The US Navy has received the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31), the 16th and final vessel in the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) programme, from Fincantieri Marinette Marine on 26 November 2025.
The delivery acceptance at the shipbuilder’s facility in Marinette, Wisconsin, marks the conclusion of the construction effort that involved US Navy personnel, industry partners, and programme management teams for more than 20 years.
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Upon commissioning in early 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio, the vessel will be based at Mayport, Florida.
USS Cleveland will undertake tasks including forward presence missions, maritime security patrols, sea control operations, and deterrence in operational theatres.
The US Department of Navy (DON) Program Executive Officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants (PEO USC) Melissa Kirkendall said: “With the final Freedom-variant LCS now delivered, we celebrate the successful outcome of years of innovation and commitment. This highly capable and lethal warship is ready to assert maritime dominance and protect global waters with unparalleled precision and power.”
USS Cleveland (LCS 31) will be the fourth US Navy ship to carry this name.
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By GlobalDataThe first USS Cleveland (C-19), which was reclassified later as CL-21, was a Denver-class protected cruiser commissioned in 1903.
The second namesake was USS Cleveland (CL-55), a Cleveland-class light cruiser that entered service in 1942.
The third USS Cleveland (LPD-9) was an Austin-class amphibious transport dock commissioned in 1976, which operated for 30 years before being decommissioned in 2011.
The handover of LCS 31 follows the commissioning of the USS Nantucket, the 14th Freedom-variant LCS, which joined the fleet in Boston, Massachusetts on 16 November.
Prior to that, in October 2024, the US Navy took delivery of USS Beloit (LCS 29) from Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine, marking the addition of the 15th Freedom-variant LCS to the programme.
LCS is part of a new surface ship family designed for speed and high manoeuvrability under the DD(X) future surface combatant framework.
These vessels can operate either independently or as part of larger networked battle groups with cruisers and destroyers. They are intended to address high-threat environments and support multi-mission surface operations.
