×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
NAVAL WARFARE INDEX
MODERN FLEETS
WARSHIPS BY COUNTRY
SHIPBUILDERS
COMPARE WARSHIPS
SHIPS BY CONFLICT
SHIPS BY TYPE
SHIPS BY DECADE
SHIPS BY CLASS
MODERN VESSELS
Naval Warfare

USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)


Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) [ 2012 ]



USS Fort Worth LCS-3 is the second of the Freedom-class littoral combat ship types to have entered service with the United States.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 02/01/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
The United States Navy (USN) originally envisioned a large class of warships categorized as "littoral combat ships". The class was been developed along the lines of speed and agility primarily for operations in "close to shore" environments all the while retaining blue water capabilities. In this way, these ships could support amphibious operations close to shore or undertake deep water missions with the fleet as required. The multi-mission capability was made up of "Mission Package" modules which would allow for the neutralization of enemy submarines, fast attack surface craft, and naval mines.

The USN took on two variants to fulfill the LCS requirement and these became the Independence-class (by General Dynamics) and the Freedom-class (by Lockheed Martin). The LCS program began in 2002 and produced USS Freedom (LCS-1) in September of 2008 with USS Independence (LCS-2) following in January of 2010. Twelve ships in the Freedom-class are now planned (down from the original 32 expected) with two in active service as of this writing (2015 - USS Freedom and USS Fort Worth). USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) represents the second ship in the class which will include twelve total by the end. The contract to build Fort Worth was awarded in March of 2009 to Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) of Marinette, Wisconsin and her keel was laid down on July 11th, 2009. She was launched on December 7th,2010 and the Navy took delivery of her on June 6th, 2012. Commissioning was on September 22nd, 2012 and she remains in active service as of 2015.

Fort Worth's profile includes a relatively unobstructed forecastle save for a single turreted deck gun. The bridge superstructure is found immediately aft and forms the frontal section of the hull superstructure proper. Her smoke funnels are concealed in the design for stealthiness. Her aft section is made up of a helicopter landing deck with hangar access. Various systems and processing equipment are mounted on her superstructure and a single contained mast is featured.©MilitaryFactory.com
USS Fort Worth displaces at 3,900 tons (short) and carries a length of 387 feet, a beam of 58 feet, and a draught of 13 feet. Her propulsion system includes 2 x Rolls-Royce MT30 36MW gas turbines with 2 x Colt-Pielstick diesel engines an 4 x Rolls-Royce waterjets. She is capable of reaching 45 knot speeds in ideal conditions making her a fast warship for her size. Range is out to 3,500 nautical miles. Her crew numbers around 125 personnel and onboard stores allow her to remain at sea for just over twenty days. She carries RHIB (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat) fast boats for interception/boarding actions and her stern-located flight deck supports up to 2 x Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk naval helicopters (complete with full hangar facilities) and launching/recovery of the Northrop Grumman MQ-8 "Fire Scout" helicopter UAV (this aircraft detailed elsewhere on this site).

Warfare systems include the TRS-3D air and surface search radar, the Lockheed COMBAT SS-21 Combat Management System (CMS), and the AN/PQS-2A passive sonar array. Her armament suite is led by the 57mm BAe Systems Mk 110 series deck gun and showcases the RIM-116 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) surface-to-air system (Mk 49 launcher, 21 missiles), the Lockheed/Raytheon XM501 "NETFIRES" PAM ("Precision Attack Munition") missile system, 2 x 30mm Mk 44 "Bushmaster" autocannons, and 2 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns.

After commissioning in September of 2012, Fort Worth was sent on trials in late 2013 to prove her weaponry and situational awareness systems sound. She also conducted successful launching and recovery of the aforementioned Fire Scout UAV. She deployed to Singapore in November of 2014 and, the following month, was used to search for the missing Indonesian AirAsia Flight 8501 (to no avail). In January of 2015, she was assigned to the contested South China Sea region in support of American allies and interests (primarily as a deterrent to North Korean instigation and Chinese aggression).

During this period, the vessel was part of a simulation event that reportedly left her vulnerable to attack. The simulations showcased weaknesses in her design after some of her systems were "damaged" during "fighting" which has led to some reservations about the viability of the LCS program going forward. After 2019, the USN is expected to purchase a further 20 LCS ships, these with improvements to the armament suite, sensors/processing systems, and general armoring.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



United States
Operators National flag of the United States
2012
Commissioned
United States
National Origin
Commissioned, Active
Project Status
125
Complement
Freedom-class
Hull Class
12
Number-in-Class
USS Freedom (LCS-1); USS Fort Worth (LCS-3); USS Milwaukee (LCS-5); USS Detroit (LCS-7); USS Little Rock (LCS-9); USS Souix City (LCS-11); USS Wichita (LCS-13); USS Billings (LCS-15); USS Indianapolis (LCS-17); USS St. Louis (LCS-19); Unnamed (LSC-21); Unnamed (LCS-23); Unnamed (LCS-25)
Ships-in-Class


Amphibious Assault
A shallow draught, and other qualities, give this vessel the ability to support amphibious assault operations close-to-shore.
Offshore Operation
Activities conducted near shorelines in support of allied activities.


387.0 feet
(117.96 meters)
Length
58.0 feet
(17.68 meters)
Beam
13.0 feet
(3.96 meters)
Draught
3,450
tons
Displacement


2 x Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines with 2 x Colt-Pielstick diesel engines in COmbined Diesel And Gas (CODAG) arrangement; 4 x Rolls-Royce waterjet thrusters.
Propulsion
45.0 knots
(51.8 mph)
Surface Speed
3,476 nm
(4,000 miles | 6,437 km)
Range
1 knot = 1.15 mph; 1 nm = 1.15 mile; 1 nm = 1.85 km


1 x 57mm Mk 110 BAe Systems dual-purpose deck gun
21 x RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAMs)
45 x XM501 NETFIRES PAM (Precision Attack Munition) system.
1 x Torpedo launcher (Mk 50 series torpedoes)
2 x 12.7mm Heavy Machine Guns (HMGs)


Up to 2 x Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk naval helicopters. Support for 1 x Northrop Grumman MQ-8 "Fire Scout" helicopter drone.


Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period
Military lapel ribbon for early warship designs
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Military lapel ribbon for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Images



1 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
2 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
3 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
4 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
5 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
6 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
7 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
8 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
9 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
10 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
11 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.
12 / 12
Image of the USS Fort Worth (LCS-3)
Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery network.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)