The USS Cleveland will be the fourth commissioned ship in naval service since World War I to be named after the city of Cleveland.
At a ceremony in Wisconsin on Wednesday, the keel was laid on Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 31. The ship will be built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin.
Cleveland will be the site of the commissioning ceremony for the USS Cleveland, before the ship heads south to Mayport, Florida to join Littoral Combat Ship Squadron TWO.
“We are proud to build another proven warship that allows our Navy to carry out missions around the world. All of us at Lockheed Martin, including our hardworking team in Marinette, Wisconsin, look forward to working with the U.S. Navy to continue delivering highly capable and adaptable Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ships to the fleet.” - Steve Allen, Lockheed Martin Vice President of Small Combatants and Ship Systems
“I am humbled and honored to be the sponsor of a ship that bears the name of the great city of Cleveland, with its rich and storied history of support to our armed services. I look forward to a lifelong relationship with the ship and her crew as they proudly serve the Navy and our nation.” - Robyn Modly, Ship Sponsor of the future USS Cleveland (LCS 31)
“Our team at Fincantieri Marinette Marine is proud to celebrate the keel laying of the LCS 31 with the gracious citizens of Cleveland. This milestone is a testament to the power of cooperation and forward thinking by the entire Freedom Team and our customer, the United States Navy. It also bears witness to all the dedicated craftsmen and women working in our FMG system of shipyards.” - Jan Allman, CEO of Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
