The company Fincantieri Marinette Marine finally delivered the new USS Cleveland (LCS 31) to the United States Navy (US Navy), marking the definitive closure of the construction of the Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships. The ceremony held on November 26 symbolizes the end of an industrial and operational effort that extended for more than twenty years and that involves successive technical adaptations, structural redesigns, and debates surrounding the usefulness of this family of ships. For the U.S. Navy, the delivery of LCS 31 constitutes both the end of a cycle and the overcoming of one of the most discussed and problematic programs of the last decade.
With this delivery to the U.S. Navy, the USS Cleveland becomes the 16th and last unit of the Freedom variant, a series that was marked from its early stages by design flaws and chronic problems in its propulsion system. The most relevant of these was the defective architecture of the combining gear, the mechanism responsible for coupling the power of the diesel and turbine engines.
Its poor performance not only generated systematic repairs and high premature wear, but also forced the Navy to withdraw several units from service early, drastically reducing the planned service life of the program. Already in 2024, when the third-to-last ship had been delivered, the Navy acknowledged that the Freedom variant would not continue beyond the last units in construction, indicating that the technical limitations prevented sustaining its operation under real deployment conditions.
These ships, designed to operate in littoral waters against asymmetric threats, were conceived as fast, shallow-draft units with modular capabilities intended to adapt to different mission profiles. In theory, they were to offer operational flexibility at relatively low cost and an architecture centered on speed, maneuverability, and deployment in coastal areas where larger naval units present limitations.
The delivery of the USS Cleveland occurs in parallel to a broader transformation process within the U.S. surface fleet. The Navy currently prioritizes the incorporation of more versatile and resilient platforms, such as the future Constellation-class frigates, the Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyers, and the development of new large combatants.
To conclude, after its entry into service planned for 2026, the USS Cleveland will join maritime security operations, control of littoral areas, and advanced presence tasks in the western Atlantic. Although the history of the Freedom class was marked by technical failures and unmet expectations, the delivery of its last unit represents the culmination of a program that left significant lessons for the planning and acquisition of future combat ships of the United States Navy.
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