USS Montgomery (LCS 8) Completes Combat System Ship Qualification Trials

Sailors aboard the Independence variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) successfully completed Combat System Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT), July 1.

During the qualification, the crew conducted several trials to validate the performance of their combat systems suite, involving firing exercises and using their 57mm gun against a fast attack craft. The exercise is designed to test the ship's ability to track and disable high-speed maneuvering surface targets.

"The entire Montgomery team has put a lot of hard work and dedication into completing all the required inspections and trials," said Cmdr. Wayne Liebold, commanding officer and a native of Leesburg, Georgia. "I am proud of their accomplishments and we look forward to bringing Montgomery's combat power to the Fleet as an operational asset."

The crew successfully completed each scenario and demonstrated the capabilities of the combat systems suite. The trials included demonstrations of the Automatic Launching of Expendables (ALEX) Decoy Launching System and 57mm Bofors Gun Weapons System.

"I'm proud of the accomplishments of Montgomery over the past few months," said Chief Fire Controlman Billy Coffelt, a native of Centerton, Arkansas. "CSSQT proved that the ship is effective conducting wartime operations under the control of these outstanding Sailors. It was an incredible display of our ship's combat lethality!"

With the trials finished, Montgomery will focus on training and certifying for deployment, as well as completing any required missions over the next year.

Montgomery is homeported in San Diego, and is undergoing routine maintenance and training in preparation for deployment.

Fast, maneuverable and networked surface-combatants, LCSs provide the required warfighting capabilities and operational flexibility to execute focused missions such as surface warfare, mine warfare and anti-submarine warfare.