Image Credits: Wikipedia The U.S. Navy has decommissioned the Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), retiring one of the early ships in the class as the service shifts focus toward upgrading its remaining Littoral Combat Ship fleet. The decommissioning ceremony took place on July 29 at Naval Base San Diego, marking the end of Fort Worth’s service as both an operational warship and a test platform. The ship was the second Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship built and had originally been expected to remain in service for at least another 11 years. During its service, USS Fort Worth and its crew helped the Navy develop the operational configuration and deployment capabilities of the Littoral Combat Ship programme. The ship was used to test equipment, tactics and concepts that supported the development of today’s LCS fleet. Former Secretary of the Navy Gordon England delivered the main address at the ceremony. Other speakers included Rear Adm. Matthew Kawas, the ship sponsor’s proxy Jill J.R. Labbe, and retired U.S. Navy Capt. Warren Cupps. Fort Worth’s final commanding officer, Cmdr. Dana Canby, thanked the ship’s crew, known as the “Rough Riders”, for their service and dedication. “To the last Rough Riders, I’m incredibly proud of the work you’ve put into the ship through really challenging circumstances,” Canby said, adding that the crew would continue contributing to the Navy in future assignments. USS Fort Worth was part of the Navy’s Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship programme. The LCS class includes two variants, Freedom and Independence, which were designed and built by separate industry teams. Freedom-class ships were built in Marinette, Wisconsin, while Austal USA leads construction of the Independence-class ships in Mobile, Alabama. The Littoral Combat Ship programme was designed to provide fast, mission-focused surface combatants capable of operating in near-shore and open-ocean environments. The ships support missions including maritim