FINAL FRAME
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF LOCKHEED MARTIN
Seafaring success
54 | INSIGHT • June 2012
THIS SUMMER THE NAVY IS EXPECTED TO TAKE POSSESSION of the latest littoral combat ship (LCS) built at the Marinette Marine shipyard – the USS Fort Worth, which was christened last December and completed four-day U.S. Navy acceptance trials on Lake Michigan in May. The Fort Worth successfully tested performance of its propulsion plant, its combat
management system, ship handling and auxiliary systems, according to Lockheed Martin. The trials included a four-hour, full-power run. "Fort Worth performed extremely well during its trials," said LCS Program Manager
Capt. John Neagley. "The ship's level of completion coupled with Marinette Marine's excellent craſtsmanship resulted in relatively few material deficiencies." Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before the Navy receives delivery
of the ship. The photo above was shot in the early morning hours on the Menominee River.
The Fort Worth is the nation's third LCS and the second ship of the Freedom-variant design, which allows for "outstanding maneuverability" and can reach speeds of greater than 40 knots. To see a video of LCS 3 Fort Worth in acceptance trials, visit http://bcove.me/fbuopfda. –By Nikki Kallio
www. insightonbusiness.com
