U.S. Navy conducts LCS restrained missile firing

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy successfully completed a restrained firing test of the Longbow Hellfire missile for the littoral combat ship's surface-to-surface missile module, the sea service announced Thursday.

The Longbow Hellfire has been undergoing developmental testing for incorporation into the missile module, which is part of the LCS surface warfare mission package, the Navy said in a statement.

The testing achieved a module milestone by demonstrating its ability to withstand heat and fire in the event of an unplanned rocket motor ignition.

Before the missile is integrated and tested on board an LCS, the tests must be accomplished to prove system safety.

During the test, one live missile with an inert warhead and nonfunctional guidance section was fired but restrained in the launcher.

As the missile's rocket motor burned, exhaust and flames ducted properly through the missile exhaust containment structure.

The Navy plans to deploy Longbow Hellfire missiles on board an LCS by December 2017.

Structural LCS test firing is scheduled for March.