TDMM provides is envisioned for final deployment on all LCS ships, and potentially other small combatants.