Navy to commission future USS Cleveland

The Navy will commission the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31) on May 16, marking the fourth ship to carry the city’s name and adding another Freedom-variant littoral combat ship to the fleet.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao is slated to deliver the principal address at the ceremony. Other speakers include Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted; U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio; Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb; Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command; and Stephanie Hill, president of Rotary and Mission Systems at Lockheed Martin.

Robyn Modly, wife of former acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In keeping with tradition, she will direct the crew to “man our ship and bring her to life!” Following the hoisting of the colors and commissioning pennant, Cao will formally place the ship into active service.

After commissioning, the ship will be homeported at Naval Station Mayport in Florida.

The Navy notes that LCS are fast, agile, mission-focused warships designed for near-shore operations against modern threats. The class, which can operate independently or as part of a larger networked force alongside cruisers and destroyers, consists of two variants: Freedom and Independence. Lockheed Martin leads the Freedom-variant effort—odd-numbered hulls built in Marinette, Wisconsin—of which USS Cleveland is a part.

This will be the fourth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the Cleveland name. The first, a cruiser (C-19) commissioned in 1903, served during World War I. The second, the lead ship of her class of light cruisers, USS Cleveland (CL-55), earned 13 battle stars in World War II. The third, the Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland (LPD 7), served from 1967 to 2011, supporting operations in Vietnam and Desert Storm and participating in multiple humanitarian missions.

Navy officials frame the commissioning as part of a long-term effort to sustain a globally present fleet and deliver new capabilities at the pace demanded by persistent operations.

The ceremony will stream live on the Defense Video Information Distribution Service at https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/37601. The webcast begins at 9:50 a.m. EDT, with the ceremony set for 10 a.m. EDT on May 16.

More information about the Littoral Combat Ship program is available at https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2171607/littoral-combat-ship-class-lc.