USS Cleveland LCS douses tugboat during last-ever side launch at Wisconsin shipyard

The USS Cleveland warship doused a tugboat as it was side-launched from the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin, on Saturday, April 15; the vessel is the US Navy’s final Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship.  According to the US Department of Defense (DOD), any future ships are “planned to be launched using a shiplift system.”  The US Navy’s last Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship, the USS Cleveland (LCS 31), was launched and christened on Saturday in a ceremony presided over by Andrew Haeuptle, director of Navy staff, and other officials.  “Cleveland is the 16th and final Freedom-variant LCS and the fourth ship to be named in honor of the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Previous USS Clevelands were the World War I cruiser (C 19), the World War II light cruiser (CL 55), and the Vietnam-era amphibious transport dock (LPD 7), decommissioned in 2011,” DOD said.  According to a report by Politico, the Littoral Combat Ship Program is only just now “on trend to meet design requirements” established 20 years ago, following the launch of the program. The ships have been criticized for design flaws, cost, and doubts that they are suited for modern needs. Democratic Rep Jackie Speier of California called the ships “lemons,” according to Politico.  Video filmed by Marinette County Sheriff Randy Miller shows the moment the ship was launched into the Menominee River on Saturday. Credit: Sheriff Randy Miller via Storyful

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