US Navy Commissions Final Littoral Combat Ship After Years of Issues
The 378-foot ship carries roughly 90 sailors as the Navy ends nearly two decades of Freedom-class acquisitions.
- On Saturday, May 16, 2026, the U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Cleveland in its namesake city, marking the final Freedom-variant littoral combat ship to enter active service. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb attended the ceremony.
- This commissioning concludes a program that began in 2008 with the USS Freedom. The Navy opted to end the Freedom-variant line following years of mechanical issues, ballooning costs, and early retirements of previous vessels.
- Built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine, the 378-foot vessel carries roughly 90 sailors and reaches speeds exceeding 40 knots. Commanding Officer Bruce Hallett told the crew, "You are writing the first chapter of her history."
- The USS Cleveland will sail to Naval Station Mayport, Florida, as its new homeport. While the Navy recently halted decommissioning plans for seven other littoral combat ships, this vessel represents the final Freedom-class addition to the fleet.
- Veterans of the third USS Cleveland, including Francis Joseph Shirck III, attended to honor the lineage of three previous ships bearing the Ohio city's name. The vessel continues a naval tradition spanning from 1903 to the present.
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Military Times
Navy TimesUS Navy commissions final littoral combat ship after years of issues
The U.S. Navy welcomed its last littoral combat ship to active service Saturday, marking an end of a program beset by mechanical issues, ballooning costs and early retirements.The service commissioned the USS Cleveland during a ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, the last of an LCS era that began on Nov. 8, 2008, with the introduction of the USS Freedom.“Today we celebrate the sailors who breathe life into this ship,” said acting Navy Secretary Hung Ca…
U.S. Navy commissions USS Cleveland
CLEVELAND (NBC, KYMA) - The USS Cleveland was officially commissioned as the latest ship to carry the city's name and the final Freedom-Class Combat Ship the U.S. Navy plans to commission. On Cleveland's lakefront, history is rolling in with the waves, where naval tradition meets Ohio steel. A crowd gathered not just for a ship, not just a ceremony, but a moment inside America's 250th year. "We're gathered to celebrate more than just the commiss…
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