In 2002, the US Navy began a program to develop the first of a fleet of littoral combat ships.[7] The Navy initially ordered two monohull ships from Lockheed Martin, which became known as the Freedom-class littoral combat ships after the first ship of the class, USS Freedom.[7][8] Odd-numbered US Navy littoral combat ships are built using the Freedom-class monohull design, while even-numbered ships are based on a competing design, the trimaran hull Independence-class littoral combat ship from General Dynamics.[7] The initial order of littoral combat ships involved a total of four ships, including two of the Freedom-class design.[7]Cleveland is the sixteenth Freedom-class littoral combat ship to be built.
Marinette Marine was awarded the contract to build the ship on 15 January 2019.[1]Cleveland was launched on 14 April 2023.[9][10] In a sideways launch, Cleveland was involved in a minor collision with a tugboat. No injuries were reported, and damage to Cleveland was "limited" and above the waterline. The shipyard intends to use a shiplift to transfer future ships to the water in a more controlled manner.[11]
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
