Lockheed Martin has completed delivery on a Freedom-class littoral combat ship (such as the USS Milwaukee, pictured) that will honor the Ohio city of Cleveland when it begins operations soon. File Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aaron Lau/U.S. Navy
April 14 (UPI) — The U.S. Navy will launch the future USS Cleveland this weekend, making it the 16th and final Freedom-variant ship to be manufactured and launched.
On Saturday, Navy and shipyard officials in Marinette, Wis., will attend the planned side-launch of the vessel at the Marinette, Wis., shipyard. Subsequent launches at the site will utilize a shiplift system instead of a more traditional side launch.
It will be the fourth ship to be named in honor of the Ohio city.
The Littoral Combat Ship class is made up of fast, mission-tailored surface ships that integrate with joint, combined, manned and unmanned teams. The LCS class has two variants, Freedom and Independence, designed and built by two different manufacturing teams.
The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin and is a steel monohull design constructed in Wisconsin.
Robyn Modly — wife of former acting secretary of the Navy and Cleveland native, judge Thomas B. Modly — will break a bottle of sparkling wine across the ship’s bow to symbolically christen it.
“This christening is a significant milestone for the future USS Cleveland, the ship’s sponsor Mrs. Robyn Modly and the prospective crew,” said Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in a statement. “LCS 31 will be another step closer to … continuing to defend our nation, and representing the strong connection our Navy has with the city of Cleveland.”
The Cleveland is the 16th and final Freedom-variant LCS and the fourth ship to be named in honor of the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Previous USS Cleveland’s were used in World War I, II and the Vietnam era.