The Navy prematurely declared initial operational capability for three Littoral Combat Ship mine countermeasure mission packages, according to a government watchdog. The Defense Department inspector general found the Navy's Airborne Mine Neutralization System (AMNS), Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) and the Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) Block I were declared IOC "prior to demonstrating that the systems were effective and suitable for their intended operational uses," the IG's July 25 report said. That occurred because the Navy's expeditionary...
