Ship comes with advanced water jet technology to reach top speeds of over 74 kmph and armed with Mk 110 57mm gun
US navy official explaining operational capabilities of combat ship Fort Worth, which is taking part in ongoing trilateral naval drill along with Indian and Japanese ships. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: Onboard FORT WORTH: The war fighting capabilities of the United States navy was on display onboard USS Fort Worth, the 2nd ship of the FREEDOM variant of the littoral combat ship class making her the newest and most sophisticated ships at sea today. Built to sail in any waters, the ship comes with advanced water jet technology to reach top speeds of over 74 kmph and armed with Mk 110 57mm gun.
During a rare walking tour organised by the US navy, the ship’s multi-dimensional capabilities were presented by senior officers. A day before the ship would sail off the Chennai coast into the high seas of the Bay of Bengal to take part in the trilateral Malabar naval drill, a group of journalists from Chennai and New Delhi were taken inside Fort Worth and the DC reporter was part of the contingent.
We were welcomed onboard and divided into three small groups for convenience by US naval officers. Our tour guide was senior officer Arlo Abrahamson ably assisted by weapons officer Jesse Bunough, both smartly attired in naval uniform. Arlo gave a brief introduction of the ship and its operational capability before we were taken to the hangar bay where a state-of-the-art MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) were stationed with their wings safely sealed.
Before moving any further, a quick chat with a crew member revealed an important detail. This was the same ship that had recently completed a week-long patrol in the South China Sea, which has become a subject of numerous contentious territorial claims with China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam disputing sovereignty of several island chains and nearby waters.
The guide said the ship was commissioned on September 22, 2012 and is already in its 24th month of deployment. He said the Fort Worth operates from Singapore and arrived at Chennai Port Trust after participating in a joint exercise in Bangladesh. The ship is boosted with latest water jet technology, which helps her gain top speeds and outrun the fast moving boats used by sea pirates.
We were taken into the power house and towards the anchor chain where one would see Mk 110 57 mm gun, a dual purpose fully automated firing artillery using the new Bofors 57 mm 3P providing the shop a flexibility to switch rapidly between surface targets and air targets as well as ground targets.
The funniest moment in 90-minute tour was when a journalist, who spotted a garbage filled can in the ‘cramped’ kitchen, asked an officer how do you dispose waste? The answer was prompt, “We dispose our waste in accordance with environmental norms”, the officer said. Later, we were introduced to navigation officer James Arterberry, who showed us the ship’s navigation and radar systems. Engineer-in-Chief Carter threw light on the technical details.
The Mission Control Centre is the business end of the ship where a Defense Security Officer (DSO) explained how crew members launch rolling airframe missiles and use other combat gear. A short video was also played showing how Fort Worth intercepted and caught drug smugglers back home. An officer onboard told the Deccan Chronicle that the ship is manned by around 100 crew members with 54 core crew and it’s the first littoral combat ship to be deployed under the ‘3-2-1’ manning concept, swapping fully trained crews roughly every four months.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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