Fincantieri Marinette Marine Delivered Final Freedom-Class LCS

All good things come to an end, and sometimes the same is true of all not-so-good things. The latter is the best way to describe the United States Navy’s Freedom-class littoral combat ships.

Last week, the U.S. Navy accepted the delivery of the final vessel, the USS Cleveland (LCS-31), from Fincantieri Marinette Marine. With this, the program of record for 16 ships of the class concludes, although the oldest have already been retired.

LCS-31 will be commissioned in a ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, early next year before heading to Mayport, Florida, where she “will support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence in key operational theaters.”

The United States Navy was quick to accentuate the positive with the LCS program, even as it has been plagued by numerous issues, including mechanical problems with some of the oldest vessels and a lack of a mission for the warships.

“The delivery of USS Cleveland, our final Freedom-variant LCS, symbolizes the U.S. Navy’s unwavering vigilance and a steadfast commitment to protecting national interest and ensuring global stability,” Jay Iungerich, acting deputy program manager of the LCS Program Office (PMS 501), said in a media statement.

Not So “Crappy”

The United States Navy has struggled with its LCS program, which began when the U.S. military was engaged in the Global War on Terror following the September 11, 2001, attacks. The LCS was seen as ideal for combating missile-armed boats and even small submarines, while it was envisioned that the stealthy surface combatants could defeat anti-access and asymmetric threats in littoral or near-shore waters.

What was also unique about the LCS was that the U.S. Navy opted for two unique classes of vessels – each slightly smaller than the aging Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates then in service. The first was the Freedom-class, which was designed by Lockheed Martin and built by Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin. It was the smaller of the two, a steel-hulled 387-foot warship that utilized a semi-planing monohull.

The second variant was the Independence-class, featuring a trimaran with a slender, stabilized monohull that could support helicopter flight operations in up to sea state 5 (rough) conditions. The 421-foot all-aluminum warship was designed and built by Austral USA in Mobile, AL.

Each class was meant to emphasize speed and adaptability, thanks to flexible mission modules that could be installed to suit the operation. In theory, the LCS was just what the Navy needed, primarily as the sleek warships could operate where larger warships could not.

Numerous Problems

Almost from their introduction, the LCS failed to deliver. The warships were prone to breakdowns, and after Congress cut funding for the mission modules, the U.S. Navy was left with small, under armed vessels that have earned the colorful moniker “Little Crappy Ships” from some sailors.

Problems with the combining gears and the ships not meeting future combat requirements resulted in the lead vessels of both classes, along with three more from the Freedom-class and two others from the Independence-class, being retired years ahead of schedule.

The combining gear was redesigned and incorporated into the final Freedom-class vessels, which also received structural and system upgrades. The latest ships are more reliable, which solved one problem.

Finding A New Purpose

Only with the development of the Mine Countermeasures Mission Package has the Navy found a purpose for the Independence-class. Comprising an integrated suite of unmanned maritime systems and sensors, the MCM MP can be used to locate, identify, and destroy mines in the littorals while increasing the ship’s standoff distance from the threat. The U.S. Navy is now replacing its aging Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships with Independence-class LCS fitted with the MCM MP.

The Freedom-class LCS also received a boost, as it can be armed with new ordnance, notably the Naval Strike Missile and Longbow Hellfire missiles, to counter threats such as drones. Moreover, the U.S. Navy has considered other roles for the LCS, including drone carrier and network tender.

It would be fair to suggest that the Pentagon was forced to find a role for the LCS rather than it being well-suited to a multitude of missions. Yet, with USS Cleveland, the Navy has put a positive spin on the program’s status.

“With the final Freedom-variant LCS now delivered, we celebrate the successful outcome of years of innovation and commitment,” added Melissa Kirkendall, program executive officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants. “This highly capable and lethal warship is ready to assert maritime dominance and protect global waters with unparalleled precision and power.”

Honoring Cleveland

LCS-31 will be the fourth U.S. Navy vessel named to honor “The Forest City,” following the Denver-class protected cruiser USS Cleveland (C-19), which was launched in 1901 and went on to see service until 1929. The next was the lead vessel of the Cleveland-class of light cruisers built during the Second World War. For her actions in the conflict, which spanned numerous campaigns, including Guadalcanal, Bougainville, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, CL-55 received 13 battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation.

The most recent former USS Cleveland (LPD-7) was the Austin-class amphibious transport dock. Commissioned in April 1967, she was not decommissioned until 2011 and, at the time, was the third-oldest commissioned warship in the United States Navy’s fleet, after the frigate USS Constitution and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65).

LPD-7 was used as a SINKEX target during a live-fire exercise as part of “Valiant Shield 2024,” and sunk by a PrSM Increment 2 anti-ship ballistic missile.