USS Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale features design improvements developed in connection with the Navy's development of a next-generation dock landing ship, known as the LX(R)-class amphibious warfare ship. The LX(R) is intended to replace current Whidbey Island-class and Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships.[9]^{: (Summary)} In 2014, the Navy commenced design of LX(R) based on a modified San Antonio-class design.[9]^: 6 Because this design work is in progress, the Navy has created design innovations and cost-reduction strategies around the San Antonio-class design, and the Navy believes that it can apply these innovations and strategies to Fort Lauderdale, allowing her to be built at reduced cost.[9]^: 9 The main design features intended to reduce the cost of Fort Lauderdale compared to the San Antonio-class on which she is based are simplified bow works, replacement of the forward and aft composite masts with steel masts, removal of structures from the boat valley, and a stern gate which is open at the top.[3] This will make Fort Lauderdale a "transitional ship" between the current San Antonio-class design and future LX(R) vessels.[9]^: 9

Fort Lauderdale incorporates high temperature superconductor-based mine protection degaussing system built by American Superconductor to reduce the magnetic signature of the ship.[10]

On 9 March 2016, the ship was given the name Fort Lauderdale,[11][12] and the contract to build her was awarded to HII's Ingalls Shipyard on 19 December 2016.[13] Fort Lauderdale's keel was laid down on 13 October 2017, at Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.[3][14] She was launched on 28 March 2020,[4][15] and her acceptance trials were completed on 31 January 2022.[16] The ship was commissioned during a ceremony in her namesake city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on 30 July 2022.[7] She arrived at her homeport in Norfolk, Virginia on 4 August 2022.[17]

This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.