US Navy decommissions USS Fort Worth ahead of schedule

The US Navy has decommissioned the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), which served for 13 years instead of its planned 25-year operational lifespan.

The decision was made due to chronic technical issues, primarily problems with the ship’s propulsion system that had affected it since 2016, Caliber.Az reports via The National Interest.

The early retirement of one of the newest and most expensive ships in the US Navy has raised questions among members of Congress. Lawmakers had previously pushed to extend its service life, but the Navy ultimately determined that continued operation was no longer practical.

According to the publication, the Freedom-class ship concept was developed during the counterterrorism era and has proven insufficient for modern missions. Despite upgrades to some systems, vessels of this type remain lightly armed and inadequately protected for high-intensity conflicts.

Following its decommissioning, reusable components will be removed from USS Fort Worth, while the ship’s hull is expected to be repurposed as an artificial reef.

By Jeyhun Aghazada