The US Navy’s USS Cleveland suffered minor damage during its launch on Saturday when it collided with a tugboat. The incident occurred at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin during a “side launching” procedure, with the ship colliding with the tug before it stabilized in the water.
The US Navy said there were no injuries to personnel and the damage sustained by the USS Cleveland was minor and well above the sail line.
The ship, is the fourth US Navy ship named Cleveland, is designed to carry out missions along the US coastal areas and is part of the FREEDOM class of ships of the LCS program, which is characterized by dozens of problems and has a very bad reputation both in the United States and worldwide.
According to a US Navy spokesman, the tugboat was too close to the ship due to “miscommunication”.
The US Navy and the shipbuilder are currently investigating the cause of the incident and after repairs, the USS Cleveland will eventually arrive at its permanent base in Mayport, Florida.
The shipyard plans to phase out side launching in the future, replacing them with a different mechanism that will allow for more controlled launches.
