The Navy accepts delivery of the future USS Cleveland on Nov. 26, 2025. The ship is the 16th and final Freedom-class littoral combat ship slated for service. (U.S. Navy)
The Navy now is in possession of the final Freedom-class littoral combat ship after a milestone moment this week for a troubled collection of vessels once valued for their promise as stealthy multi-mission combatants.
The future USS Cleveland, the 16th and last ship of the class, was delivered to the fleet Wednesday, the Navy said in a statement the same day.
After commissioning in Cleveland early next year, the ship will be homeported in Mayport, Fla., supporting “forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence in key operational theaters,” the Navy said.
“This highly capable and lethal warship is ready to assert maritime dominance and protect global waters with unparalleled precision and power,” Melissa Kirkendall, program executive officer of unmanned and small combatants, said in the statement.
Littoral combat ships are fast, nimble vessels prized for their abilities in coastal areas and the open ocean, but the Freedom variant quickly was beset by propulsion problems and other costly issues.
In 2022, the Navy proposed mothballing nine Freedom-class ships well ahead of their end-of-service dates because of insufficient firepower, saying it wanted to prioritize production of Constellation-class frigates, which deliver a more powerful punch.
Ultimately, five of the ships were saved. Since then, the Navy has decommissioned four Freedom-class ships. They followed the class’ lead ship, USS Freedom, which was decommissioned in 2021.
The Navy also has accepted delivery of six more of the ships. With the Cleveland added, there will be 11 Freedom-variant ships in service, according to the Navy’s website.
Another variety of littoral combat ship, the Independence class, also has experienced problems, including cracks in the hulls of at least six vessels. There are 17 Independence-class ships in service, the final vessel in the variation being USS Pierre, which commissioned on Nov. 15.
Two Independence variants, USS Canberra and USS Santa Barbara, have been equipped with mine countermeasures capabilities and are on duty in Bahrain.
Two others, USS Tulsa and a vessel that has not yet been identified, are expected to join them, replacing the Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships that served in the Middle East for years.
The Navy also is planning to enable Freedom-class ships armed with AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles to fire those weapons against aerial drones, news site The War Zone reported in January.
USS Indianapolis was the first of the ships upgraded with the capability, which it received during operations in the Middle East in the fall of 2024, according to the report.
Indianapolis is the first and only littoral combat ship to receive a Combat Action Ribbon, according to the Navy.
Meanwhile, Navy Secretary John Phelan said this week that the service will jettison the Constellation-class frigate program to free up funds and shipyard space for other projects.
The program has been plagued by delays and cost overruns. The lead ship, USS Constellation, is not expected to be delivered to the fleet until 2029, about three years behind schedule.
Stars and Stripes reporter Gary Warner contributed to this report.
