By Ann Roosevelt
Army officials are working out the way forward–to continue, modify or cancel–the Non-Line of Sight Launch System (NLOS-LS) after recent test failures.
NLOS-LS, a joint Army, Navy program to provide network precision fires organic to a brigade combat team and Littoral Combat Ship, is under development by NetFires LLC, a joint venture between Raytheon [RTN] and Lockheed Martin [LMT].
As part of Army modernization, NLOS-LS has been slated to be part of Increment 1 of the Early Infantry Brigade Combat Team (EIBCT) package fielded in Fiscal Year 2012. The first brigade to receive the equipment has been identified as the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armor Division, which will receive its new equipment for training in FY 2011.
“NLOS-LS, I do not think, will go out with the first brigade any more,” Maj. Gen. Keith Walker, director of the Future Force Integration Directorate, part of the Training and Doctrine Command’s Capabilities Integration Center, told visiting reporters.
During live-fire tests earlier this year, the system hit only two of six targets.
Shortly after the Flight Limited User Tests, Raytheon said the company knows the definitive root cause of two misses, and was still investigating the other two misses (Defense Daily, March 11, Jan. 22).
A recent government report said the NLOS-LS container launch system for the missiles was on track, but deferred discussion of the missile.
While the Pentagon’s acquisition chief approved low-rate initial production for most of the new capabilities for the Early IBCT, Ashton Carter directed an update on NLOS LS missile testing and the precision mix cost effectiveness analysis for the EBCT.
However, the Interim Defense Acquisition Board meeting originally planned for April 2 has been delayed.
The results of the flight tests gives the Army three options: “drive on, everything is peachy, which is a non-option,” modify, or cancel the program, he said.
To modify the program would require industry to fix whatever went wrong and caused the misses.
Walker said he understands the program can be fixed, but it wouldn’t be ready in time for the first brigade to receive it with the rest of the package of new capabilities. “If the program continues and gets slipped, it would go to the next brigade” in line for the new equipment, Walker said.
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli is following the program closely.
Apart from the ability of industry to fix the problem, Chiarelli is also looking at a complete review of precision fires in the service and joint fires available to the Army.
The review is examining capabilities and, thus, the gaps that need to be filled.
NLOS-LS is still a good requirement, he said. “Nothing else that I know of” has that all weather precision ability to engage targets to about 40 kilometers.
“You do the cost-benefit, you look at other systems that are available across the joint world, is it worth it? That’s the analysis the Army is currently doing,” Walker said.