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NavSource Online: Littoral Warship Photo Archive
Ship's patch courtesy
Don McGrogan,
BMCS, USN (Ret.)

Tulsa (LCS 16)

"Tough, Able, Ready"
Specifications - LCS Littoral Combat Ship, Independence Class (Variant 2, Flight 0, first generation):
Hull Type: Stabilized Trimaran Monohull
Displacement: 2176 tons (light), 2784 tons (full)
Dead Weight: 608 tons
Length: 418' (oa)
Beam: 93.2' (extreme)
Draft: 13' (Maximum Navigational Draft)
Propulsion: Two gas turbine engines, two propulsion diesels, two waterjets
Speed: 47 kts (sprint), 50+ kts (top speed)
Armament: Bofors 57mm naval gun; Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launcher; 4 - .50 caliber machine gun mounts
Combat Management System: Northrup Grumman ICMS
Electronics: Ericsson Sea Giraffe (air / surface surveillance, weapon assignment);
Decoy System: 3 - Super RBOC; 2 - Nulka Decoy launchers
Complement: 26
Tulsa (LCS 16) Building and Operational Data:
  • 04 March 2013: Contract Awarded to General Dynamics Corp.
  • 06 June 2013: Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced LCS 16 will be named USS Tulsa.
  • 11 January 2016: Keel laid and authenticated by former Tulsa mayor Kathryn L. Taylor, ship's sponsor, at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala.
  • 11 February 2017: Christened by the ship's sponsor, Adm. William F. Moran, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, delivered the ceremony's principal address.
  • 15 March 2017: Rolled out of fabrication and placed on a floating dry-dock, transported downriver to BAE Systems facility.
  • 16 March 2017: Launched by flooding the dry-dock at BAE Systems facility.
  • 30 April 2018: At a ceremony held in Mobile, Ala. the U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Tulsa
  • 16 February 2019: Commissioned at San Francisco, Cal., Cmdr. Drew Borovies in command, assigned to LCS Squadron One at San Diego, Cal.
  • 28 August 2019: Arrived at the Port of Los Angeles to participate in the 4th Annual Fleet Week, with Comstock (LSD 45), Spruance (DDG 111), Scout (MCM 8), USCGC Alert (WMEC 630) and Forrest Rednour (WPC 1129)

    Note:
    1.) The contract option awarded to Lockheed Martin Corporation is managed by Lockheed Martin's Maritime Systems and Sensors division in Moorestown NJ. The Lockheed Martin team includes: Marinette Marine shipyard, Bollinger Shipyards, Gibbs and Cox naval architects, Izar of Spain and Blohm & Voss naval shipbuilders.

    2.) The contract option awarded to General Dynamics is managed by Bath Iron Works at Bath, Me. The major members of General Dynamics team are: Austal USA, based in Mobile, Ala.; BAE Systems, Rockville, Md; Maritime Applied Physics Corporation, Baltimore, Md; CAE Marine Systems, Leesburg, Va.; Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Baltimore, Md; General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt.; General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Conn.; General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Washington, D.C.; and General Dynamics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

    "Tulsa, The Ship"     -    "Tulsa, The People"
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Independence
    (1502001a)    		 102k 27 May 2004: Washington DC - The U.S. Navy announced today that General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, will be one of two defense contracting teams awarded contract options for final system design with options for detail design and construction of up to two Flight 0 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). The LCS is an entirely new breed of U.S. Navy warship. A fast, agile, and networked surface combatant, LCS's modular, focused-mission design will provide Combatant Commanders the required warfighting capabilities and operational flexibility to ensure maritime dominance and access for the joint force. LCS will operate with focused-mission packages that deploy manned and unmanned vehicles to execute missions including, Special Operations Forces (SOF) support, high-speed transit, Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), and Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection (AT/FP).

    (Artist concept provided to the U.S. Navy courtesy of General Dynamics, Photo #040527-O-0000G-004, from the Navy Newstand)     		Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Independence
    (1502001b)    		 492k undated: Mobile, Ala. - An aerial view of the Austal USA shipyard, the American branch of operations for Australian shipbuilder Austal. Founded in 1999 along the west bank of Blakely Island on the Mobile River in Mobile, Alabama. The shipyard was initially engaged in building high-speed aluminum ferries, such as the Lake Express for service across Lake Michigan, and the Alakai for Hawaii Superferry. Construction on the first Littoral Combat Ship of the USS Independence variant was begun in 2006. In conjunction with the General Dynamics Corp., all of the planned Independence Class LCS's will be built here.

    (Photo courtesy of AUSTAL, USA)
    Tulsa
    (1516001)    		 204k 11 January 2016: Mobile, Ala. - Kathryn L. Taylor, former mayor of Tulsa, Okla., sponsor of the future littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16), etches her initials into the ship's keel plate with the help of Austal welder Brandon Myers during a keel laying ceremony Jan. 11 at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #160111-N-LR483-033 by David Stoltz from the Navy Newstand)    		 Lee Wahler
    Lcdr., USN (ret.)
    Jacksonville, Fla.
    Tulsa
    (1516015)    		 133k 10 February 2017: Tulsa, Okla. – A painting of the future littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) was presented to the ship at a reception the evening before her christening. Painted by Tulsa artist and Navy veteran Jay O'Melia, the painting will sail proudly aboard the real ship.

