Session 5 - FIGHTING CANCER FROM WITHIN: WINNING THE MIND GAME

The USS Cleveland, the final Littoral Combat Ship, enters service as the US Navy closes a controversial chapter marked by ambition, breakdowns, and soaring costs. Designed for coastal warfare, the LCS was meant to be fast, flexible, and vital in modern conflicts — including rising tensions in the Persian Gulf and wider Iran-related flashpoints. Instead, critics call them “Little Crappy Ships,” citing failures, weak defenses, and questions about survivability in drone and missile-heavy warzones. As Iran and regional conflicts escalate, analysts warn these vessels may struggle in real combat, exposing a costly gamble in an increasingly volatile global security landscape.