CVN 78 Ship Self Defense System ICS on pace for operational testing
Raytheon Company and the US Navy have successfully completed the first-ever, live fire test of the latest generation of the Ship Self Defense System, or SSDS, Integrated Combat System on the Self Defense Test Ship. The test, conducted for USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the first of the Navy's newest class of aircraft carriers, successfully engaged an unmanned aerial vehicle target off the coast of California.
The CVN 78 SSDS Integrated Combat System incorporates several elements including Raytheon's:
"The design of our Ship Self Defense System enabled seamless integration of the sensors and missiles with the CVN 78 combat system during this first-of-its-kind test, proving the ability of the system to defend our sailors," said Mike Fabel, Raytheon's SSDS program manager. "This integrated combat system success brings Ford [herself] one step closer to operational testing and deployment."
Further integrated combat system live fire events will take place during subsequent developmental and operational testing planned for 2019.