    (Photo from the News On 6 Television Station, Tulsa, Okla.)    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Tulsa 1.) 317k   Tulsa 2.) 374k   Tulsa 3.) 128k   Tulsa 4.) 284k
    Tulsa 5.) 234k   Tulsa 6.) 407k   Tulsa 7.) 461k   Tulsa 8.) 207k

    11 February 2017: Mobile, Ala. - An eight view series of the activities and christening of PCU Tulsa (LCS 16).

    (© Photos courtesy of  Austal USA)

    1.) 1516007          2.) 1516008          3.) 1516009          4.) 1516010
    5.) 1516011          6.) 1516012          7.) 1516013          8.) 1516014
    Tulsa
    (1516002)    		 328k 15 March 2017: Mobile, Ala. – The future littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) is secured to the Crowley launch barge in preparation for the short journey down the Mobile River to BAE Ship Systems where she will be transferred into the dry dock for the final stage of the launch process.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #170315-N-N2201-003 from the Navy Newstand)    		 Lee Wahler
    Lcdr., USN (ret.)
    Jacksonville, Fla.
    Tulsa
    (1516003)    		 364k 15 March 2017: Mobile, Ala. – An aerial view of the future littoral combat ship Tulsa on the launch barge.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #170315-N-N2201-004 from the Navy Newstand)
    Tulsa
    (1516004)    		 319k 16 March 2017: Mobile, Ala. – The future littoral combat ship Tulsa rises level with the Mobile River as the BAE Ship Systems drydock floods during the final stage of the launch process.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #170316-N-N2201-001 from the Navy Newstand)
    Tulsa
    (1516005)    		 214k 16 March 2017: Mobile, Ala. – The future littoral combat ship Tulsa prepares to float out of the drydock at BAE Ship Systems in Mobile, Ala., and make a short trip upriver to Austal USA.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #170316-N-N2201-002 from the Navy Newstand)
    Tulsa
    (1516006)    		 370k 16 March 2017: Mobile, Ala. – Future USS Tulsa (LCS 16) is heading back to Austal USA after launching from the drydock at BAE Ship Systems. She's passing Austal's vessel completion yard where USNS Yuma (EPF 8), future USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and future USS Omaha (LCS 12) are docked.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #170316-N-N2201-003 from the Navy Newstand)
    Tulsa  1.) 257k   Tulsa  2.) 489k   Tulsa  3.) 188k   Tulsa  4.) 422k   Tulsa  5.) 168k

    07 - 08 March 2018: the Gulf of Mexico - A five view series of PCU Tulsa (LCS 16) underway for acceptance trials.

    (© Photos courtesy of  Austal USA))

    1.) 1516016        2.) 1516017        3.) 1516018        4.) 1516019        5.) 1516020    		 Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Tulsa
    (1516021)    		 455k 21 November 2018: San Diego, Cal. - The future littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) arrives at its new homeport at Naval Base San Diego after completing its maiden voyage from the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. Tulsa is the eighth ship in the littoral combat ship Independence-variant class and is scheduled for commissioning 16 Feb. 2019 in San Francisco.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #181121-N-CZ893-0076 by MC3 Jason Isaacs from the Navy Newstand)
    Tulsa
    (1516022)    		 455k 21 November 2018: San Diego, Cal. - The future USS Tulsa arrives at its new homeport at Naval Base San Diego after completing its maiden voyage from Mobile, Alabama.

    (U.S. Navy Photo #181121-N-CZ893-0575 by MC3 Jason Isaacs from the Navy Newstand)
    Independence
    (1502057)    		 620k 27 February 2019: the Pacific Ocean - The Independence variant littoral combat ships USS Independence (LCS 2), left, USS Manchester (LCS 14), and USS Tulsa (LCS 16) are underway in formation in the eastern Pacific. Littoral combat ships are high-speed, agile, shallow draft, mission-focused surface combatants designed for operations in the littoral environment, yet fully capable of open ocean operations. As part of the surface fleet, LCS has the ability to counter and outpace evolving threats independently or within a network of surface combatants.

    (U.S. Navy photo #190227-N-FC670-255 by MCC Shannon Renfroe from the U.S. Navy Page on Flickr)

    "Tulsa, The Ship"     -    "Tulsa, The People"
    Tulsa
    Memorabilia
    Ship's
    Emblem
    Tulsa
    Courtesy of
    Wolfgang Hechler
    Tulsa History
    View the USS Tulsa (LCS 16) DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command web site.
    Tulsa's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler

    Blue CrewGold Crew
    1.)  16 Feb. 2019 - 29 Apr. 2019Cmdr. Drew A. Borovies (NROTC ‘00) (Springfield, Va.)1.)  02 Oct. 2020 – 14 Apr. 2021Cmdr. Richard James Zamberlan (enl. ‘97 / USNA ‘01) (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
    2.)  29 Apr. 2019 - 15 Dec. 2020Cmdr. Audry T. Oxley (NROTC ‘02) (Lamar, Colo.)2.)  14 Apr. 2021 – 29 Jul. 2022Cmdr. William Travis Dvorak (enl. ‘97 / OCS ‘02)
    3.)  15 Dec. 2020 - 05 Aug. 2022Cmdr. J. Brandon Cornes (USNA ‘01) (Baltimore, Md.)3.)  29 Jul. 2022 – Cmdr. Erin N. Connor (OCS ‘05) (Pickerington, Oh.)
    4.)  05 Aug. 2022 - Cmdr. Andrew Greenlees (Citadel ‘04) (Parsippany, N. J.)--
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    View Tulsa's Official Web page
    USS Tulsa History on U.S. Carriers
    PCU Tulsa Facebook Page
    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
    VIDEO Links
    Facebook: USS Tulsa Commissioning (58:21 min.)
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    This page created on 27 June 2013,
    and is maintained by Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 18 December 2022