[Coming Soon] USS Knox: Agile and Lethal!

Historical Note

The Knox-class frigates represented the pinnacle of Cold War anti-submarine warfare ship design. A total of 46 vessels were built between 1965 and 1974. Although their service in the U.S. Navy was relatively short, ending by 1994 due to budget cuts and evolving ASW requirements, many continued their legacy abroad. Several ships were transferred to allied navies, including those of Egypt, Thailand, and Mexico, where they remained in service for decades.

The Knox-class holds the distinction of being the final class of steam turbine-powered escort ships in U.S. Navy service. The lead ship, USS Knox, was constructed at Todd Shipyards, launched in late 1966, and remained in active service until 1992. After its decommissioning, the Knox was eventually sunk as a target during a naval exercise in 2007.

USS Knox (Rank VI)

SWOT Analysis

• Strengths: Equipped with anti-ship and surface-to-air guided missiles, a 127 mm gun, and good maneuverability.
• Weaknesses: Low survivability and no torpedo armament.
• Opportunities: Can engage enemies effectively with missiles from stand-off distances or while using cover.
• Threats: Highly vulnerable to enemy artillery and torpedo attacks.

In Battle

A new U.S. Navy missile warship is coming soon to War Thunder Mobile – the guided-missile frigate USS Knox will be added at Rank VI in the American tech tree! As one of the most numerous ships of its class, it features powerful missile armament, high speed, and excellent agility, enabling it to engage enemies effectively from behind cover.

The USS Knox is armed with two types of guided missiles. Its primary weapon system is the RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile, launched from the Mark 16 ASROC launcher nicknamed the “Matchbox” by U.S. sailors for its distinctive shape. For air defense, the frigate is equipped with the Basic Point Defense Missile System (BPDMS) launcher, which fires RIM-7 Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles. While the Sea Sparrows deliver less damage than the Harpoons, they travel at a much higher velocity.

As additional armament, the USS Knox is equipped with a rapid-firing 5"/54 caliber Mark 42 naval gun. This weapon proves highly effective against other missile boats, as its powerful shells can easily detonate their ammunition magazines with just a few well-placed hits.

Propulsion is provided by a steam turbine power plant, granting the ship impressive mobility. The frigate can easily keep pace with allied task forces or operate independently among islands and coastal formations.

Premium version of the USS Knox (Rank VI)

In the Ship Campaign, only one ship can be taken into battle. Because of this, the Premium version of any ship is not a separate unit, but it completely replaces the standard “gray” version. After obtaining the premium version, the blueprints for the standard version of the ship will disappear from the store and trophies, and the ship itself will become unavailable in trophies and jackpots.

Differences between the Premium and Standard versions:

• the ability to get gold after a battle, according to the daily limit;
• unique premium camouflage;
• fully unlocked upgrades in the Arsenal;
• the ship gets the maximum crew level immediately.

*Vehicle specifications and camouflages are still work in progress and may differ on release.

The USS Knox (Rank VI) can be obtained in War Thunder Mobile (WTM) from Medium or Big Trophies in the Ship Campaign with the start of the new Season.