Independence-Class Patrol Ship Fitted with Patriot Air Defense System

Lockheed Martin has installed a Patriot launcher on the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Montgomery, Naval News reported.

The tests aim to demonstrate the concept of expeditionary air defense, which involves quickly boosting protection for ships operating far from the coast and outside carrier strike group coverage by using existing air defense systems.

The installation of the Patriot PAC-3 MSE launcher follows another Lockheed Martin project — portable Mark 70 launchers for SM-3 and SM-6 missiles, integrated into ISO containers. Such systems have already been tested on Independence-class ships.

The US Navy plans to expand the use of PAC-3 MSEs, kinetic missiles capable of intercepting ballistic targets. The first production models are scheduled to arrive in 2026.

They are expected to be integrated into the Mk 41 vertical launch systems standard on most US Navy ships. At the same time, deck-mounted PAC-3 MSEs are also being considered as part of the expeditionary air defense concept.

The operating principle of the “sea” Patriot has not been officially disclosed. Target designation is likely provided by the AN/SPS-77(V)1 radar. With Link 16 capability, integration with other US air defense systems would not be a problem.

However, Patriot PAC-3 launchers do not have rotary mechanisms, and missiles are launched at a shallow angle. To ensure full coverage of a ship, at least two launchers would need to be installed, one on each side.

Russian experience

In the summer of 2022, Russia reinforced the air defenses of two Project 22160 patrol ships of the Black Sea Fleet, Pavel Derzhavin and Vasily Bykov, by installing Tor-M2KM systems.

Before that, their defenses were limited to two 14.5 mm machine gun modules and eight 9K338 Igla-S man-portable air defense systems. The addition of Tor-M2KM significantly improved protection against air threats.

In 2024, reports surfaced of a Tor-M2KM system being installed on the Baltic Fleet ship Sovetsk.

This was not an isolated case: photos also show the frigate Admiral Grigorovich with a Tor-M2KM system mounted on its deck.

Independence

The Independence class is a series of littoral combat ships designed by Australia’s Austal under the LCS program.

The first four LCS ships were used as experimental platforms but were quickly retired from the US Navy due to technical problems. The lead ship, Independence, commissioned in 2010, was decommissioned on July 29, 2021.

The second ship, Coronado, served for only eight years before being decommissioned in September 2022. The same fate awaits the first two Freedom-class ships built by Lockheed Martin, with some slated for sale.

Independence-class ships are 127.2 meters long, 30.4 meters wide, 4.5 meters deep, and have a full displacement of 3,104 tons. They are powered by either two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines or two MTU Friedrichshafen 20V diesel engines, enabling speeds of up to 44 knots.

They have a cruising range of 4,300 nautical miles. The crew consists of 40 sailors, with accommodation for 35 additional personnel.

Main armament includes a 57 mm Mk 110 gun by BAE Systems, RGM-184A Naval Strike Missiles, and AGM-114L Hellfire missiles integrated into the SUW vertical launcher. RIM-116 missiles provide air defense.