LCS-31: The Commissioning of the U.S. Navy's USS Cleveland

On May 16, 2026, the United States Navy officially commissioned USS Cleveland (LCS-31) in a ceremony held in its namesake city along the shores of Lake Erie. This landmark event marked a historic first: the first time in the Navy’s 250-year history that a warship was commissioned in the state of Ohio. As the 16th and final Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship, Cleveland represents the culmination of a major shipbuilding program and a powerful symbol of partnership between the Navy, industry, and the American heartland.

In Episode S3 E16 of Mighty Line Minute, Dave provides an overview and explanation of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as it arrived in Cleveland in May, 2026. He follows this with an in-depth look at the recent, historic commissioning of USS Cleveland (LCS-31) in its namesake city. This Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship marks a proud milestone: the first U.S. Navy warship ever commissioned in the state of Ohio in the nation’s 250-year history. (Note: historically this is the fourth USS Cleveland over the nation's history). 

The commissioning ceremony at North Coast Yard in downtown Cleveland was filled with naval tradition, pageantry, and civic pride. Dignitaries, Navy leadership, the ship’s sponsor, crew members, veterans, and local residents gathered to witness the vessel transition from “future USS Cleveland” to a fully commissioned warship in active service. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao and other senior leaders delivered remarks highlighting the ship’s significance. The emotional climax came when the sponsor issued the traditional order, “Man our ship and bring her to life!” Moments later, the commissioning pennant was raised as cheers rang out along the waterfront.

Design and Capabilities

USS Cleveland (LCS-31) is a Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship built by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Fincantieri Marine at the Marinette, Wisconsin shipyard. The ship measures 388 feet in length, with a beam of 58 feet and a full-load displacement of approximately 3,410 metric tons. Its relatively shallow draft allows it to operate effectively in coastal and near-shore (littoral) waters where larger surface combatants cannot venture.

Powered by a combined diesel and gas turbine propulsion system driving waterjets, Cleveland is exceptionally fast, capable of speeds exceeding 48 knots—more than 55 miles per hour. This agility, combined with its modular mission bay, enables the ship to be rapidly reconfigured for a wide range of operations, including surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. With a core crew of about 50 officers and enlisted personnel (expandable with mission modules), the design maximizes automation and efficiency while delivering formidable combat capability.

As the final Freedom-variant LCS, Cleveland benefits from years of operational feedback and lessons learned. It incorporates significant improvements in systems integration, reliability, and maintainability compared to earlier ships in the class. The vessel will soon join its sister ships at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, ready to support maritime security, deterrence missions, and power projection around the globe.

A Name with Deep Roots

The name Cleveland carries a proud naval legacy. This is the fourth U.S. Navy vessel to honor Ohio’s second-largest city. Previous ships bearing the name served with distinction, including a protected cruiser (C-19) that operated during World War I. The strong bond between the city and the Navy has now been reinforced in a highly visible and meaningful way.

For Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, the LCS-31 commissioning represented far more than a military milestone — it was a powerful source of civic pride. The ship arrived on May 9, 2026, and Commissioning Week featured public tours, community events, and celebrations that brought together sailors, families, veterans, and residents. Although built in Wisconsin, Cleveland was commissioned in Ohio, underscoring the national scope of naval shipbuilding and the interconnected contributions of communities across the United States.

Strategic Importance in a Changing World

The Littoral Combat Ship program was designed to provide the Navy with affordable, high-speed, and versatile platforms optimized for operations in contested coastal waters. In today’s era of great-power competition, ships like USS Cleveland offer critical flexibility. They can operate independently or as part of larger carrier strike groups, conduct freedom-of-navigation operations, partner with allied forces, and respond rapidly to humanitarian crises or emerging threats.

While the LCS program faced criticism in its early years regarding cost and reliability, later vessels—including this final Freedom-variant—have addressed many of those challenges. USS Cleveland enters service with enhanced capabilities that support the Navy’s goals of fleet expansion, distributed lethality, and sustained forward presence.

Looking Ahead

With the LCS-31 commissioning complete, USS Cleveland will now complete final training and operational integration before fully assuming her role in the fleet from her homeport in Mayport, Florida. For the dedicated crew who will serve aboard her, this marks the beginning of a new chapter of service, readiness, and adventure.

The successful delivery and commissioning of Cleveland also reaffirms the importance of maintaining a strong American shipbuilding industrial base. Partnerships between the Navy, Lockheed Martin, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, and suppliers across the nation ensure the United States retains the skilled workforce and infrastructure necessary to build and sustain a powerful fleet.

A Moment of National and Local Pride

The commissioning of USS Cleveland (LCS-31) was more than the addition of another hull to the Navy’s register. It was a celebration of American innovation, naval tradition, regional pride, and the enduring commitment of the men and women who serve. For the people of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, it was a once-in-a-generation honor that linked their city’s resilient spirit directly to the defense of the nation.

As USS Cleveland takes her place in the fleet, she carries forward the industrious and forward-looking character of her namesake city. Mighty Line Minute and ShieldMark Inc. dba Mighty Line wishes fair winds, following seas and Godspeed to the ship and her crew. May she serve the United States with honor and distinction for decades to come.

Finally, please consider supporting the USS Cleveland Legacy Foundation - a Cleveland, Ohio-based nonprofit which plans to provide support to the crew over the projected two decades she will be in service:

• Each Sailor will have an opportunity to be adopted by a Cleveland family, company, school, church, or civic organization.
• The Foundation will host a Thanksgiving dinner in Mayport, Florida, whenever she is at her homeport for the holiday. They also plan to:
• Organize a Christmas toy drive for crew members’ kids.
• Ship a seabag full of Cleveland swag to every new Sailor who checks in with the command.
• Send care packages to the ship when she’s forward deployed around the globe.
• Recognize life and career milestones like marriages, births, promotions, and retirements.

Thank you for learning about USS Cleveland, LCS-31 Littoral Combat Ship, her purpose, and her commissioning.